Tag Archives: Spain

Carmelite Saints, Doctor of the Church, Faith, patron saints, Prayer, Saint of the Day, Spirituality

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. John of the Cross, Feast Day December 14

Quote December 13, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. John of the Cross,

Feast Day December 14

The feast day of St. John of the Cross is celebrated on December 14. Because of his mystical writing, he is called the Mystical Doctor. He is one of the 35 Doctors of the Church. He is the patron of mystics.

Juan de Yepes Alvarez was born in Spain in 1542. His father was disowned by the family when he married a weavers’ daughter. His father died soon after his birth. Most of Juan’s childhood was spent in poverty. As a teenager, Juan worked in a hospital caring for the terminally ill and mental patients.

At the age of 21, Juan became a brother in the Carmelite Order. He went for higher studies in Slamanca and was ordained a priest, taking the name of John of the Cross at age 25. He soon met St. Teresa of Avila, a Carmelite nun, who convinced him to help her in the work of reforming the Carmelite Order. There was great resistance to the reforming of the order to a more prayerful life. Those against the reform actually kidnapped him. They held him prisoner for over nine months in a small cell, six by ten feet wide. He was beaten often. During this time of trial, St. John of the Cross became very close to God, spending his time writing his mystical poetry. He eventually escaped using a rope made of strips of blankets to climb out the window. The only thing he took with him was his writings. John hid in a convent infirmary where he read his poetry to the nuns. From this period on he shared his experience of God’s love.

St. John of the Cross wrote many books including:

Ascent of Mount Carmel,
Dark Night of the Soul
A Spiritual Canticle
Living Flame of Love

In 1579, he became Rector of Colegio de San Basilio, continuing his writing ministry. He is known for a spirituality which believes in the prayer of detachment. His spirituality also focused on joining our suffering to the Paschal Mystery (the death and suffering of Jesus Christ). He taught that the Cross leads to resurrection, agony to ecstasy, darkness to light, abandonment to possession, denial of self to union with God.

St. John of the Cross died of fever caused by cellulitus. He was canonized by Pope Benedict XIII in 1726. His feast day is Dec. 14, the day of his death and entry into heaven.

“Live in the world as if only God

and your soul were in it;

then your heart will never be made

captive by any earthly thing.”

Quote of St. John of the Cross

December is the Month of the Divine Infancy

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Faith, Incorruptible, Jesuit Saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Francis Xavier, Feast Day Dec. 3

Quote December 2, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra

Prayers, Quips and Quotes:

St. Francis Xavier, Feast Day Dec. 3

Preaching St. Francis Xavier By Carlone Gesu Public Domain Image — Preaching St. Francis Xavier
By Carlone Gesu

The feast day of St. Francis Xavier is celebrated on December 3. He is the patron saint of foreign missions and the co-founder of the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits.

St. Francis Xavier was born in the Kingdom of Navarre (now part of Spain). He was born in the Basque area, on April 7, 1506. He studied at the University of Paris.

When he met Ignatius of Loyola, they became friends and Francis became a student of St. Ignatius. He then became a co- founder of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), with Ignatius. With St. Ignatius, he was ordained a priest in 1537. In 1956 Francis left Paris to join Ignatius in Venice. The Society was recognized by the Pope in 1540.

Francis preached in India, Japan, Borneo, and Moluccas. Over a period of ten years, he baptized roughly 30,000 people to Christianity. He is said to have converted more people to Christianity than anyone other than St. Paul.

In 1552 he set out for China landing on the Island of Shangchuan.. He died from a fever before he reached the mainland while waiting to be taken to China. He was first buried on a beach at Shangchuan Island. His incorrupt body was taken from the island in 1553 and temporarily buried in St. Paul’s Church in Portuguese, Malacca.

St. Francis Xavier was known as the “Apostle of the Indias.”

The Novena of Grace was a popular devotion to Francis Xavier and typically prayed for nine days before Dec. 3.

“I love You, not because You have the power to give heaven or hell,

but simply because You are You…my kin and my God.”

