Tag Archives: September Feast Days

Remembering St. Teresa of Calcutta through pictures, quotes and prayers




Mother Teresa Public domain Image
Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa will soon be officially declared a saint!

The day before the feast day of Bl. Mother Teresa Pope Francis will proclaim that she is a saint. Her feast day is celebrated on Sept. 5. The world remembers her as a “living saint”.

St. Teresa of Calcutta was born to parents Nikola and Drana Bojaxhiu on August 26, 1916 in Skopje of Macedonia and named Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu. She was baptized on August 17, 1910 in Macedonia. She was the third child in her family, following sister Aga and a brother, Lazar. Her father, Nikola died, when she was eight years old. Her father was a traveler, an extrovert, and a businessman who spoke five languages. Her mother, Drana, was extremely pious, adopting several orphans. She was known as Gonxha (pronounced gon’KHA) which means “flower bud”.

Gonxha desired early to become a missionary. At the age of eighteen, she joined the Sisters of Loreto. Here she took the name of Sister Mary Teresa after St. Therese of Lisieux. She was sent to Calcutta, India to teach at St. Mary’s High School for Girls, which was run by the Sisters of Loreto. On May 24, 1937, she took her final Profession of Vows to a life of poverty, chastity, and obedience. She then became known as Mother Teresa. In 1944, she became principal of the school.

Mother Teresa received a second calling while on a train. Christ spoke to her, asking her to work in the slums of Calcutta, caring for the sickest and poorest of the people. Pursuing this calling changed her life forever. In one year, she received approval to do the work she was being called to do. After six months of basic medical training she went to the slums to aid the needy and dying. Mother Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charity with 12 members, most of them students from St. Mary’s. She established a leper colony, an orphanage, a mission house, and several health clinics.

In 1971, Mother Teresa visited New York City, where she opened a soup kitchen and a home to care for HIV/AIDS sufferers. In 1979, she received the Nobel Peace Prize.

In 1983, Mother Teresa suffered her first heart attack. After suffering from lung, kidney and heart problems for several years, she died on Sept. 5, 1997, which is now her feast day. At the time of her death her Missionaries of Charity numbered over 4,000. She had 610 foundations in 123 countries.

Mother Teresa was beatified on October 19, 2003, after confirmation of her first miracle. The miracle was reported that a woman who had a large and very visible tumor, had stayed with the Missionaries of Charity. After she and the Sisters had prayed for Mother Teresa’s intercession, the growth, six to seven inches in length, had disappeared within several hours. Finding no other medical explanation for the sudden cure it was declared her first miracle. Over 3500 other reports are being investigated as possible miracles.

After accepting a second miracle, Pope Francis cleared the way for Mother Teresa to be declared a saint. Pope Francis signed a decree declaring that the inexplicable 2008 recovery of a Brazilian man who suddenly woke from a coma caused by a viral brain infection was due to the intercession of the Albanian nun, who died in 1997.

The Rev. Brian Kolodiejchuk, the postulator spearheading Mother Teresa’s canonization case, stated that the man fully recovered following his wife’s prayers and he has since returned to work as a mechanical engineer. The couple also have had two children.

In 2003, Mother Teresa’s private correspondence revealed she had experienced a “dark night of the soul”… feeling abandoned by God and lacking in faith. This lasted unusually long; for fifty years. Many saints have experienced such feelings, described by John of the Cross, in his book Dark Night of the Soul. She was filled with loneliness, and torture, due to this lack of consolation from God.

Each image in the following list is accompanied by a quote or prayer of Mother Teresa. The images are all public domain images.

As we celebrate the sainthood and feast day of St.Teresa of Calcutta on Sept. 5, let’s remember the remarkable things she did and said.

