Tag Archives: Saint of the Day

patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. John Henry Newman, Feast Day Oct. 9

St. John Henry Newman

St. John Henry Newman was born in London in 1801.  He was raised in the Anglican faith.  He first studied law and then decided to become a priest.  He was ordained in the Anglican Church after studying at Trinity College in Oxford.  As an Anglican priest, John Henry was influential in the Oxford Movement.  Eventually, he converted to the Roman Catholic faith and was ordained a priest in Rome in 1848.   Pope Leo XIII named him a cardinal.

St. John Henry Newman is the patron saint of catholic education and poets and writers.

St. John Henry Newman was known for writing 40 books and poetry including the poem Lead kindly light.

When Saint John Henry Newman was named a cardinal, he took as his motto “Cor ad cor loquitur”—“Heart speaks to heart.” 

He pondered and preached about many theological questions which included the Significance of Our Lady, the Authority in the church and Spirituality during difficult times.

St. John Henry Newman died in Birmingham in 1890.  He was beatified by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010.  He was canonized by Pope Francis on October 13, 2019.

Lead Kindly Light

Poem by St. John Henry Newman

Lead, kindly Light, amid th’ encircling gloom,
Lead Thou me on;
The night is dark, and I am far from home,
Lead Thou me on;
Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene; one step enough for me.

I was not ever thus, nor prayed that Thou
Shouldst lead me on;
I loved to choose and see my path, but now
Lead Thou me on;
I loved the garish day, and spite of fears,
Pride ruled my will; remember not past years.

So long Thy pow’r has blest me, sure it still
Wilt lead me on,
O’er moor and fen, o’er crag and torrent, till
The night is gone,
And with the morn those angel faces smile,
Which I have loved long since, and lost awhile

Learn to do thy part and leave the rest to Heaven.

Quote of St. John Henry Newman

 
October is the Month of the Holy Rosary

Featured, Prayer, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Monica, Feast Day August 27

St. Monica by
Tristán de Escamilla,

The Feast Day of St. Monica is celebrated on August 27.  She is the patron saint of mothers, alcoholism and difficult marriages.

St. Monica was born of a Christian family in Tagaste in Africa in 331. She was given in marriage by her parents to a non-Christian named Patricius. He was known to have a a bad temper and alcoholism. They had three children who survived infancy. One of them was Augustine.

Monica was known for her pious nature. She prayed without ceasing for her family. A year before his death Patricius converted to Catholicism and was baptized. Augustine was 17 at the time of his father’s death. He left the faith and led an immoral life. By eighteen he had a mistress and a son. He joined a group called the Manichees. Manicheeism teaches that the material world is part of the realm of evil. There are two gods one good and one evil.

Monica never ceased praying for the return of her son to the Catholic faith. After more than 15 years of prayer, Augustine heard St. Ambrose, the bishop of Milan, preach. He decided to study the faith, and eventually returned, being baptized in 387. Eventually Augustine became a priest and then a bishop.  St. Augustine  is now considered a Doctor of the Church.

Monica is the patron of mothers due to her persistence in prayer.

“Nothing is far from God.”

Quote of St. Monica

August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Dominican, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips, Quotes; St. Hyacinth of Poland, Feast Day August 17



St. Hyacinth of Poland
Public Domain Image




St. Hyacinth of Poland

 
The Feast Day of St. Hyacinth of Poland is celebrated on August 17. 


St. Hyacinth was born in 1185 to noble parents in Odrowacz, Poland.  He was educated by his uncle who was a pious priest who eventually became the Bishop of Cracow.  He was a very happy and pious child with an early calling to the religious life.  He studied at Bologna earning the degree of Doctor of Canon Law and Divinity.


St. Hyacinth returned to Poland.  On a trip to Rome with his uncle he met St. Dominic.  He was one of the first to join the Order of Preachers, becoming a Dominican.  He returned to Poland to establish the Dominican Order.


