He made her heart His...

 ...the LORD is my portion ... He is good to those 

whose hope is in Him...  Lamentations 3:24, 25

 

 

"Christ Jesus had stolen the heart of Rita –

He alone possessed it. 

He made her heart His heart;

and under the white veils of the Eucharist 

He was for her soul, as He is for all loving hearts, 

heaven upon earth.

 How sweet is the moment in which poor humanity, 

wearied and afflicted, may remain alone, 

with Jesus alone, in the Sacrament of Love;

for there the Lord, with His flaming heart open, 

calls unto all, 'You that are burdened and heavy 

laden, come unto Me and I will refresh you.' "

Fr M.J. Corcoran, OSA
Our Own St Rita:  A Life of the Saint of the Impossible

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St Rita of Cascia

 Italy ~ 1381-1457

Wife, Mother, Augustinian Nun
Stigmatist, Incorrupt

Patron of Impossible Cases* 
*especially matrimonial difficulties

Feast Day - May 22

"The saint of Cascia belongs to the great host 

of Christian women who "have had a significant 

impact on the life of the Church as well as of society" 

(Apostolic Letter Mulieris dignitatem, n. 27).  

Rita well interpreted the "feminine genius" 

by living it intensely in both physical and 

spiritual motherhood. " - St John Paul II

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St Rita's emblem in art is the rose 

(miraculously bloomed in the winter of her death)

"Rita offers her rose to each of you: in receiving it, 

spiritually strive to live as a witness to a hope

that never disappoints and as missionaries of a life 

that conquers death." - St JP II

Click here: Saint of the Impossible - YouTube

National Shrine in South Philadelphia, PA

https://www.saintritashrine.org/

St Rita of Cascia, pray for us!

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Day 8

Novena to the Holy Spirit
SELF-CONTROL

 

 

Novena to the Holy Spirit - Pentecost Novena PRAYERS

The most fruitful daily habit...

"If it is "daily bread," why do you take it once a year?

Take daily what is to profit you daily." - St Ambrose

Holy Card on left:  "Nothing is sweeter after having 

received Jesus than to give and spread everywhere 

the fragrance of His virtues." - St Francis de Sales

Holy Card on right: "What have I in heaven and 

what can I love upon earth, but Thee, O my God, 

the God of my heart."

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Day 7

Novena to the Holy Spirit

GENTLENESS

 

Novena to the Holy Spirit - Pentecost Novena PRAYERS

Prayer, best preparation...

 "The name of Jesus is the glory of preachers, because the shining 

splendor of that name causes His Word to be proclaimed
and heard.  And how do you think such an immense,
sudden and dazzling light of faith came into the world, 
if not because Jesus was preached?" - St Bernardine of Siena

"Prayer is the best preparation 
for Holy Communion. 
Prayer is the raising of the mind to God.
When we pray we go to meet Christ Who is coming to us.
If our Creator and Savior comes from heaven with such great love, 
it is only fitting that we should go to meet Him.
And this is what we do when we spend some time in prayer."

St Bernardine of Siena

Italy ~ 1380-1444
Orphaned young
Franciscan friar

Itinerant preacher, theological writer

Known as "Apostle of Italy"

for efforts to revive faith in 15th century 

Feast Day - May 20

Painting above: Women Praying at Kotel ~ Brocha Teichman

Especially known for his devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus, 

Bernardine devised a symbol—IHS, the first three letters

of the name of Jesus in Greek, in Gothic letters on a blazing sun.

  

"Jesus, Name full of glory, grace, love and strength! 

You are the refuge of those who repent, our banner of warfare in this life, 

the medicine of souls, the comfort of those who mourn, the delight of those 

who believe, the light of those who preach the true faith, the wages of those 

who toil, the healing of the sick.  To You our devotion aspires; by You our 

prayers are received; we delight in contemplating You. O Name of Jesus, 

You are the glory of all the saints for eternity. Amen." 

 St Bernardine of Siena

Click here: St. Bernardine of Siena - YouTube (2 mins)

Catholic Culture Library: St. Bernardino Fostered Holy Name Devotion

https://www.nahns.org/ (National Assoc of Holy Name Society)

St Bernardine, pray for us!

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Day 6

Novena to the Holy Spirit
FAITHFULNESS

 

 

Novena to the Holy Spirit - Pentecost Novena PRAYERS

Holy Viaticum...

  While some are preparing for 

their First Holy Communion...

others are preparing for their last...

Call a priest!

 

 

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) ...

1526 "Is any among you sick? Let him call for the presbyters of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven" (James 5:14-15).

1527 The sacrament of Anointing of the Sick has as its purpose the conferral of a special grace on the Christian experiencing the difficulties inherent in the condition of grave illness or old age.

1528 The proper time for receiving this holy anointing has certainly arrived when the believer begins to be in danger of death because of illness or old age.

1529 Each time a Christian falls seriously ill, he may receive the Anointing of the Sick, and also when, after he has received it, the illness worsens.

1530 Only priests (presbyters and bishops) can give the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, using oil blessed by the bishop, or if necessary by the celebrating presbyter himself.

1531 The celebration of the Anointing of the Sick consists essentially in the anointing of the forehead and hands of the sick person (in the Roman Rite) or of other parts of the body (in the Eastern rite), the anointing being accompanied by the liturgical prayer of the celebrant asking for the special grace of this sacrament.

1532 The special grace of the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick has as its effects:
- the uniting of the sick person to the passion of Christ, for his own good and that of the whole Church;
- the strengthening, peace, and courage to endure in a Christian manner the sufferings of illness or old age;
- the forgiveness of sins, if the sick person was not able to obtain it through the sacrament of Penance;
- the restoration of health, if it is conducive to the salvation of his soul;
- the preparation for passing over to eternal life.

Be prepared for those special times... 

Consider a Crucifix Sick Call Set which hangs 

on the wall ... readily available for this sacred use ... 

Carry this/similar card in your wallet, purse, backpack... 

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Day 5

Novena to the Holy Spirit
KINDNESS

 

 

Novena to the Holy Spirit - Pentecost Novena PRAYERS

Sweetest prayer...

Let us love God because He hath first loved us.

 

"Talk to Me.

For Me there is no sweeter prayer."

Gabrielle Bossis

Excerpt from book, He and I

Image credit: "La porte duciel" - vintage holy card (Holy Card Heaven)

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Day 4

Novena to the Holy Spirit
PATIENCE

 

 

Novena to the Holy Spirit - Pentecost Novena PRAYERS