Quote of St. Francis Xavier

St. Francis Xavier in Art

December is the Month of the Divine Infancy

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Jesuit Saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Alphonsus Rodriguez, Feast Day October 30

Quote November 2, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra

Prayers, Quips and Quotes:

St. Alphonsus Rodriguez, Feast Day October 30

The feast day of St. Alphonsus Rodriguez is celebrated on October 30. He was born in Segovia, Spain on July 25, 1532. His father was a wealthy merchant.

At the age of 14 Alphonsus’ father died. He left school to help his mother run the family business. When he was 23 he married. However, three years later his wife died during childbirth. Within the next several years his mother died as well as his three children. He also found it necessary to sell his failing business.

In response to his grief and suffering, Alphonsus turned to a life of prayer. He applied to become a Jesuit, (The Society of Jesus). He was denied entry due to lack of education. He returned to school and reapplied. In 1571 he was accepted as a lay Jesuit brother. He was sent to Montesione College on Majorca. He served as a doorkeeper for 45 years.

As doorkeeper, St. Alphonsus believed Christ was in every person at the door. He ministered to both the visitors and the students. He became friends with St. Peter Claver who was a champion of slaves rights.

St. Alphonsus developed a method for finding joy in his hardships which followed him throughout his life into old age. He became a contemplative who meditated on the crucifix and the suffering of Christ. He stated that by bearing his suffering with prayer.

“I felt the grandeur of the Lord”.

“This I encourage myself to endure for love of the Lord who is before me, until I make what is bitter sweet. In this way, learning from Christ Our Lord, I take and convert the sweet into bitter, renouncing myself and all earthly and carnal pleasures, delights and honors of this life so that my whole heart is centered solely on God.

St. Alphonsus Rodriguez was canonized on September 6, 1887.

“Whenever you do anything, you must offer it to God, at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end.”

Quote of St. Alphonsus Rodriguez

October is the Month of the Most Holy Rosary

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patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Anthony Mary Claret, Feast Day October 24

Quote October 27, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra

Prayers, Quips and Quotes:

St. Anthony Mary Claret, Feast Day October 24

St. Anthony Mary Claret Public Domain Image — St. Anthony Mary Claret

The feast day of St. Anthony Mary Claret is celebrated on October 24. He is the patron saint of educators, the Catholic Press and weavers.

St. Anthony Mary Claret was the Archbishop of the Diocese of the Canary Islands. With a group of five other priests he was the Founder of the Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, also known as the Claretians.

St. Anthony Mary Claret was born in Catalonia, Spain in 1807. At the age of twelve he became a weaver. He entered the seminary at Vic in 1829 and was ordained to the priesthood on June 13, 1835 on the Feast of St. Anthony of Padua, whom he was named after. He entered the Jesuit novitiate but had to leave due to his ill health.

St. Anthony Mary Claret was assigned to missionary work throughout Catalonia. In 1848 he was sent to the Canary Islands where he gave retreats for fifteen months. When he returned to Spain, he established the Congregation the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (The Claretians) on the feast of “Our Lady of Mt. Carmel“ (July 16, 1848).

He also founded the religious library at Barcelona called “Libreria Religiosa”. It is now known as “Libreria Claret). He was appointed Archbishop of Santiago, Cuba in 1849. Over 9,000 marriages were validated within two years of his arrival. He began a hospital and several schools. The first women’s religious institute in Cuba was begun by St. Anthony. It was known as the Religious of Mary Institute.

In 1857 he was recalled to Spain and he became the Confessor to Queen Isabella II. He became a resident of an Italian Hospice. Preaching everywhere he went, he also distributed books. Eventually, his life in danger, he went to France where he preached in Paris.

In 1869, he participated in the First Vatican Council. He had to withdraw due to poor health. He died on Oct. 24, 1870, at the age of 62 in a Cistercian monastery in France.

“The man who burns with the fire of divine love is a son of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and wherever he goes, he enkindles that flame. He desires and works with all his strength to inflame all men with the fire of God’s love. Nothing deters him, he rejoices in poverty, he labors strenuously, he welcomes hardships, he laughs off false accusations, he rejoices in anguish. He thinks only of how he might follow Jesus Christ and imitate him by his prayers, his labors, his sufferings, and be caring always and only for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.”