 

 

 

Sisters of Charity Public Domain Image
Sisters of Charity

Prayer of Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Dear Jesus, help us to spread your fragrance
everywhere we go.
Flood our souls with your spirit and life.
Penetrate and possess our whole being so utterly
that our lives may only be a radiance of yours.
Shine through us and be so in us
that every soul we come in contact with
may feel your presence in our soul.
Let them look up and see no longer us, but only Jesus.
Stay with us and then we shall begin to shine as you shine,
to shine as to be light to others.
The light, O Jesus, will be all from you.
None of it will be ours.
It will be you shining on others through us.
Let us thus praise you in the way you love best
by shining on those around us.
Let us preach you without preaching,
not by words, but by our example;
by the catching force –
the sympathetic influence of what we do,
the evident fullness of the love our hearts bear to you.

Amen

 

Mother Teresa with Child Public Domain Image
Mother Teresa with Child/Associated Press

Mother Teresa: Smile

“Let us always meet each other with a smile for the smile is the beginning of love.”

“Peace begins with a smile.”

“Every time you smile at someone it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.”

Mother Teresa

 

Mother Teresa Public Domain Image
Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa: God and Faith

“We are nothing without God, but if we put our lives in God’s hands miracles happen.”

“Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.”

“Faith in action is love, and love in action is service. Byt transforming that faith into living acts of love, we put ourselves in contact with God Himself, with Jesus our Lord.”

“I know God will not give me anything I can’t handle. I just wish He didn’t trust me so much.”

Mother Teresa

 

 

Mother Teresa with Pope John Paul II Public Domain Image
Mother Teresa with Pope John Paul II

Mother Teresa: Prayer

The fruit of silence is prayer.

The fruit of prayer is faith.

The fruit of faith is love.

The fruit of love is service.

The fruit of service is peace.”

Mother Teresa

 

Young Mother Teresa Public Domain Image
Young Mother Teresa

Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhju (Mother Teresa)

Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.

Life is beauty, admire it.

Life is a dream, realize it.

Life is a challenge, meet it.

Life is a duty, complete it.

Life is a game, play it.

Life is a promise, fulfill it.

Life is sorrow, overcome it.

Life is a song, sing it.

Life is a struggle, accept it.

Life is a tragedy, confront it.

Life is an adventure, dare it.

Life is life, fight for it.

Mother Teresa

 

Mother Teresa Public Domain Image
Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa: Abortion

“Any country that accepts abortion, is not teaching its people to love but to use any violence to get what it wants.”

“It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish.”

“There are two victims in every abortion: a dead baby and a dead conscience.”

Mother Teresa

 

Mother Teresa Public Domain Image
Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa: Love and Forgiveness

“It is not how much we do, but how much love we put into the doing. It is not how how much we give, but how much love we put in the giving.”

“I have found the paradox that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.”

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

Mother Teresa

 

 

Mother Teresa Public Domain Image
Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa: Helping the Sick

“Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely, and the unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work.”

“Yesterday is gone, tomorrow has not come, we have only today. Let us begin.”

Mother Teresa

 

 

Mother Teresa Public Domain Image
Mother Teresa in service

Mother Teresa: Service

“If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish ulterior motives; be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and true enemies; succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank people may cheat you; be honest and frank anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous, be happy anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God, it was never between you and them anyway.”

Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa Praying Public Domain Image
Mother Teresa Praying

Mother Teresa: Prayer

“Love to pray. Feel often during the day the need for prayer and take trouble to pray Prayer enlarges the heart until it is capable of containing God’s gift of Himself. Ask and seek, and your heart will grow big enough to receive Him and keep Him as your own.”

“Prayer is not asking. Prayer is putting oneself in the hands of God, at His disposition and listening to His voice in the depth of our hearts.”

Mother Teresa

 

Mother Teresa Public Domain Image
Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa: Silence

“We need to find God and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature; trees, flowers, grass, grow in silence. See the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence. We need silence to be able to touch souls.”

“In the silence of the heart God speaks.”

Mother Teresa

 

Mother Teresa Public Domain IMage
Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa: Love

“Love has a hem to her garment

that reaches the very dust.

