Friday, September 30, 2022

He provides, we trust...

 "Catch, then, O catch the transient hour; 
Improve each moment as it flies!" - St Jerome



"If Christ did not want to dismiss the Jews
without food in the desert for fear
that they would collapse on the way,
it was to teach us that it is
dangerous to try to get to heaven
without the Bread of Heaven." - St Jerome 

 

St Jerome
c. 331- 420
Early Church Father, Doctor of the Church
Brilliant and thorough scholar and writer 
Translated Scripture into Latin (Vulgate
Consultant to Popes and Bishops
Feast Day - September 30

St.-Jerome-In-His-Study.jpg (483×392)
Bartolomeo Cavarozzi ~ St Jerome

 "Ignorance of Scripture 
is ignorance of Christ." - St Jerome
____________________

"Be at peace with your own soul, 
then heaven and earth 
will be at peace with you." - St Jerome
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Click here: St. Jerome - YouTube (2 mins)
10 Witty quotes from Saint Jerome
Top 9 quotes of ST. JEROME

St Jerome, pray for us!

Thursday, September 29, 2022

Guardians of power and love...

  Feast of Archangels
St Michael~St Gabriel~St Raphael
September 29

Archangels-Gabriel-Michael-and-Raphael.jpg (600×476)

"O, angelic spirits, 
who guard our tabernacles, wherein lies 
the adorable treasure of the Holy Eucharist,
defend it from profanation 
and preserve it for our love."

St Josemaria Escriva 

4754387328_45f0489cde_z.jpg (256×640)

"Michael and his Angels battled against the dragon...
Satan, the seducer of the whole world, was driven out."
Revelation 12:7, 9


The Three Archangels and Tobias, Francesco Botticini, 1470

A Sermon of Pope Saint Gregory 
From the Third Nocturne of Matins of the feast of Saint Michael the Archangel

We speak of nine orders of Angels, because we know, by the testimony of Holy Scripture, that there are the following: Angels, Archangels, Virtues, Powers, Principalities, Dominations, Thrones, Cherubim and Seraphim. It must be realized that "Angel" is the name of their office, not of their nature. For the holy Spirits of the heavenly homeland are always Spirits, but they cannot always be called Angels; they are Angels only when they are announcing something. Those who announce less important things are called Angels, and those who announce the highest things are called Archangels. And so not any Angel but the Archangel Gabriel was sent to Mary; for this ministry, it was fitting to have the highest Angel, since he was to announce the greatest news of all. These Archangels are also given special names to describe their particular virtue. For Michael means "Who is like to God?" Gabriel means "Strength of God," and Raphael "Medicine of God."
Whenever something is to be done needing great power, Michael is sent forth so that from his action and his name we may understand that no one can do what God can do. Hence that old enemy who through pride desired to be like God is shown at the end of the world, left to his own strength and about to undergo the final punishment, as destined to fight with Michael the Archangel, as John says, "There was a battle with Michael the Archangel." Similarly, Gabriel was sent to Mary; he who is called "Strength of God" came to announce Him who deigned to appear in humility to conquer the powers of the air. And Raphael is interpreted, as we said, "Medicine of God," for when he touched the eyes of Tobias to do the work of healing, he dispelled the "night of his blindness."



St Michael, St Gabriel, St Raphael, 
pray for us
and defend us in battle!

Wednesday, September 28, 2022

Walking through fire... with JOY!...

"Who we love shapes what we become." 
 St Clare of Assisi


 
When St Margaret Mary Alacoque left the world 
and consecrated herself to God in the cloister, 
she made a private vow and wrote in her blood,
 
"All for the Eucharist,
nothing for me."
 
It is useless to attempt to describe 
the Saint's burning love for the Eucharist.
When she was not able to receive Holy Communion, 
she broke out in ardent expressions of love like these:

"I have such a desire for Holy Communion that if
I had to walk barefoot along a path of fire to obtain It,
I would do so with unspeakable joy."
 