Quote of St. Anthony Mary Claret

October is the Month of the Most Holy Rosary

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Faith, Martyr, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Laura of Cordoba, Feast Day October 19

Quote October 21, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra

Prayers, Quips and Quotes:

St. Laura of Cordoba,

Feast Day October 19

The feast day of St. Laura of Cordoba is celebrated on October 19. She was a widow and martyr.

St. Laura lived in Spain in the ninth century. It’s culture was primarily Muslim. After her husband died she became a nun at Cuteclara . She eventually became the abbess.

St. Laura is one of the 48 Martyrs of Cordoba. She was captured and scalded to death by being placed in a vat of boiling lead.

It is You Jesus, stretched out on the cross, who gives me strength and are always close to the suffering soul. Creatures will abandon a person in his suffering, but You, O Lord, are faithful.

Quote of St. Faustina

October is the Month of the Most Holy Rosary

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Carmelite Saints, Doctor of the Church, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Teresa of Avila, Feast Day October 15

Quote October 16, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Teresa of Avila,

Feast Day October 15

St. Teresa of Avila Public Domain Image — St. Teresa of Avila

St. Teresa of Avila’s feast day will be celebrated on October 15th. She is known as being the patron saint of writers and headache sufferers.

Born in Avila, Spain in 1515, she was sent to a convent at the age of 16, because her father believed her to be “out of control”. At first she hated it, later she came to enjoy it, in part because they were less strict than her father.

Eventually, she decided to become a Carmelite nun. She practiced meditation and mental prayer. She fell ill with malaria and almost died. She awoke paralyzed, which lasted for three years. She found it very difficult to pray during this time. However at the age of 41 a priest convinced her to go back to prayer. She suffered many distractions and found it very difficult. As she began her prayer life anew, God gave her spiritual delights including ecstasies, and the prayer of union. She eventually became known as a mystic.

At the age of 43 she decided to form a new convent which met with much resistance. Her confessor St. John of the Cross helped to begin the reformed order of the Discalced (barefoot) Carmelites.

St. Teresa was known for her honest dialogue with God. She wanted the nuns in her order to have the proper attitude and discipline in their prayer life. But she too could be frustrated with life. Every moment of her life was a prayer, even the difficult ones. She is known for the following exclamation.

“If this is the way you treat your friends, no wonder you have so few!”

St. Teresa has written many books. These include: The Interior Castle, The Life of Teresa of Jesus, and The Way of Perfection. Her spirituality has led many to a much deeper prayer life. She has been proclaimed a Doctor of the Church.

St. Teresa died on October 4 at the age of 67.

The following prayer is attributed to St. Teresa of Avila:

Let nothing disturb you.
Let nothing make you afraid.
All things are passing.
God alone never changes.
Patience gains all things.
If you have God you will want for nothing.
God alone suffices.

October is the Month of the Most Holy Rosary

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Saint of the Day, Spirituality

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

Quote September 21, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra

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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patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Raymond Nonnatus, Feast Day August 31

Quote August 31, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra

Prayers, Quips and Quotes:

St. Raymond Nonnatus,

Feast Day August 31

St. Ramond Nonnatus Public Domain Image — St. Ramond Nonnatus

The feast day of St. Raymond Nonnatus is celebrated on August 31. He was born in Catalonia, Spain in 1204. His mother died during childbirth prompting a delivery by caesarean section. The name Nonnatus means not born. St. Raymond is the patron saint of women in labor and the falsely accused.

Raymond felt great empathy for expectant mothers and is the patron saint of women in labor. His father wanted him to take over the family farm. He chose instead to become a priest, joining the religious order of Mercedarians. The Mercedarians were dedicated to ransoming Christian slaves from the Moors who occupied most of Spain.

St. Raymond was sent to Algeria where he used his inheritance to ransom slaves. When the money ran out, he traded his life for that of a slave. He was imprisoned but succeeded in converting several of his jailers. The Moors then bored holes in his lips and sealed his mouth shut with a padlock to prevent him from preaching!

St. Raymond was sentenced to death, however, the Mercedarians ransomed him home to Spain. He was then given the title of Cardinal by Pope Gregory IX in 1239. Soon after, he came down with a fever and died in Cardona. He is often shown in art in the company of angels. Many miracles were attributed to St. Raymond before and after his death in1240 at the age of 37.