It sweeps the stains from

the street and lanes,

and because it can, it must.”

Mother Teresa

 

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Jerome, Feast Day September 30




 

Prayers, Quips and Quotes:

St. Jerome, Feast Day September 30

St. Jerome and the Angel by Simon Vouet Public Domain Image
St. Jerome and the Angel
by Simon Vouet

The feast day of St. Jerome is celebrated on September 30.  He is the patron saint of Bible scholars.  He is considered one of the four great Doctors of the Church along with St. Ambrose, St. Augustine and St. Gregory of Nazianzus.

St. Jerome was born in Dalmatia around 340-342 A.D into a wealthy family.  His father was a Christian and made sure he was well educated.  His mother was a pagan.  At the age of 20 he visited Rome.  He enjoyed visiting the tombs of the martyrs and the Apostles and converted to Christianity.  He was baptized by Pope Liberius in 360.

St. Jerome studied theology and then began life as a hermit in the Syrian desert.  He was ordained a priest in Antioch at about the age of 40.  He then went to Constantinople where he met St. Gregory of Nazianzus.  He became the secretary for Pope Darnasus who commissioned him to translate the Bible.  This project took him 30 years.

While living in Rome he was known for his personal holiness, learning and integrity.  He was, however, disliked by many for his blunt sarcasm.  He left Rome and went to Bethlehem where he established a monastery.  He lived in prayer and study until the end of his life.

In art, St. Jerome is often shown with an angel with a trumpet.  He was believed to have had a dream when he was seriously ill.  In the dream he appeared before God’s judgment seat and was condemned for not being a Christian.

St. Jerome died peacefully on September 39, 420 after suffering from an illness for two years.

 

“The letters of the apostles are spiritual rain for us.”

Quote of St. Jerome

 

September is the Month of Our Lady of Sorrows

 

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Feast of the Archangels, Feast Day September 29




Prayers, Quips and Quotes:

Feast of the Archangels,

Feast Day September 29

St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael Public Domain Image
St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael

September 29th is the day the Catholic Church celebrates the feast day of the Archangels; St. Michael, St. Gabriel, and St. Raphael. The word “angel” means servant of God. Angels have no bodies. They are pure spirits. They have intellect and free will. Angels who turned against God are called “fallen angels”. Satan is the leader of the fallen angels.

St. Augustine tells us the following:

 

“Angel is the name of their office, not of their nature.”

 

The Choirs of angels include nine types of angels. In ascending order they are: 1. Angels 2. Archangels 3. Principalities 4. Powers 5. Virtues 6. Dominations 7. Thrones 8. Cherubim 9. Seraphim.

The archangels appear several times in scripture. St. Michael (which means “who is like God”) is considered a warrior angel. He appears three times in scripture; in the Book of Daniel, the Epistle of St. Jude, and the Book of Revelation. In the Book of Revelation, the final battle between good and evil at the end of time is described. St. Michael and his angels will battle against the dragon (also known as Satan) and good will triumph. (Revelation 12:7)

St. Gabriel (which means “Strength of God) is a messenger. He announces the birth of the prophet John the Baptist. He is also called the Angel of the Annunciation because he announces to Mary that she is to be the Mother of God. It is St. Gabriel  the messenger who says:

 

“Hail Mary, the Lord is with you.”(Luke 1:28)

 

St. Raphael (which means “Divine Healer”) appears in the Book of Tobit. He is a guide for the young Tobias on his long journey. He introduces Tobias to his future wife Sarah, and after their return home, he gives Tobias instructions in how to heal his fathers’ blindness.

The following prayers of intercession are popular prayers to the Archangels.