Excerpt from Jesus, Our Eucharistic Love 
Fr Stefano Manelli

Tuesday, September 27, 2022

Going to Jesus from Jesus...

St Vincent de Paul was praying before the Eucharist one time 
and, after a man told him about a poor person 
on the street needing help, St Vincent said:
"I am going to Jesus from Jesus."



St Vincent de Paul
1580-1660 ~ France
Priest, Co-Founder of Daughters of Charity
Founder - Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians)
Patron - Charitable societies*
*Society of St. Vincent de Paul, founded 1833 
by devotee, Blessed Frederic Ozanam
Incorrupt
Feast Day - September 27

 

"We should take as a maxim 
never to be surprised at current difficulties, 
no more than at a passing breeze, 
because with a little patience 
we shall see them disappear. 
Time changes everything." 
- St. Vincent de Paul

Monday, September 26, 2022

Linked in life and in death...

Cosmas and Damian: Two of the martyrs in the ancient Roman Canon (Eucharistic Prayer I)  Prayer before the Consecration: 

In communion with those whose memory we venerate, especially the glorious ever-Virgin Mary, Mother of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ, + and blessed Joseph, her Spouse, your blessed Apostles and Martyrs, Peter and Paul, Andrew, (James, John, Thomas, James, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Simon and Jude; Linus, Cletus, Clement, Sixtus, Cornelius, Cyprian, Lawrence, Chrysogonus, John and Paul, Cosmas and Damian and all your saints; we ask that through their merits and prayers, in all things we may be defended by your protecting help. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

"It is beautiful to think that although we hardly know anything of these saints' lives on earth, we are forever recalling these glorious martyrs at the Supper of the Lamb. While we may not have intimate portrayals of their human lives, we do know these saints very intimately. How can we not, when you are together at the heavenly meal every week? Sharing meals together, seated around the same table provides closeness and intimacy, and that is what we are doing together at every Mass. They are part of our family, and the witnesses of the Heavenly Banquet "who had been slain for the Word of God and for the witness they had borne" (Rev. 6:9). This excerpt from the Dogmatic Constitution of the Church reinforce this view of the Liturgy and our connection with the martyrs:

Our union with the Church in heaven is put into effect in its noblest manner especially in the sacred Liturgy, wherein the power of the Holy Spirit acts upon us through sacramental signs. Then, with combined rejoicing we celebrate together the praise of the divine majesty; then all those from every tribe and tongue and people and nation who have been redeemed by the blood of Christ and gathered together into one Church, with one song of praise magnify the one and triune God. Celebrating the Eucharistic sacrifice therefore, we are most closely united to the Church in heaven in communion with and venerating the memory first of all of the glorious ever-Virgin Mary, of Blessed Joseph and the blessed apostles and martyrs and of all the saints (Lumen Gentium, 50d).  ...

It is through the blood of the martyrs that the Church expanded and continues to grow. What a blessing to have this intimate connection with the roll call of martyrs at the Roman Canon. We are continually reminded of belonging and participating in the family of Christ. Let us remember to invoke these blessed martyrs today, and all the saints of the Canon so that  in our death we may join our brothers and sisters in the Heavenly Supper of the Lamb."

Excerpt from Cosmas, Damian and Saints of the Canon by Jennifer Gregory Miller 26 Sept 2014.  Full text:  Click here: Cosmas, Damian and Saints of the Canon | Catholic Culture

St Cosmas and St Damian performing miraculous cure by transplantation of a leg.  Painting attributed to the Master of Los Balbases, c. 1495

St Cosmas and St Damian
Nee: Arabia
Died: c 287 (Syria)
Twin brothers, physicians
Practiced medicine without charge
Worked together in life, together in martyrdom, together in eternity
Patron of Doctors (along with St Luke), surgeons and pharmacists.
Feast Day - September 26


St Cosmas and St Damian, pray for us!

Sunday, September 25, 2022

Priesthood Sunday...

  Priesthood Sunday: 25 Sept 2022
A special day set aside to honor the priesthood in the United States...
 to reflect upon and affirm the role of the priesthood
in the life of the Church as a central one.

