Tag Archives: Saint of the Day

Dominican Saints, Faith, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Catherine dei Ricci, Feast Day Feb. 13

Image February 12, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra

The feast day of St. Catherine dei Ricci is celebrated on Feb. 13. She is the patron saint of the sick.

St. Catherine was born in 1522 in Italy. Her baptismal name was Alexandria, however she took the name Catherine when she joined the Dominican Order. As an infant her mother died and she was raised by her godmother. As a child she was known for her love of praying in solitude. She also talked to her guardian angel and learned to pray the rosary. At the age of six her father placed her in a convent in Florence, Italy, where her aunt was the Abbess.

Alexandria joined the Dominican nuns at Prat in Tuscany when she was 14 taking the name of Catherine. By he age of 25 she was the perpetual prioress. She had a great reputation for sanctity. Although they never met, she corresponded to St. Philip Neri, also known as the Apostle of Joy.

St. Catherine had a great devotion to the Passion of Christ. In 1541 she had a heartbreaking vision of the crucifixion which confined her to bed for three weeks finally recovering on Holy Saturday by a vision of St. Mary Magdalene and the risen Jesus. For 12 years she experienced ecstasy every Thursday from noon until Friday at 4 p.m. During the visions she received the stigmata, the wound in the left side and the crown of thorns. She offered her suffering for the Holy souls in Purgatory.

Many people came to witness her ecstasy, even though she did not like the attention it caused. One of her visions was of receiving a ring from the lord as a sign of her espousal to him.

Three popes were known to have asked her for her prayers; Pope Marcellus II, Pope Leo XI and Pope Clement VIII.

St. Catherine is the patron saint of sick people because she cared for the sick while living in the convent. She died after a long illness at the age of 68 in 1590.

“If we really want to love, we must learn how to forgive.”

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

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February is the Month of the Passion of the Lord

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Faith, Our Lady, Prayer, Visionary

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Our Lady of Lourdes, Feast Day Feb. 11

The feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes is celebrated on Feb. 11.

Our Lady of Lourdes is the patron saint of bodily ills. 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. Bernadette asked the girls with her if they had seen anything and they said no. She told them not to say anything however 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, St. Bernadette was accompanied after Mass 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. Bernadette promised she would do so. Our Lady said, “I also promise to make you happy, not in this world, but in the next.”

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.”

A doctor examined Bernadette and concluded there was nothing 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 Bernadette did not know. The priest told her he needed a miracle and she should ask the lady for the rose bush to blossom.

On Feb. 25, Our Lady told Bernadette to drink from the fountain. Puzzled, Bernadette looked around for water. She discovered water coming up from the ground which soon became a pool of water. 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 he healing waters of Lourdes.
St. Bernadette joined the Sisters of Charity seeking God in the silence of the convent. She died on April 16, 1879. The message of Our Lady of Lourdes is timeless…….Pray for sinners!

Death came through Eve, Life through Mary.

Quote of St. Jerome; Feast day September 30

February is the Month of the Passion of the Lord

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Benedictine Saints, Faith, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Scholastica, Feast Day Feb. 10

February 10, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra

St. Scholastica Patron Saint Against Storms

The feast day of St. Scholastica is celebrated on Feb. 10. St. Scholastica was born in central Italy. She was the twin sister to St. Benedict who founded the Benedictine Order. Their parents were affluent. After Benedict left for the monastery, Scholastica founded a monastery for nuns within five miles of St. Benedict’s monastery. St. Benedict was the spiritual director for her monastery.

Benedict and Scholastica were only able to visit with each other once a year. Because she was not allowed in his monastery, they met in a farmhouse where they visited and discussed spiritual matters. According to the Dialogues of St. Gregory the Great the two saints spent their last day together in prayer and visiting. Benedict refused her request to stay another day, however a thunderstorm arose preventing him from returning home. St. Scholastica claimed the storm was a result of her prayers. He stayed another day visiting through the night, returning to the monastery the next day. St. Scholastica died three days later in 543. St. Benedict’s brethren brought her body to his monastery. She was buried in the tomb he had prepared for himself.

St. Benedict had a vision of her soul ascending to heaven in the form of a dove. St. Scholastica is the patron saint against storms.

Eternal praise and honor be to you, Lord Jesus Christ, for each and every hour that you endured such great bitterness and anguish on the cross for us sinners.

Quote of St. Bridget of Sweden; Feast day July 23

February is the Month of the Passion of the Lord

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Faith, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Jerome Emiliani

February 9, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra

The feast day of St. Jerome Emiliani is celebrated on Feb. 9. St. Jerome was born in Venice in 1486.

St. Jerome had an adventurous youth and became a soldier. Spending time in a dungeon after being captured he turned to a life of prayer and began studying for the priesthood. After his ordination, he devoted his time to works of mercy caring for orphans and the sick. He built three orphanages, a shelter for prostitutes and a hospital. His supporters formed a group which eventually became a religious order called the Clerks Regular of Samasca.

St. Jerome was also entrusted with the organization of the Hospital of the Incurables. Jerome died in Samasca on Feb. 8, 1537 from the plague after caring for the ill during the epidemic.