St. Hyacinth was a wonderful preacher.  He converted many people and was able to build churches and convents.  He visited the sick and was a friend to the poor.  He became known for the many miracles which occurred.  The most famous happened during the Tartars siege of the city of Kiev.  Hyacinth had a tender devotion to the Mother of God.  After celebrating Mass unaware of the siege occurring, he retrieved the Blessed Sacrament and a statue of Mary and fled with the community to the river Dnieper.  Although the river was deep he led them across the river walking on the water.  His footprints could be seen on the water for centuries.


The last years of St. Hyacinth’s life were lived in a convent at Cracow.  On the feast of St. Dominic, he fell ill with a fever.  He celebrated Mass on the Feast of the Assumption in spite of his illness.  He was anointed at the Altar and died later that day on August 15, 1257.


St. Hyacinth was canonized by Pope Clement VIII in 1594.
 
“The greater danger for most of us
is not that our aim is too high and we miss it,
but that it is too low and we reach it.”

Quote of Michelangelo
 


August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary




Faith, Martyr, Saint of the Day, Visionary

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Stephen of Hungary, Feast Day August 16




St. Stephen of Hungary Public Domain Image
St. Stephen of Hungary

 

The Feast Day of St. Stephen of Hungary is celebrated on August 16. 

St. Stephen was born in the year 973.  His mother  was the Duchess Sarolt.  She had had a vision in which the first St. Stephen, the first martyr of the church had appeared to her.  She was told she would bear a son who would evangelize the land.

St. Stephen’s father was the Duke Geza.  Both his mother and father were converted to Christianity by Bishop St. Adalbert of Prague.  The Bishop baptized St. Stephen at the age of ten. St. Stephen married Gesela who was a sister to the Duke of Bavaria in 995.  Sadly, he survived all his children.  Only one child lived to be an adult.  This son, Emeric,  died in a hunting accident in 1031.

St. Stephen use their wealth to build a monastery and encouraged the people of the land to convert to Christianity.  The laws of the land which St. Stephen enacted favored Christianity over paganism.  He sent a request to Pope Sylvester II to proclaim him as King of Hungary.  Pope Sylvester II was happy to oblige.  He sent Stephen a crown and gold processional cross.

As King, St. Stephen was generous to the poor and sick.  He was devoted to the Virgin Mary, building several churches in her honor.  Mary is credited with preventing both a war and the assassination of King Stephen.  While he was king, St. Stephen also established a monastery in Jerusalem.

St. Stephen died on August 15, 1038, the Feast of the Assumption of Mary after suffering an illness.  He was buried next to his son Emerick.  They were both canonized saints in 1083.

“It is a fact that people are always
well aware of what is due them. 
Unfortunately, they remain oblivious
of what they owe to others.”

 

Quote of St. Francis de Sales; Feast Day January 24
 

August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

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patron saints, Quote, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Cajetan, Feast Day August 7

St. Cajetan by Gaetano dei Conti di Tiene

The Feast Day of St. Cajetan is celebrated on August 7.  He was born in Vicenza, Italy, in 1480.  St. Cajetan is the patron saint of the unemployed.

Even as a child Cajetan was very devout.  He studied at Padua becoming a lawyer.  He then was ordained a priest in Rome working for the Roman Curia.  He joined the Oratory of Divine Love in Rome, which was devoted to charity and piety.

At the age of 42, he founded a hospital for incurables in Venice.  He served the sick and the poor.  St. Cajetan along with three friends decided to bring zeal back to the clergy.  They founded an order known as the Theatines.  They focused on reforming the clergy.  After the sack of Rome, they escaped to Venice when their house was ruined in 1527.  Members of his order took a strict vow of poverty, depending entirely on Divine Providence rather than on income.

One Christmas Eve when Cajetan was passing the Church of St. Mary Major, the Holy Child appeared to him, and the Blessed Virgin laid the child in the Saints arms filling his soul with joy.  He had many visions in his life and was known for being in a state of ecstasy during prayer.  He miraculously cured many who were sick including a man whose foot was to be amputated due to gangrene.  After telling the man to trust in God and ask for the intercession of St. Francis, he kissed the foot, rebandaged it and made the sign of the cross over it.  The following day the foot was healed.


St. Cajetan died in 1547 after receiving the last sacraments.  Many miracles were attributed to him after his death.
St. Cajetan   was canonized by Clement X in 1671.