Note:  Parishes may choose to celebrate Priesthood Sunday 
on another Sunday when convenient. 
This nationwide event is coordinated and sponsored 
by the US Council of Serra International.


Christ daily comes to us in humble form;
daily He comes down 
from the bosom of the Father
upon the altar  
in the hands of the priest."

St Francis of Assisi


Pray regularly for our priests!
Here is one way: offering Holy Hours
Visit Seven Sisters Apostolate
 www.sevensistersapostolate.org
Seven Sisters Apostolate

________________________


"The priest is not a priest for himself, 
he is a priest for you!"

St John Vianney 
Patron of all priests
_______________________________
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Saturday, September 24, 2022

All things, made new...

  He who was seated on the throne said, 
"I am making everything new!"  
Then he said, "Write this down, for these words
are trustworthy and true." - Rev 21:5
 
Steubenville-eucharistic-adoration.jpg (640×360)
 
During a visit to the Philippines, Sister Gertrude from the Sacred Hearts Community
in Hawaii relayed this story (when she was over seventy) to Msgr Josefino (Pepe)
 Ramirez.  He passes it on in a Chapter of his book, Letters to a Brother Priest:

"When (Sr Gertrude) was a young nun, one of the old nuns was dying. The custom at that time was for the community to gather in prayer around the one dying. ... the nun was breathing her last breaths. Suddenly, she opened her eyes, stretched forth her arms and exclaimed: "O my Beloved."

Then she sat up and gazed lovingly at the Blessed Sacrament, which she had permission to have in her room since she had been too weak to go to the chapel. What happened next had never been told, until Sister Gertrude shared it with me. The old, wrinkled nun changed to a strikingly attractive young woman, radiantly aglow with a countenance that put the rest of the nuns into ecstasy just looking at her. After what seemed like a minute or two, the transformed nun went back against her pillow, turning old again and died. When the Sisters came out of their ecstasy, they were stunned to discover that this extraordinary event lasted for more than one or two minutes. The Sisters were in ecstasy for over thirteen hours! ...

If only we could see the change that takes place in us at each Holy Hour we make. We are made new in the Eternal Youth of Christ. We are made innocent, without blemish, as we are cleansed in His Precious Blood, in the folly of His surpassing love. "

_________________________
 
Photo: University of Steubenville, Ohio

Friday, September 23, 2022

Give free rein to your heart...

 "Prayer is the oxygen of the soul." - St Padre Pio 

"Kneel down and render the tribute
of your presence and devotion to Jesus 
in the Blessed Sacrament. 
Confide all your needs to Him, 
along with those of others.
Speak to Him with filial abandonment, 
give free rein to your heart, 
and give Him complete freedom 
to work in you as He thinks best."

St Padre Pio of Pietrelcino
Priest, Stigmatist, Mystic
Italy ~ 1887-1968
Patron of Eucharistic Adorers
Feast Day - Sept 23


"When I am close to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, 
I feel as if my heart is bursting out of my chest." - St Padre Pio
___________________________

O Blessed Rosary of Mary
sweet Chain which binds us to God, 
Bond of love which unites us to the Angels, 
Tower of salvation against the assualts of hell, 
safe Haven in the universal shipwreck, 
we shall never abandon you.

 Petition to Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii, 
often recited by Padre Pio
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Thursday, September 22, 2022

Life's focal point...

  "The greatest tragedy would be 
to come to the end of our lives and realize 
that the Lord was so near, 
and yet we were so far away."

 - Fulton Sheen, The Eucharist God Among Us 
Retreat on the Priesthood

 
"It is most important that the holy Eucharist
becomes life's focal pointthat the 
Eucharistic Savior is the center of existence
that every day is received from His hand 
and laid back therein; that the 
day's happenings are deliberated with Him.
 
In this way, God is given the best opportunity
to be heard in the heart,
to form the soul, 
and to make its faculties clear-sighted 
and alert for the supernatural."
 
St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein)
in Essays on Woman