St. Michael the Archangel Public Domain Image
St. Michael the Archangel

Prayer to St. Michael

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the Divine Power of God, cast into hell Satan and all evil spirits, who roam throughout the world, seeking the ruin of souls. Amen

Archangel Gabriel Public Domain Image
Archangel Gabriel

Prayer to St. Gabriel

Blessed St. Gabriel, the Archangel, We beseech you to intercede for us as at the throne of divine mercy. As ;you announced the mystery of the Incarnation to Mary, so through your prayers, may we receive strength of faith, and courage of spirit, and thus find favor with God and redemption through Christ Our Lord. May we sing the praise of God our Savior with the angels and saints in heaven forever and ever. Amen

 

St. Raphael the Archangel Public Domain Image
St. Raphael the Archangel

Prayer to St. Raphael

Dear St. Raphael, your lovely name means “God heals”. The Lord sent you to young Tobias to guide him throughout a long journey. Upon his return you taught him how to cure his fathers’ blindness. How natural therefore for Christians to pray for your powerful help for safe travel and a happy return. This is what we ask for ourselves as well as for all who are far from home. Amen

 

“It is humility that makes men into angels.”

Quote of St. Augustine;  Feast day January 28

 

September is the Month of Our Lady of Sorrows

 

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes; St. Wenceslas of Bohemia, Feast Day September 28




 

Prayers, Quips and Quotes;

St. Wenceslas of Bohemia,

Feast Day September 28

St. Wenceslaus Public Domain Image
St. Wenceslaus

The feast day of St. Wenceslas is celebrated on September 28.  He is most remembered for the Christmas Carol Good King Wenceslas.  He became King of Bohemia at the age of 18.

King Wenceslaus was born to the Duke of Bohemia.  His family had been converted by St. Cyril and St. Methodius.  His mother however, was a pagan.  After her husbands death she persecuted Christians.

The Duchess Ludmilla was the mother in law of Drahomira and grandmother to Wenceslaus.  She taught him about religion.  He practiced his faith and received the sacraments in secret.

When he became King of Bohemia the persecution ended.  He built churches, recalled priests from exile and welcomed Christian missionaries into Bohemia.

St. Wenceslaus had a strong devotion to the Eucharist and helped prepare the altar bread with his own hands.  He also made wine from wheat and grapes he grew himself.

A reconciliation was attempted with his family when they gathered at a banquet on the Feast of St. Cosmas and Damien (Sept. 27).  The next morning his brother killed him with a lance on the steps of the church.  Two years before, his mother had arranged for his grandmother Ludmilla to be strangled to death. The feast day of St. Ludmilla is celebrated on September 16.

The good king died at the age of 22.  Miracles were reported at his tomb.

The Christmas Carol sung about Gook King Wenceslaus  reminds us to serve others as the good King did.  To think less of ourselves and to see Christ in the poor.

 

“God has not created poverty……it is we who have created it.  

Before God, all of us are poor.” 

Quote of St. Teresa of Calcutta, Feast Day September 5

 

September is the Month of Our Lady of Sorrows

 

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Vincent de Paul, Feast Day September 27




Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Vincent de Paul,

Feast Day September 27

St. Vincent de Paul Public Domain Image
St. Vincent de Paul
Public Domain Image

 

The feast day of St. Vincent de Paul is celebrated on September 27.  He is the patron saint of charities, hospitals and volunteers.

St. Vincent was born at Pouy, Gascony in Southern France in 1581 into a large peasant family.  At the age of 15, he entered a Franciscan seminary.   He tutored children until he was ordained a priest in 1600.

In `1605, St. Vincent was traveling on a ship from Marseilles to Narborne when he was captured by Moorish pirates!  He was sold as a slave in Africa.  After two years as a slave, he escaped and returned to France.

At Avignon St. Vincent continued to study.  He became the chaplain to the Count of Goigny and was placed in charge of the charities for the poor.   This inspired him to preach missions to provide relief for the poor.  St. Vincent founded a missionary group known as the  Vincentians. The priests in the Order served people primarily in small towns and villages.  They had a devotion to helping the poor.