“There is no road to Heaven

but that of Innocence or Penance.”


Quote of St. Cajetan
 
August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Faith, Quote, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Alphonsa, Feast Day July 28

St. Alphonsa

The Feast Day of St. Alphonsa is celebrated on July 28.  She was born in Muttahupadathu, India in 1910.  She is the second canonized saint of India.

Baptized with the name Anna, she had a difficult birth and childhood.  Her mother died three months after she was born.  She was raised by her maternal Aunt.  After falling into a pit of burning chaff, her feet were badly burned leaving her disabled. At an early age, after reading the biography of St. Therese of Lisieux, she had a great desire to become a saint.

In 1927 at the age of 17 she joined the Poor Clares at Christ Convent at Bharananganam.   She took the name Alphonsa.  She completed her permanent vows in 1936. After completing her own education. Alphonsa taught school but she was plaqued by illness.She became known for her willingness to accept suffering.  After enduring several different types of illnesses over many years St. Alphonsa died at the age of 35.  Her tomb is a site for pilgrims due to the many reported miracles at the site. The miracle which was approved by the Vatican for her canonization was the curing of a child with a club foot. St. Alphonsa was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in 2008.

Since only grief and suffering have fallen to the lot of my Spouse, I too lovingly embrace them and my soul is at peace, though the body continues to be tormented.  For the last seven years I have ceased to be my own, being given over entirely to my Divine Spouse.  You know all that and now let the Lord do as He will with me.  It is not a cure I am anxious for but only that His Holy Will be fulfilled in me.

Quote of St. Aphonsa

July is the Month of the Most Precious Blood

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Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Bridget of Sweden, Feast Day July 23

St. Bridget of Sweden

The Feast day of St. Bridget of Sweden is celebrated on July 23. St. Bridget of Sweden was born on June 14, 1303. She was the daughter of Berger Persson and wife, Ingeborg. Her family was wealthy, pious, and went on long pilgrimages to the Holy Land.  St. Bridget of Sweden is  the patron of Sweden, Europe, and widows.


At the age of ten her mother died. Her sister Kathleen, infant brother Israel, and Bridget were sent to her maternal aunt for education and care. As a young child Bridget had a vivid dream vision of The Man of Sorrows. When she asked who had done this to him He responded,


“All those who despise my love.”


This dream vision left an indelible mark on her.
She married early, as was the custom, at 13 years old to Ulf Gudransson. They had eight children, four sons and four daughter. The newly married King of Sweden asked her to be a Lady in waiting and teach the young queen the language and customs of her new country.


St. Bridget became a widow when she was 41 years old when her husband died of severe illness. She prayed for guidance, after which she founded a new religious order (The Brigitta’s), mainly for women. She reported many visions and revelations, some which can be found in the “Fifteen Prayers of St. Bridget”.


In August, 1370, Pope Urban V confirmed the Rule of her congregation. Bridget made earnest representations to Pope Urban, urging the removal of the Holy See from Avignon back to Rome.


In 1349 she journeyed to Rome where she stayed until she died in 1373.


My Lord Jesus Christ, Your blessed, royal, and magnificent heart
could never, by torments or terrors or blandishments, be swayed,
from the defense of Your kingdom of truth and justice.


Quote of St. Bridget of Sweden.


July is the Month of the Precious Blood.








patron saints, Sacred Heart, Saint of the Day, Visionary

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, Feast Day October 16




 

 

St. Margaret Mary Public Domain Image
St. Margaret Mary

The Feast day of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque is celebrated on October 16.  She is known as the Apostle of the Sacred Heart.

St. Margaret Mary was born to Claude and Philiberte Lamyn on July 22, 1647 in Lhautecour, France.  She was the fifth of seven children.  She was baptized with name of Margaret and added the name of Mary when she was confirmed in the faith in 1669.   From an early age Margaret had a strong devotion to the Blessed Sacrament.   Margaret’s father died when she was eight years old.  She was sent to a school run by Urbanist Nuns at Chavolles.

