Saint John of Damascus

God created man to be straightforward, but he has entangled himself with an infinity of questions.

-- Saint John of Damascus

Saint Irenaeus of Lyons

 

 

We have learned from none others the plan of our salvation, than from those [the Apostles] through whom the Gospel has come down to us, which they did at one time proclaim in public, and, at a later period, by the will of God, handed down to us in the Scriptures, to be the ground and pillar of our Faith.

-- Saint Irenaeus of Lyons

Saint John Chrysostom

 

 

It is possible to offer fervent prayer even while walking in public or strolling alone, or seated in your shop...while buying or selling...or even while cooking.

-- Saint John Chrysostom

Saint Isidore of Seville

Confession heals, confession justifies, confession grants pardon of sin. All hope consists in confession. In confession there is a chance for mercy. Believe it firmly. Do not doubt, do not hesitate, never despair of the mercy of God. Hope and have confidence in confession.

-- Saint Isidore of Seville

Saint Thomas More

Although I know well, Margaret, that because of my past wickedness I deserve to be abandoned by God, I cannot but trust in his merciful goodness. His grace has strengthened me until now and made me content to lose goods, land, and life as well, rather than to swear against my conscience. God’s grace has given the king a gracious frame of mind toward me, so that as yet he has taken from me nothing but my liberty. In doing this His Majesty has done me such great good with respect to spiritual profit that I trust that among all the great benefits he has heaped so abundantly upon me I count my imprisonment the very greatest. I cannot, therefore, mistrust the grace of God. By the merits of his bitter passion joined to mine and far surpassing in merit for me all that I can suffer myself, his bounteous goodness shall release me from the pains of purgatory and shall increase my reward in heaven besides. I will not mistrust him, Meg, though I shall feel myself weakening and on the verge of being overcome with fear. I shall remember how Saint Peter at a blast of wind began to sink because of his lack of faith, and I shall do as he did: call upon Christ and pray to him for help. And then I trust he shall place his holy hand on me and in the stormy seas hold me up from drowning. And finally, Margaret, I know this well: that without my fault he will not let me be lost. I shall, therefore, with good hope commit myself wholly to him. And if he permits me to perish for my faults, then I shall serve as praise for his justice. But in good faith, Meg, I trust that his tender pity shall keep my poor soul safe and make me commend his mercy. And, therefore, my own good daughter, do not let your mind be troubled over anything that shall happen to me in this world. Nothing can come but what God wills. And I am very sure that whatever that be, however bad it may seem, it shall indeed be the best. 

-- Saint Thomas More in a letter written from prison to his daughter Margaret

Saint Josemaria Escriva

 

 

The rosary is said not with the lips alone, muttering Hail Marys one after the other. … For a Christian vocal prayer must spring from the heart, so that while the rosary is said, the mind can enter into contemplation of each one of the mysteries.

-- Saint Josemaria Escriva

Saint Therese of Lisieux

 

 

 Jesus, help me to simplify my life by learning what you want me to be - and becoming that person.

-- Saint Therese of Lisieux

Saint Vincent de Paul

Human nature grows tired of always doing the same thing, and it is God's will that this should be because of the opportunity of practicing two great virtues. The first is perseverance, which will bring us to our goal. The other is steadfastness, which overcomes the difficulties on the way.

-- Saint Vincent de Paul

Saint Gregory Thaumaturgus

There is one God, the Father of the living Word, who is His subsistent Wisdom and Power and Eternal Image: perfect Begetter of the perfect Begotten, Father of the only-begotten Son. 

There is one Lord, Only of the Only, God of God, Image and Likeness of Deity, Efficient Word, Wisdom comprehensive of the constitution of all things, and Power formative of the whole creation, true Son of true Father, Invisible of Invisible, and Incorruptible of Incorruptible, and Immortal of Immortal and Eternal of Eternal. 

And there is One Holy Spirit, having His subsistence from God, and being made manifest by the Son, to wit to men: Image of the Son, Perfect Image of the Perfect; Life, the Cause of the living; Holy Fount; Sanctity, the Supplier, or Leader, of Sanctification; in whom is manifested God the Father, who is above all and in all, and God the Son, who is through all. 