God did not tell us to follow Him
because He needed our help,
but because He knew that
loving Him would make us whole.

Quote of St Irenaeus; Feast day June 28

February is the Month of the Passion of the Lord

Faith, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Josephine Bakhita, Feast Day Feb. 8

February 7, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra

The feast day of St. Josephine Bakhita is celebrated on Feb. 8.

St. Josephine was born to a wealthy Sudanese family in southern Sudan in 1869. At the young age of seven she was kidnapped and sold into slavery. Josephine was given the name ‘Bakhita’ which means ‘fortunate’. She suffered greatly, being beaten and sold multiple times. Eventually, an Italian consul named Callisto Legnani bought her. He treated her kindly, but after two years he took her with him to Italy and gave her to a friend, named Augusto Michieli. She worked as a nanny for him and met the Canossian sisters who taught at his daughter’s school. She was drawn to the Catholic faith and was baptized in 1890 taking the name Josephine.

When the Michieli’s wished to return to Africa, Josephine refused to go with them. The case went to court where it was determined that because slavery was illegal in Italy, Josephine was a free woman. Free to do as she wanted after years of slavery, Josephine entered the Institute of St. Magdalene of Canossa in 1893, making her profession 3 years later. For 45 years she supported the community by cooking, sewing, embroidery and being the doorkeeper.

When it became apparent that Bakhita had a great heart for the missions of Africa, her Superior asked her to visit convents to speak about her experiences, to prepare young sisters for missionary work in Africa, and raise funds for the missions. In her later years, she was confined to a wheelchair due to arthritis. She also suffered from bronchitis and pneumonia, however, she was always known for her holiness and cheerful spirit. One of her quotes is:

“The suffering caused by illness is more meritorious than any self inflicted mortification.”

St. Josephine Bakhita died in 1947. She was canonized on Oct. 1, 2000 by Pope John Paul II.

Be good, love the Lord,
pray for those who do not know Him.
What a grace it is to know God!

Quote of St. Josephine Bakhita

February is the Month of the Passion of the Lord

Faith, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Luke the Younger, Feast Day Feb. 7

February 7, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra

St. Luke the Younger public domain image

The feast day of St. Luke the Younger is celebrated on Feb. 7.

St. Luke the Younger was born on the Greek Island of Aegina. He was the third of seven children. His father was a farmer.

As a child St. Luke was very generous, often giving his own food to the hungry. After the death of his father he decided to be a hermit. His mother objected and he left home to find a monastery. Mistaken as a runaway slave he was captured and imprisoned.

After his release from prison, St. Luke joined a monastery in Athens only to be sent home after he claimed to have had a vision in which his mother was asking for help. His mother no longer objected to his desire to live the life of a religious. He built his own hermitage in Thessaly, Greece. It was known as the Soterion, the place of healing.

St. Luke was known for his holiness and the many miracles attributed to him

Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life.

Quote of St. Basil; Feast day January 2

February is the Month of the Passion of the Lord

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Faith, Jesuit Saints, Martyr, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Paul Miki & Companions, Feast Day Feb. 6

February 6, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra

The feast day of St. Paul Miki & Companions is celebrated on Feb. 6. Paul Miki’s family converted to the Catholic faith when he was five years old. He was educated by the Jesuits, joining their order when he was 22.

St. Paul Miki helped to educate the Buddhists about Christianity. St. Francis Xavier led a group of Jesuit missionaries into Japan during the 16 century. Over 200, 000 Japanese natives converted to the faith. Religious persecution began as a result. Many churches were destroyed forcing secrecy. In spite of the persecution 100,000 more converted to Christianity.

In 1593 Franciscan missionaries joined the Jesuits in their missionary work. During this tense time, a Spanish ship was seized off the Japanese coast and found to have artillery on it. The imperial minister Toyotomi Hideyoshi responded by sentencing 26 Catholics to death. Six were foreign Franciscans, several were lay Catholics and several were children. The most well known missionaries were associated with the Jesuits; Paul Miki, who was studying to be a priest, John of Goto, a catechist preparing to enter the Jesuits and James Kesai who was a lay Jesuit brother. They were sentenced to die by crucifixion and lancing after being marched 600 miles to the city of Nagasaki.

Pope Pius IV canonized the Martyrs of Nagasaki in 1862.

After Christ’s example, I forgive my persecutors. I do not hate them. I ask God to have pity on all and I hope my blood will fall on my fellow man as a fruitful rain.

Quote of St. Paul Miki before he died in 1597.

February is the Month of the Passion of the Lord

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Carmelite Saints, Faith, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Andrew Corsini, Feast Day Feb. 4

February 4, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra

The feast day of St. Andrew Corsini is celebrated on Feb. 4. St. Andrew Corsini is the patron saint against riots and disorder.

St. Andrew Corsini was one of twelve children. He was born in Florence, Italy on Nov. 30, 1302 to a powerful family. Although he lived a wild life, his mother influenced his conversion. He decided to become a Carmelite priest. In 1349 he was named Bishop of Fiesole. It was a position he resisted at first but served for twelve hears. Pope Urban V sent him to Bologna to settle disputes between the nobles and common people. It was a successful mission.