Margaret became very ill and was unable to walk.  After consecrating herself to the Blessed Virgin, she promised that if cured, she would be one of her daughters.  She was immediately cured.

Thrust into poverty after her father’s death, she considered marriage, which caused her internal conflict.  Her desire to become a nun prevailed.  She joined the Visitation Order in 1671.

St. Margaret Mary began having visions on Dec. 17, 1073.  They continued until June 1675.  Jesus appeared to her giving her the task of encouraging and teaching a devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  This included a Holy Hour on Thursdays to reflect on how the Apostles abandoned Him  during the Agony in the Garden.  It also encouraged receiving communion on 1st Fridays.

After suffering many years of from doubt and despair, St. Margaret Mary died at the age of 43.    She had served two terms as assistant supervisor.    With the help of St. Claude de la Columbiere, the feast day became popular.  The Sacred Heart symbolizes the boundless love given by Jesus in the Eucharist and His Passion and death

 

“I need nothing but God

and to lose myself

to the Heart of Jesus.”

Quote of St. Margaret Mary

 

October is the Month of the Most Holy Rosary

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Carmelite Saints, Eucharist, Incorruptible, Mystics, patron saints

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi, Feast Day May 25

St. Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi

The Feast Day of St. Mary Magdalene de’ Pazi is celebrated on May 25. She is the patron saint of the sick and against sexual temptation. She was a Carmelite nun, virgin, mystic and incorruptible

St. Mary Magdalene was born on April 2, 1607 into a noble family in Florence, Italy. She was baptized with the name Catrina Lucrezia de’ Pazzi.

At the age of 8, Catrina became a student at San Giovannia. The nuns prepared her for her first communion which she received when she was 10 years old. Soon…she made a vow of virginity, knowing she did not desire to marry.

Catrina enjoyed a life of prayer and penance. She especially enjoyed the meditations of St. Augustine and the Lord ‘s Passion by Loarto.

When Catrina was 16, she chose to enter the Carmelite Community of Santa Maria. She was led to this decision because they offerred daily Holy Communion, which was rare during this time.

As a novice, Catrina took the name Mary Magdalene de Pazzi. After a year, she became very ill and was near death. On the Feast of the Trinity, she was allowed to make her profession of vows in the chapel. Immediately, she experienced an ecstasy which lasted two hours. For the following 40 days she experienced ecstasy after receiving communion. She was given a sense of union with God and many insights about divine teachings. During the ecstacies the nuns recorded what she said and did. This resulted in five volumes of books about her life. They are referred to as The Life and Works of St. Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi.

Mary Magdalene experienced both spiritual ecstasies and dryness with internal suffering. Throughout her life she had a strong devotion to the crown of thorns which Jesus wore during the crucifixion. She joyfully offered her suffering to God.

Mary Magdalene became the novice mistress and the the superior of the Community. She died on May 25, 1607 of natural causes after suffering a painfull illness for three years. Many miracles occurred following her death.

St. Mary Magdalene was beatified on 1626 by Pope Urban III. She was canonized by Pope Clement X on April 28, 1669.

The incorruptable body of St. Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi lies preserved in a glass coffin within the Carmelite Monastery of Santa Maria degli. Angel in Florence.

Prayer of Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi

Come, Holy Spirit. May the union of the Father and the will of the Son…Come to us. You, Spirit of truth, are the reward of the saints, the refreshment of souls, light in darkness, the riches of the poor, the treasures of lovers, the satisfaction of the hungry, the consolation of the pilgrim Church; You are he whom all treasures are contained.

Come, You who, desending into Mary, caused the Word to take flesh; effect in us by grace what you accomplished in her by grace and nature.

Come, You who are the nourishment of all chaste thoughts, the fountain of all clemency, the summit of all purity.

Come, and take away from us all that hinders us from being absorbed in You.

patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. John Chrysostom, Feast Day September 13




St. John Chrysostom Icon Public Domain Image
St. John Chrysostom Icon

The Feast day of St. John Chrysostom is celebrated on September 13. 

St. John was born to Christian parents about the year 344.  After studying law he became a deacon and was ordained a priest.  He served as a priest in Syria for 12 years before becoming Bishop of Constantinople.  St. John Chrysostom is the patron saint of preachers, speakers and  epilepsy.

