Liturgy: above all, adoration...

"Christ the Lord hath risen, 

our Joy that hath no end!"

St John of Damascus

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 Blessed be the LORD! ... The LORD is my 

strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts;

so I am helped, and my heart exults, and with

my song I give thanks to him. - Psalm 28:7

 

"The liturgy is, above all, adoration. 
The Church is the work of God, God's action; 
it is recognition of what God does for men.

And the adoration that the liturgy expresses, 

especially the Eucharist, is the acknowledgment of God,

that everything comes from Him,

that everything that belongs to us 

must find Him." 

Cardinal Antonio Cañizares

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Pope Pius V tirelessly worked to promote the true faith

and Divine Worship.  He standardized the Holy Mass

by promulgating the 1570 edition of the Roman Missal.

Pope St Pius V

Italy  ~ 1504-1572

Dominican*, Church Reformer

"Pope of the Rosary"

*His decision to keep wearing his Dominican habit

led to the custom of the pope wearing a white cassock.

Feast Day - April 30

 

"All the evils in the world are due to

lukewarm Catholics." - St Pius V

St Pius V, pray for us!

More on St Pius V: 

Click here: St. Pius V - YouTube (2 mins)

Probably the act for which Pius V will be longest remembered is his exemplary and unparalleled leadership at the time of the Battle of Lepanto.

In 1565, the Knights of Saint John defended Malta against a tremendous attack by the Turkish fleet and lost nearly every fighting man in the fortress. It was Pope Pius V who sent encouragement and money with which to rebuild their battered city. The pope called for a crusade among the Christian nations and appointed a leader who would be acceptable to all. He ordered the Forty Hours Devotion to be held in Rome, and he encouraged all to say the Rosary.

When the Christian fleet sailed out to meet the enemy, every man on board had received the sacraments, and all were praying the Rosary. The fleet was small, and numerically it was no match for the Turkish fleet, which so far had never met defeat. They met in the Bay of Lepanto on Sunday morning, October 7, 1565.  After a day of bitter fighting, and, on the part of the Christians, miraculous help, the Turkish fleet - what was left of it - fled in disgrace, broken and defeated, its power crushed forever.

Before the victorious fleet returned to Rome, Pope Pius V had knowledge of the victory through miraculous means. He proclaimed a period of thanksgiving, placed the invocation, "Mary, Help of Christians" in the Litany of Loreto and established the feast of Our Lady of Victory (later changed to Our Lady of the Rosary) in commemoration of the victory.

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Day 9 - Final Day

Novena to St Joseph

St. Joseph the Worker Novena

 

Feast Day:  May 1 (Patron of Workers)

St Joseph, pray for us!

Each drop: precious...

  "Love does not stay idle."

 St Catherine of Siena, Letter T82

Precious Blood,

Ocean of Divine Mercy:

Flow upon us! 

Precious Blood,

Most pure Offering:

Procure us every Grace! 

Precious Blood,

Hope and Refuge of sinners:

Atone for us! 

Precious Blood,

Delight of holy souls:

Draw us! Amen.

Prayer of
St Catherine of Siena
Italy  ~ 1347 -1380
Doctor of the Church
Reformer, mystic, writer
Third Order Dominican

CoPatron of Italy and Europe
Incorrupt
Feast Day - April 29

 "I treasure your knowing how to give 

the world a kick." -  St Catherine of Siena

"Be who God meant you to be and you will 

set the world on fire." - St Catherine of Siena

"Proclaim the truth and do not be 
silent through fear." - St Catherine of Siena

Click here: St. Catherine of Siena - YouTube (2 mins)
Click here: St. Catherine of Siena - YouTube (3:23 mins)
Click here: Quotes Catherine of Siena

"Do not be satisfied with little things, because 

God wants great things!" St Catherine of Siena

St Catherine of Siena, pray for us!

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Day 8

Novena to St Joseph

St. Joseph the Worker Novena

 

Feast Day:  May 1 (Patron of Workers)

St Joseph, pray for us!

A holy trifecta of good counsel..

Eucharistic thoughts from three

'family members' on their FEAST DAY today...

St Louis de Montfort used to remain after Holy Mass for 

thanksgiving at least a half hour, and he would not permit any 

need or assignment to serve as a reason for omitting it.  He said, 

 "I would not give up this hour of thanksgiving

even for an hour of Paradise." 

St Louis de Montfort

France ~ 1673-1716
Priest, Marian devotee

Author: Secret of Mary, True Devotion to Mary

Founder ~ Sisters of Divine Wisdom

Feast Day - April 28

Click here: St. Louis de Montfort - YouTube (2 mins)

 

"She (Mother Mary) is an echo of God, 

speaking and repeating only God.