Next, St. Vincent along with the help of St. Louise de Marillac, founded the Sisters of Charity.  He organized the rich women in Paris to collect money for hiss missionary projects, including several hospitals.  He also collected money for victims of war and ransomed over 1200 slaves from N. Africa.

The motto of St. Vincent was “God see you”.  He became known as the Apostle of Charity and the Father of the Poor.

St. Vincent died at the age of 80.  His heart remains incorrupt and can be found in the Convent of the Sisters of Charity in Paris.  He is credited with two miracles.  The first was the curing of a nun with ulcers.  The second was a laywoman cured of paralysis.

St. Vincent de Paul was canonized by Pope Clement XII on June 16, 1737.

St. Vincent’s bones and heart are perfectly incorrupt and have been placed inside a wax figure of his body. His relics can be seen in the Church of St. Vincent de Paul in Paris.

 

Do not feel that all is lost because of the revolt you feel inside.  It has rained hard.  The thunder has crashed.  Is the weather any less beautiful because of that?  Be assured you are not, for all that, any less dear to our Lord.

Quote of St. Vincent de Paul

 

September is the Month of Our Sorrowful Mother

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Terese Couderc, Feast Day September 26




 

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Terese Couderc, Feast Day September 26

St. Terese Couderc Public Domain Image
St. Terese Couderc

The feast day of St. Terese Couderc is celebrated on September 26.  She is the founder of the Cenacle Sisters.

St. Terese was born in Masle, France  on Feb. 1, 1805.  She joined the Sisters of St. Regis.  St. Terese and Father Stephen founded the Congregation of Our Lady of the Retreat in the Cenacle. She became its superior in 1828, and when the mother house was established, its superior general until 1838. St. Terese helped to conduct spiritual retreats.

The spirituality of St. Terese focused on surrendering her life to the will of God.  She experienced a vision which clarified for her the goodness of God in all creation.

On September. 26, 1885 St. Terese died of natural causes in Lyon, France at the age of 80.  She was canonized in 1970 by Pope Paul VI.

 

Take a step at a time in the darkness, and the path will unwind beneath your feet.  It is not necessary to understand God’s purposes.  Just follow His will.

Quote of St. Terese Couderc

 

September is the Month of Our Lady of Sorrows

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Bl. Herman the Cripple, Feast Day September 25




Prayers, Quips and Quotes:

Bl. Herman the Cripple, Feast Day September 25

Bl. Herman the Cripple
Bl. Herman the Cripple

The feast day of Bl. Herman the Cripple  is celebrated on September 25.  He is the patron saint of the unborn child and the disabled.

Bl. Herman was  the son of the Earl of Altshausen in southern Germany.  He was born with a cleft palate, cerebral palsy and possibly spina bifida.  The doctors told his parents he would not live past five years of age.  He lived to be 41.

Herman had trouble with both moving and speaking.  His parents cared for him until the age of seven.  He was then given to the Abbey of Reichenau to be cared for.  The monks raised him in the Benedictine monastery where he became interested in theology and the spiritual world.  In spite of his disabilities, Bl. Herman was very intelligent.  He studied math, astronomy, theology, history, poetry , Arabic, Greek and Latin.  He built musical instruments and was known for his poetry.  At the age of 20 Herman became a Benedictine monk.

Towards the end of his life Herman suffered from blindness.  He began writing hymns.  The most famous are the Salve Regina, Hail Holy Queen and Redemptoris Mater.  Bl. Herman used prayer and music to grow closer to God.

Bl. Herman died at the age of 41 in 1054.  Because so many children with disabilities die because of abortion, Bl. Herman is the saint of the unborn child.  He is also the patron saint of the disabled.

 

Hail Holy Queen

 

Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy!   Our life, our sweetness, and our hope!

To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve.  To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.  Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us;  and after this, our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. 