St. John was known for his powerful sermons.  He believed in the need to help the poor and wanted the wealthy to  be generous with their money.  This was not appreciated by all who listened to him.

In 403 he was charged with heresy and sent into temporary exile.  He was recalled and then exiled permanently.  He died on Sept. 14, 407 while marching in the hot sun.  His last words were:

“Glory to God for all things.”

St. John Chrysostom (which means golden mouthed) has been given the title of Doctor of the Eucharist for his preaching on the belief in the Real Presence.  He is considered one of the four great doctors of the Eastern Church along with St. Athanasius, St. Gregory Nazianzen and St. Basil.

 Faithfulness in little things is a big thing.
Quote of St. John Chrysostom
September is the Month of Our Lady of Sorrows

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

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


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
St. Catherine of Siena

 

St. Catherine of Siena

 

St. Catherine of Siena

 


St. Catherine of Siena

April is the Month of the Eucharist.

Incorruptible, Our Lady, Prayer, Quotes of Saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes; St. Bernadette of Lourdes, Feast Day April 16

The Feast day of St. Bernadette of Lourdes is celebrated on April 16.

St. Bernadetta was born in 1833 in France. Our Lady first appeared to St. Bernadette in Lourdes.
France on Feb. 11, 1858. Bernadette was a poor shepherdess who was only 14 years old. Our Lady actually appeared to her eighteen times.

During the first vision Bernadette saw a bright light and a beautiful lady dressed in a brilliant white dress adorned with a blue ribbon. A long veil covered her body from her head to her feet. Her hands were clasped as if praying and she carried a white and gold rosary with a gold cross in her hands. Bernadette took her rosary out of her pocket and guided by Our Lady they prayed the rosary. After praying, the vision ended.

St.Bernadette of Lourdes

Bernadette asked the girls with her if they had seen anything and they said no. She told them not to say anything, but her sister told their mother who did not believe the story.

On Feb. 14, Bernadette returned to the Grotto where the vision had happened. She asked those with her to pray the rosary. When Our Lady appeared again, Bernadette’s face was transfigured. She sprinkled the holy water which had been given her and said, “If you come from God, come near us.” The holy water touched Our Lady, and she smiled and came closer. They began to pray the rosary together.

On Feb. 18, after Mass she was accompanied by a lady and a religious. When she began praying, Our Lady appeared again and they all prayed the rosary. Our Lady asked Bernadette to return for 15 consecutive days. Benadette promised she would do so. Our Lady said;

Bernadette went to the Grotto with a lit candle for the next 15 days. Hundreds of people began coming with her. On Feb. 21, Bernadette observed that Our Lady seemed sad. She asked her, “What is wrong? What can I do?” Our Lady said,

“Pray for sinners.”

“I also promise to make you happy, not in this world, but in the next.”

A doctor examined Bernadette and concluded there was northing wrong with her. Bernadette was ridiculed nonetheless.

On Feb. 23, Our Lady requested that a Sanctuary be built on the site. She told Bernadette to talk to the priest. When the priest asked her the name of the lady, Bernadeete did not know. The priest told her he needed a miracle and she shoul ask the lady for the rose bush to blossom.

On Feb 26, Our Lady revealed to Bernadette her name saying:

“I am the Immaculate Conception”

During one apparition people witnessed Bernadette praying for fifteen minutes with the candle flame burning through her fingers. She remained unharmed. The last apparition occurred on the Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. Many miracles of healing have been attributed to the healing waters of Lourdes.

St. Bernadette joined the Sisters of Charity seeking God in the silence of the convent. St. Bernadette died on April 16, 1879.

The message of Our Lady Of Lourdes is timeless.

Pray for Sinners!

The incorrupt body of St. Bernadette of Lourdes may be viewed at St. Gildard Convent where it is kept uner glass. This is the Conven St. Bernadette spent the last nine years of her life in prayer with God.

Always stay very close to our Lord, present in the tabernacle. Be completely absorbed by devotion to Him there and never let go.

Quote of St. Bernadette

April is the Month of the Eucharist