If you say 'Mary' she says 'God'." 

 St Louis de Montfort

St Louis de Montfort, pray for us! 

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"Our body is a cenacle,

a monstrance:  through its crystal 

the world should see God."

 

St Gianna Beretta Molla

Wife, Mother, Doctor, Martyr

Italy (1922-1962)

Feast Day - April 28

Click here: St. Gianna Beretta Molla - YouTube (5 mins)

“The life of Mamma was an act and a perennial action 

of faith and charity; it was a non-stop search for the 

will of God for every decision and for every work, 

with prayer and meditation, Holy Mass and 

the Eucharist,” explained St. Gianna’s husband 

to their children after her death

 

St Gianna Molla, pray for us!

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When called upon to justify his conversion, 
one of Chanel's catechumens had said of him,
"He loves us. He does what He teaches.

He forgives His enemies. His teaching is good."

St Peter Chanel

Nee France ~ 1803-1841

Priest, Missionary, Protomartyr of Oceania

  Within two years after his death, the whole island 

became Catholic and has remained so.

Feast Day - April 28

Click here: Saint Peter Chanel 04-28 - YouTube (1:20 mins)

   

   

"No one is a martyr for a conclusion, 

no one is a martyr for an opinion;

it is faith that makes martyrs."  

 St John Henry Cardinal Newman

St Peter Chanel, pray for us!

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Day 7

Novena to St Joseph

St. Joseph the Worker Novena 

 

Feast Day:  May 1 (Patron of Workers)

St Joseph, pray for us!

As the soul gazes at Jesus...

  "If only we had the humility to realize that He alone is

Goodness and makes us good. As soon as we come into His 

Presence in the Eucharist, our souls respond to the power 

before them like a sunflower turning towards the sun.

His silent Presence, hidden in the tabernacle,

says to each one of us, 'I love you.  Come to Me 

all you who labor and are burdened and I will 

refresh you.  Come to the fountain of life and drink. 

Tell Me your problems.  Listen to My voice.  I tug at your 

heart, guiding your way and smoothing your path.'

There is between the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus and 

the soul, a silent exchange of love, a sharing of pain, 

an inaudible dialogue between two who know

 each other perfectly and love each other deeply.

It is as if the soul sees itself in a perfect Mirror

and knows clearly its faults and imperfections. 

A strange phenomenon occurs as the soul gazes at 

Jesus. Its own reflection becomes brighter. 

Its faults fade away and one day that 'soul is turned -

transformed into the image it reflected' (II Cor 3:18).

This being true, why do we permit our souls 

to die of thirst when the Fountain of Living 

Water is just around the corner?"

Mother Angelica

To Leave and Yet to Stay

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Day 6

Novena to St Joseph

St. Joseph the Worker Novena 

 

Feast Day:  May 1 (Patron of Workers)

St Joseph, pray for us!

Good Shepherd Sunday...

 4th Sunday of Easter

GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY

“For He hears the lamb’s innocent call,

And He hears the ewe’s tender reply.

He is watchful while they are in peace.

For they know when their Shepherd is nigh.”

 William Blake

"We adore You, Jesus,

eternal Shepherd of the human race.

You are present in the Eucharist

to dwell continually 

in the midst of Your people.

You nourish us,

You guard us,

You guide us to the heavenly fold."

Bl James Alberione

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Msgr. Charles Pope, Lord and Shepherd homily, 4th Sunday of Easter   

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Also ... today... 

63rd WORLD DAY of

PRAYER for VOCATIONS

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Pope Leo XIV message for World Day of 

Prayer for Vocations

https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/messages/vocations/documents/20260316-messaggio-vocazioni.html

(Excerpt below...)

 

Dear brothers and sisters, dear young people, I encourage you 

to cultivate your personal relationship with God through daily prayer 

and meditation on the Word.  Pause, listen and entrust yourselves.

In this way, the gift of your vocation will mature, bringing

you happiness and yielding abundant fruit for the Church and 

the world. May the Virgin Mary, model of the interior acceptance

of divine gifts and expert in prayerful listening, always accompany 

you on this journey! - Pope Leo XIV 

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Pray TODAY - and EVERYDAY - for vocations -

Father, hear the prayers of Your people 

and bring to maturity the seeds You have 

sown in the field of Your Church. 

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Day 5
Novena to St Joseph

St. Joseph the Worker Novena 

 

Feast Day:  May 1 (Patron of Workers)

St Joseph, pray for us!