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.  Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Prayer of Bl. Herman the Cripple

September is the Month of Our Lady of Sorrows

 

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Gerard Sagredo, Feast Day September 24




Prayers, Quips and Quotes:

St. Gerard Sagredo,

Feast Day September 24

St. Gerard Sagredo

The feast day of St. Gerard Sagredo is celebrated on September 24.  He is a martyr and patron saint of Hungary.

St. Gerard was born in Venice in 980.  He went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land but his ship landed at Istria.  He became the educator of the prince and played a role in the conversion of Hungary to Christianity.

St. Gerard became the first Bishop of Csanad in 1030.  After the death of the King, St. Stephen, he refused to serve the new King.  Persecution against Christians became common.

St. Gerard was martyred on September 24, 1046.  Legend states he was placed in a wooden barrel hauled to the hilltop and rolled down what is now named Gillert Hill.  At the bottom he was beaten to death.

St. Gerard Sagredo was canonized in 1083.

 

“It is in loving the cross that one discovers his heart.”

Quote of St. Bernadette;  Feast Day April 16

 

September is the Month of Our Lady of Sorrows

 

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Padre Pio, Feast Day September 23




Prayers, Quips and Quotes:

St. Padre Pio,

Feast Day September 23

St. Padre Pio Public Domain Image
St. Padre Pio
Public Domain Image

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Padre Pio,

Feast Day September 23

The feast day of St. Padre Pio is celebrated on September 23.  He is the first priest to receive the stigmata (wounds of Christ).

The name of Padre Pio at birth was Francesco Forgione.  He was born on May 25, 1887 in Pietrelc

ina, Italy.  He showed signs of a religious calling at a very early age, dedicating his life to God at the age of 5. Francesco was able to communicate with Jesus, Mary and his Guardian Angel.  He assumed this was common.

At the age of 15, he joined the Capuchin Order of the friars Minor in Morcone, Italy.  He was known for being a very contemplative priest.  When he celebrated Mass they lasted several hours due to the long, silent  moments of contemplative prayer.  When he was asked if he could shorten the Mass he replied:

“God knows that I want to say Mass just like any other priest, but I cannot do it.”

He gained a reputation of being a good counselor and people traveled many hours to speak with him.  Padre Pio was known as a man of prayer.  He encouraged praying the rosary and praying for the deceased souls in Purgatory.

On September 20, 1918, just a month after his ordination, he received the stigmata while praying before a crucifix at the age of 31.  For 50 years he suffered with the wounds of Christ.  He was given the gifts of healing, prophecy, miracles and the gift of tongues. He was also given the gift of “odor of sanctity”.  Quite often the scent of roses or lilies was present while people were with him.

Although given many spiritual gifts he always remained humble and in service to God.  He became sought out as a confessor, spending an average of 19 hours a day in the confessional.  People came from all corners of the earth to confess their sins to him.  He heard the confession of Pope John Paul II when he was a young priest.

Padre Pio founded a hospital called The Home for the Relief of Suffering.

“Bring God to all those who are sick.  This will help them more than any other remedy.”

At the age of 81 Padre Pio died while praying the rosary.

“After my death I will do more.  My real mission will begin after my death”

Over 100, 000 people attended the funeral of St. Padre Pio to celebrate his life.

Padre Pio was canonized by Pope John Paul II on June 16, 2002.

 

“Your tears were collected by the angels and were placed in a gold chalice and you will find them when you present yourself before God.”

Quote of St. Padre Pio

 

St. Padre Pio Public Domain Image
St. Padre Pio
Public Domain Image

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September is the Month of Our Lady of Sorrows

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Thomas of Villanova, Feast Day September 22




Prayers, Quips and Quotes:

St. Thomas of Villanova,

Feast Day September 22

St. Thomas Villanova by Murillo Public Domain Image
St. Thomas Villanova Dividing His Clothes
by Murillo

The feast day of St. Thomas of Villanova is celebrated on September 22.  He served as the Bishop of Valencia for 11 years.