You pay God a compliment by asking great things of Him.

Quote of St. Teresa of Avila; Feast day October 15

August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

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

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Dominic, Feast Day August 8

Quote August 7, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Dominic,

Feast Day August 8

The feast day of St. Dominic is celebrated on August 8th. He was born in 1170 to Felix Guzman and Blessed Joan of Aza in Caleruega, Spain. After studying at the University at Palencia he was ordained a priest at the age of 25. St. Dominic was known for self-denial, holiness, piety and apostolic zeal. He refused to eat meat or sleep on a bed. He also renounced wealth. Because of his love of learning and teaching, St. Dominic is known as the patron of astronomers.

In 1215. St. Dominic founded an order of Dominican Nuns. Their mission was to care for young girls. This was followed by the founding of the Order of Preachers, which became known as the Dominicans. The purpose of the order was to preach the Word of God. They were also known as the “Black Friars”. The rule followed the Rule of St. Augustine. Their focus was on liturgical prayer and lifelong study.

The primary heresy the Dominicans preached against was Albigensianism. This was the belief that there are two dueling principles, good and evil, and that all matter was regarded as evil. They also taught that the devil is the creator of the material world.

A devotion which St. Dominic helped to spread is the Rosary. a Marian devotion, which combines meditation on the life of Christ, with memorized prayer. Tradition tells us that when Dominic became discouraged with the slow progress of his work of preaching against the Abligensian heresy, the Blessed Virgin appeared to him with a beautiful wreath of roses. She asked him to say the Rosary every day and to teach the people to say the Rosary. Soon the heresy began to disappear. The devotion of the rosary continues today.

After forming his order Dominic had a dream vision in which he met another person, a beggar. The next day, Dominic recognized this man when he came into his church. It was St. Francis of Assisi the future founder of the Franciscan Order. Dominic embraced him saying,

“You are my companion and must walk with me. For if we hold together, no earthly power can withstand us.”

St. Dominic and St. Francis were lifelong friends. Their orders celebrate their meeting on the feast day of their saint.

The motto of St. Dominic is: “To praise, to bless, to preach”. St. Dominic once said;

“Arm yourself with prayer, rather than a sword; wear humility rather than fine clothes.”

St. Dominic died on August 6, 1221 from a fever. St. Dominic was canonized on July 13, 1234, by Pope Gregory IX, three years following his death. Pope Gregory said that he no more doubted the sanctity of St. Dominic, than he did that of St. Peter and St. Paul.

Do not weep, for I shall be more useful to you

after my death and I shall help you then

more effectively than during my life.

Quote of St. Dominic

August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

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Faith, Jesuit Saints, patron saints, Saint of the Day, Spirituality, Visionary

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Ignatius of Loyola, Feast Day July 31

Quote August 1, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra

Prayers, Quips and Quotes:

St. Ignatius of Loyola, Feast Day July 31

St. Ignatius Loyola by Miguel Cabrera Public Domain Image — St. Ignatius Loyola by Miguel Cabrera

The feast day of St. Ignatius of Loyola is celebrated on July 31. St. Ignatius of Loyola was born the youngest of 13 children in a family castle in Guipuzcoa, Spain. Until he was 30, he served as a courtier and soldier in Spain.

St. Ignatius was wounded when a cannonball shattered his leg. While in the hospital he spent a great deal of time studying the lives of the saints. When he was finally released from the hospital, he decided he should try to imitate the saints. He went to confession, and then lived in a cave for about a year while caring for the poor and sick.

He entered school at the age of 35. After studying Latin and theology in several different schools, he received his degree in Paris. While in Paris, he met St. Francis Xavier who was one of his followers. Ignatius, with five followers founded the Order of the Society of Jesus, which came to be known as the Jesuits. They offered themselves to the Pope, for any work he wanted them to do. The Jesuits were known for their missionary work. They were a great influence during the Counter Reformation.

St. Ignatius was a mystic. He had several visions. His spirituality focused on the Trinity, Christ and the Eucharist. His motto was “All for the greater glory of God.” In 1548, his book The Spiritual Exercises was printed. This introduces the concept of a 30-day retreat.