Bishop Corsini served the poor with compassion. He preached love and harmony. As much as was possible he lived the life of a Carmelite. He was known for reforming the clergy, stressing the need for the priest to be educated properly. He also insisted that the priest reside in their parish. Many church buildings were restored by the Bishop including the cathedral.

St. Andrew Corsini died on Jan. 6, 1374. There were reports of many miracles of healing and conversion during his lifetime. He was canonized by Pope Urban VIII on April 29, 1629.

Prayer is … a mine which is never exhausted …
It is the root, the fountain,
the mother of a thousand blessings.

Quote of St. John Chrysostom; Feast day September 13

February is the Month of the Passion of Our Lord

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Faith, Martyr, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Blaise, Feast Day Feb. 3

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Presentation of the Lord, Feast Day Feb. 2

February 2, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra

The Feast day of the Presentation of the Lord is celebrated on Feb. 2. It has been celebrated since the fourth century.

According to Jewish law parents were required to offer a sacrifice for their first male child forty days after his birth. Usually the sacrifice was a pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons. On the same day the mother would be ritually purified. The Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph were observing this requirement. Simeon was a devout and just man. When Jesus was presented in the temple, he embraced the child and prayed the Canticle of Simeon. (Luke 2:22).

After it was decided to celebrate the birth of Jesus on Dec. 25, the Feast of the Presentation was celebrated on Feb. 2, which was 40 days later. It is also known as the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin and Candlemas.

Candlemas refers to the custom which arose of blessing candles on this feast day. The Canticle of Simeon is sung during a procession after the blessing occurs. This custom still occurs in some European countries.

The Canticle of Simeon

Now, Master, You can dismiss your servant in peace;

You have fulfilled Your word.

For my eyes have witnessed Your saving deed

displayed for all the peoples to see:

A revealing light to the Gentiles,

the glory of Your people Israel.

February is the Month of the Passion of the Lord

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Faith

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Brigid of Ireland, Feast Day Feb. 1

Gallery February 1, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra

The feast day of St. Brigid of Ireland will be celebrated on Feb. 1. She was born in 453 near Dumdalk, Loathe, Ireland. Her father had been kidnapped by Irish pirates (as St. Patrick was) and he was a slave to a druid. Brigid is believed to have been baptized by St. Patrick. She is the patron saint of babies; blacksmiths; boatmen; cattle; chicken farmers; children whose parents are not married; children whose mothers are mistreated by the children’s fathers; dairymaids; dairy workers; fugitives; infants; Ireland; midwives; milk maids; nuns; poets; poor; poultry farmers; printing presses; sailors; scholars; travelers; and water-men.

From a very early age, Brigid showed a desire to pursue a religious life. She was known for her generosity and concern for the poor. Brigid’s mother was in charge of the Master’s dairy. Brigid tended to give the produce away to the poor. The dairy prospered in spite of her generosity. When she gave produce to the poor it tended to multiply! When she gave water to a thirsty stranger, the water turned to milk!

These are only two of the legendary miracles attributed to Brigid. Most of the miracles dealt with healing and domestic tasks. She was known for her holiness and generosity. The following quote by Brigid explains her spirituality:

“Christ dwells in every creature.”

Brigid refused to marry, choosing instead to serve Jesus only. Brigid founded a double monastery at Kildare. She was the Abbess of the convent which was the first convent in Ireland. She also founded a school of art at Kildare. The illuminated manuscripts became famous, especially the Book of Kildare.

In art, Brigid is often depicted holding a reed cross made from the palm branches blessed on Palm Sunday. The cross is known as St. Brigid’s Cross. It is a symbol of peace. She often holds a lamp, which is called a lamp of learning and wisdom.

The Mantle of St. Brigid is a small rectangular piece of cloth kept in a reliquary, which is made of wood with a glass covered opening for viewing. It is brought out for viewing on her feast day of Feb. 1. The mantle is dark crimson and is believed to represent the protection provided by the prayers of St. Brigid.
Devotion to Brigid can be found in the eighth century. Her relics are in the Church of Pierre de Vare in Stocking.
St. Brigid died of natural causes at the approximate age of 70 in Kildare, Ireland in 523.

The passion of Jesus
is a sea of sorrows,
but it is also an ocean of love.
Ask the Lord to teach you to fish in this ocean.
Dive into its depths.
No matter how deep you go,
you will never reach the bottom.

Quote of St. Paul of the Cross

February is the Month of the Passion of the Lord

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The Mystery of Faith

Tag Archives: Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Catherine dei Ricci, Feast Day Feb. 13

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Our Lady of Lourdes, Feast Day Feb. 11

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Scholastica, Feast Day Feb. 10

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Jerome Emiliani

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Josephine Bakhita, Feast Day Feb. 8

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Luke the Younger, Feast Day Feb. 7

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Paul Miki & Companions, Feast Day Feb. 6

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Andrew Corsini, Feast Day Feb. 4

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Blaise, Feast Day Feb. 3

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Presentation of the Lord, Feast Day Feb. 2

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Brigid of Ireland, Feast Day Feb. 1

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