St. Thomas of Villanova was born in Fuenlana, Spain in 1488.  He was very generous to the poor and needy from a very early age.  He was known to give his clothes to those less fortunate.  At the age of 16 he entered the University of Alcala.  When his father died he gave away his inheritance to feed unmarried women.  He finished his studies in theology at Alcala and then became a Professor of Philosophy and Theology.  He joined the Hermits of St. Augustine becoming well known for his holiness and generosity.  He was ordained a priest of the order in 1518.

St. Thomas was chosen to be Archbishop of Granada but turned down the position.  Out of obedience to his superiors he accepted the position of Bishop of Valencia.  He served as bishop for eleven years.  While serving the people of Valencia he founded two colleges and built a hospital.  His love of the poor inspired him supply food for those who were hungry. He was given the gift of healing, miracles and conversion of sinners.

St. Thomas of Villanova died of Angina Pectoris at the age of 67 in 1658.  Miracles were attributed to him before and after his death.

Pope Alexander VII canonized St. Thomas of Villanova in 1658.

 

“Contrition is the remedy for sins.”

Quote of St. Thomas of Villanova

 

September is the Month of Our Sorrowful Mother

 

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Matthew, Feast Day September 21




Prayers, Quips and Quotes:  St. Matthew,

Feast Day September 21

St. Matthew Public Domain Image
St. Matthew

Sept. 21 is the feast day of St. Matthew the Apostle. The Catholic Church will be celebrating his life and martyrdom during the holy Mass.  St. Matthew is the patron saint of accountants and bankers.

St. Matthew is also known as “Levi”. Matthew was a tax collector by trade. Tax collectors were despised by most of the people. He was called by Jesus to be one of the twelve Apostles.

The Apostles lived and traveled with Jesus during the three years leading up to his crucifixion.  After the crucifixion they received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and began to spread the “Good News”  of salvation.

It is believed that St. Matthew is the author of the first gospel. This gospel was written in Aramaic, which was the language of the Hebrew people. The Gospel of Matthew is referred to as the “teaching gospel”. It contains most of the parables of Jesus and the Beatitudes, which were given to us by Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount.

After the death and resurrection of Jesus, Matthew is believed to have preached in Ethiopia. Reports of his martyrdom vary greatly. It is not known if he was burned, stoned, beheaded or killed with an ax. However, the Church considers him to be a martyr who died for the faith.
Traditional prayer:

Glorious St. Matthew, in your Gospel you portray Jesus as the longed-for Messiah who fulfilled the Prophets of the Old Covenant and as the new Lawgiver who founded a Church of the New Covenant. Obtain for us the grace to see Jesus living in His Church and to follow his teachings in our lives on earth so that we may live forever with him in heaven.

 

Acquire the spirit of peace and thousands around you will be saved.

Quote of St. Seraphim of Sarov; Feast Day February 5

 

September is the Month of Our Lady of Sorrows

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: The Korean Martyrs, Feast Day September 20




Prayers, Quips and Quotes:

The Korean Martyrs,

Feast Day September 20

Korean Martyrs Public Domain Image
Korean Martyrs

The martyrdom of 103 Koreans is celebrated on September 20.

For over 100 years the Christians in Korea practiced their faith in secret.  The government of Korea was based on Confucianism and believed that Christians were a threat to the government.

The first known martyrs are Paul Youn and James Kouen.  They were martyred after refusing to offer sacrifice on the death of a relative.

  Over the next 100 years over 10, 000 Korean Christians were tortured and executed.

On May 6, 1984, in Seoul, Pope John Paul II canonized 103 of the martyrs.  Their feast day is celebrated on September 20.

 

Martyrdom is the heroic act of love.

Quote of St. Just Bretenie’res……Korean Martyr; Feast Day March 7

 

September is the Month of Our Lady of Sorrows

 

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