St. Ignatius died of Roman Fever, almost blind, at the age of 65 on July 31, 1556. St. Ignatius is the patron saint of Catholic soldiers, and retreats.

The Basilica of St Ignatius of Loyola was built next to the house where he was born in Azpeita, the Basque Country. The house itself is now a museum. St. Ignatius’ legacy includes many Jesuit schools and educational institutions. In the U.S. alone there are 28 Jesuit colleges and universities. There are more than 50 Jesuit secondary schools.

Lord Jesus Christ
take all my freedom
my memory
my understanding
and my will.
All that I have and cherish
You have given me.
I surrender it all
to be guided by Your will
Your grace and Your love
are wealth enough for me.
Give me these, Lord Jesus
and I ask for nothing more.

Prayer of St. Ignatius of Loyola

July is the Month of the Most Precious Blood

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Apostle, Faith, Martyr, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. James the Greater, Feast Day July 25

July 29, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra

St. James the Greater Public Domain Image — St. James the Greater

On July 25, the Catholic Church will be celebrating the feast day of St. James the Greater. St. James was a fisherman and the brother of John. Peter was his partner. When they were called to become Apostles of Jesus, they left everything to do so. St. James the Greater is the patron saint of laborers and Spain.

There were two Apostles named James. James the Greater is the older of the two. He was also called “The Son of Thunder”. James, John and Peter were honored to be the only Apostles present at the Transfiguration. They were also present in the Garden of Gethsemane while Jesus prayed before His death.

Tradition tells us he evangelized in Spain after the crucifixion for nine years. St. James the Greater was the first Apostle to be martyred. In the year 44, King Herod Agrippa killed him with a sword during the early persecutions of the Church.

Truly, matters in the world are in a bad state,

but if you and I begin in earnest to reform ourselves,

a really good beginning will have been made.

Quote of St. Peter Alcantara; Feast day October 19

St. James the Greater in Art

St. James the Greater by Rembrandt Public Domain Image

St. James the Greater by Alonso Cano Public Domain Image

July is the Month of the Most Precious Blood.

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Franciscan Saints, Martyr, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Bl. Emmanuel Ruiz and Companions, Feast Day July 10

July 7, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra

The feast day of Bl. Emmanuel Ruiz and Companions is celebrated on July 10.

Emmanuel was born in Santander, Spain. He became a Franciscan priest serving as a missionary in Damascus during a time of great persecution.

During the massacre which occurred in 1860 thousands of victims were tortured and died. The villages of Lebanon were pillaged and burned. The massacre began with a quarrel between a Maronite and Druse. When a crowd came looking for them, Emmanuel and his companions refused to renounce their faith and become Muslims. Emmanuel, his supervisor and seven others were tortured and martyred.

Bl. Emmanuel was beatified in 1926 by Pope Pius XI.

Love seeks one thing only…

the good of the one loved.

It leaves all the other secondary

effects to take care of themselves.

Love therefore, is its own reward.

Quote of Thomas Merton

July is the Month of the Most Precious Blood.

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. John of the Cross,

Feast Day December 14

December is the Month of the Divine Infancy

Prayers, Quips and Quotes:

St. Francis Xavier, Feast Day Dec. 3

“I love You, not because You have the power to give heaven or hell,

but simply because You are You…my kin and my God.”

December is the Month of the Divine Infancy

Prayers, Quips and Quotes:

St. Alphonsus Rodriguez, Feast Day October 30

October is the Month of the Most Holy Rosary

Prayers, Quips and Quotes:

St. Anthony Mary Claret, Feast Day October 24

October is the Month of the Most Holy Rosary

Prayers, Quips and Quotes:

St. Laura of Cordoba,

Feast Day October 19

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Teresa of Avila,

Feast Day October 15

Prayers, Quips and Quotes:

St. Thomas of Villanova,

Feast Day September 22

Prayers, Quips and Quotes:

St. Raymond Nonnatus,

Feast Day August 31

August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Dominic,

Feast Day August 8

Prayers, Quips and Quotes:

St. Ignatius of Loyola, Feast Day July 31

July is the Month of the Most Precious Blood

Discovering the Spirituality of Catholicism