There is a perfect Trinity, in glory and eternity and sovereignty, neither divided nor estranged. Wherefore there is nothing either created or in servitude in the Trinity; nor anything superinduced, as if at some former period it was non-existent, and at some later period it was introduced. And thus neither was the Son ever wanting to the Father, nor the Spirit to the Son; but without variation and without change, the same Trinity abideth ever. 

-- Saint Gregory Thaumaturgus from a declaration of Faith

Saint Thomas Aquinas

For prayer to be effective, our petitions should be for benefits worthily to be expected from God.

-- Saint Thomas Aquinas

Saint Francis de Sales

 

 

It is a great honor to you who are married that God, in His design to multiply souls who may bless and praise Him for all eternity, causes you to cooperate with Him in so noble a work.

-- Saint Francis de Sales

Saint Mark the Ascetic

The law of freedom teaches the whole truth. Many read about it in a theoretical way, but few really understand it, and these only in the degree to which they practise the commandments. 

-- Saint Mark the Ascetic

Who Is Your Favorite Saint or Saints?

All the saints of the Church are very important. The men and women who lived their lives in fidelity to the Truth which is Jesus Christ and His Church are an inspiration to us all.

Even so, we all have a saint or saints that inspire us the most, and that we greatly admire. Sometimes it is our Patron Saint, and sometimes it is several saints.

So, I am going to ask you all to send an email to me, and tell me who your favorite saint or saints are. To make it easier for me to compile the results, I ask that you send them by Friday, 18 June, 2011. Please limit your selections to three saints, and please put "Favorite Saints" in the subject of the email.

I hope to be able to post the results within a week of the end date, depending on the number of responses I receive.

Thank you in advance for taking the time out of your busy day to respond!

Saint Columba

O Lord, grant us that love which can never die, which will enkindle our lamps but not extinguish them, so that they may shine in us and bring light to others. Most dear Savior, enkindle our lamps that they may shine forever in your temple. May we receive unquenchable light from yo so that our darkness will be illuminated and the darkness of the world will be made less. Amen. 

-- Saint Columba

Saint Odilia

 

 

I have chosen the Cross.

-- Saint Odilia

Saint Augustine of Hippo

The body dies when the soul departs; but the soul dies when God departs.

-- Saint Augustine of Hippo

Saint Jerome

You say in your book that while we live we are able to pray for each other, but afterwards when we have died, the prayer of no person for another can be heard.... But if the apostles and martyrs while still in the body can pray for others, at a time when they ought still be solicitous about themselves, how much more will they do so after their crowns, victories, and triumphs? 

-- Saint Jerome

Saint Augustine of Hippo

Earthly life is a pilgrimage, and as such it is full of temptations. But our spiritual growth is worked out in temptation. By experiencing temptations, we know ourselves. By fighting them we have a chance to become winners. By overcoming them, we are crowned victors. Lord, you are our physician, healing the ills of all.

-- Saint Augustine of Hippo

Saint Elizebeth Ann Seton

The accidents of life separate us from our dearest friends, but let us not despair. God is like a looking glass in which souls see each other. The more we are united to Him by love, the nearer we are to those who belong to Him.

-- Saint Elizebeth Ann Seton

Saint Boniface

 

 

In her voyage across the ocean of this world, the Church is like a great ship being pounded by the waves of life's different stresses. Our duty is not to abandon ship but to keep her on her course.

-- Saint Boniface

Pope Saint Gregory the Great

He who would climb to a lofty height must go by steps, not leaps.

-- Pope Saint Gregory the Great

Saint Basil the Great

 

 

The study of inspired Scripture is the chief way of finding our duty, for in it we find both instruction about conduct and the lives of blessed men, delivered in writing, as some breathing images of godly living, for the imitation of their good works.  Hence, in whatever respect each one feels himself deficient, devoting himself to this imitation, he finds, as from some dispensary, the due medicine for his ailment.

-- Saint Basil the Great from a letter