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Thursday, February 28, 2013

Saint Ignatius of Loyola



Few souls understand what God would accomplish in them if they were to abandon themselves unreservedly to Him and if they were to allow His grace to mold them accordingly.

-- Saint Ignatius of Loyola


Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Saint Aloysius Gonzaga



There is no more evident sign that anyone is a saint and of the number of the elect, than to see him leading a good life and at the same time a prey to desolation, suffering, and trials. 

-- Saint Aloysius Gonzaga

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Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Saint Gabriel Possenti



Love Mary! She is loveable, faithful, constant. She will never let herself be outdone in love, but will ever remain supreme. If you are in danger, she will hasten to free you. If you are troubled, she will console you. If you are sick, she will bring you relief. If you are in need, she will help you. She does not look to see what kind of person you have been. She simply comes to a heart that wants to love her. She comes quickly and opens her merciful heart to you, embraces you and consoles and serves you. She will even be at hand to accompany you on the trip to eternity.

-- Saint Gabriel Possenti


Monday, February 25, 2013

Saint Thomas Aquinas



The certainty that the divine light gives is greater than that which the light of natural reason gives.

-- Saint Thomas Aquinas


Saint Polycarp of Smyrna



Stand fast, therefore, in this conduct and follow the example of the Lord, 'firm and unchangeable in faith lovers of the brotherhood, loving each other, united in truth, ' helping each other with the mildness of the Lord, despising no man

-- Saint Polycarp of Smyrna


Friday, February 22, 2013

Saint Peter the Apostle




You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.

-- Saint Peter the Apostle from The Gospel of Matthew 16: 16


Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Saint Peter Damian



Let us faithfully transmit to posterity the example of virtue which we have received from our forefathers.

 -- Saint Peter Damian 


Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Saint Thomas Becket



The harvest is good and one reaper or even several would not suffice to gather all of it into the granary of the Lord. Yet the Roman Church remains the head of all the churches and the source of Catholic teaching. Of this there can be no doubt. Everyone knows that the keys of the kingdom of heaven were given to Peter. Upon his faith and teaching the whole fabric of the Church will continue to be built until we all reach full maturity in Christ and attain to unity in faith and knowledge of the Son of God. 

-- Saint Thomas Becket


Monday, February 18, 2013

Saint Irenaeus of Lyons



If one carefully reads the Scriptures, he will find there the word on the subject of Christ -- de Christo sermonem -- and the prefiguration of the new calling. He is indeed the hidden treasure in the field -- the field in fact is the world -- but in truth, the hidden treasure in the Scriptures is Christ. Because he is designed by types and words that humanly are not possible to understand before the accomplishment of all things, that is, Christ's parousia (coming).

-- Saint Irenaeus of Lyons

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Saint Bernadette of Lourdes



You must receive God well; give Him a loving welcome, for then He has to pay us rent. 

-- Saint Bernadette of Lourdes


Saturday, February 16, 2013

Saint Augustine of Hippo



God does not command impossibilities, but by commanding admonishes you do what you can and to pray for what you cannot, and aids you that you may be able. 

-- Saint Augustine of Hippo

Friday, February 15, 2013

Saint Thomas More



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. 

-- Saint Thomas More


Thursday, February 14, 2013

Saint Ambrose of Milan



This Creed is the spiritual seal, our heart's meditation and an ever-present guardian; it is, unquestionably, the treasure of our soul.

-- Saint Ambrose of Milan


Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Saint Cyril



O Lord, my God, you have created the choirs of angels and spiritual powers; you have stretched forth the heavens and established the earth, creating all that exists from nothing. You hear those who obey your will and keep your commands in holy fear. Hear my prayer and protect your faithful people, for you have established me as their unsuitable and unworthy servant. “Make your people known for the unit and profession of their faith. Inspire the hearts of your people with your word and your teaching. You called us to preach the Gospel of your Christ and to encourage them to lives and works pleasing to you. “I now return to you, your people, your gift to me. Direct them with your powerful right hand, and protect them under the shadow of your wings. May all praise and glorify your name, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

-- Saint Cyril from an old Slavonic biography


Saint Josemaría Escrivá



Either we learn to find our Lord in ordinary, everyday life, or else we shall never find Him.

-- Saint  Josemaría Escrivá





Monday, February 11, 2013

Saint Cyril of Jerusalem



This synthesis of faith was not made to accord with human opinions, but rather what was of the greatest importance was gathered from all the Scriptures, to present the one teaching of the faith in its entirety. And just as the mustard seed contains a great number of branches in a tiny grain, so too this summary of faith encompassed in a few words the whole knowledge of the true religion contained in the Old and the New Testaments.

-- Saint Cyril of Jerusalem



Sunday, February 10, 2013

Saint Bernadette of Lourdes



I had gone down one day with two other girls to the bank of the river Gave when suddenly I heard a kind of rustling sound. I turned my head toward the field by the side of the river, but the trees seemed quite still and the noise was evidently not from them. Then I looked up and caught sight of the cave where I saw a lady wearing a lovely white dress with a bright belt. On top of each of her feet was a pale yellow rose, the same color as her rosary beads. At this I rubbed my eyes, thinking I was seeing things, and I put my hands into the fold of my dress where my rosary was. I wanted to make the sign of the cross, but for the life of me I couldn’t manage it, and my hand just fell down. Then the lady made the sign of the cross herself, and at the second attempt I managed to do the same, though my hands were trembling. Then I began to say the rosary while the lady let her beads clip through her fingers, without moving her lips. When I stopped saying the Hail Mary, she immediately vanished. I asked my two companions if they had noticed anything, but they said no. Of course, they wanted to know what I was doing, and I told them that I had seen a lady wearing a nice white dress, though I didn’t know who she was. I told them not to say anything about it, and they said I was silly to have anything to do with it. I said they were wrong, and I came back next Sunday, feeling myself drawn to the place

-- Saint Bernadette of Lourdes from her account of her first vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Saint Alphonsus Liguori



He who does not acquire the love of God will scarcely persevere in the grace of God, for it is very difficult to renounce sin merely through fear of chastisement. 

-- Saint Alphonsus Liguori 

Friday, February 8, 2013

Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich



The Church is the only one, the Roman Catholic! And if there were left upon earth but one Catholic, he would be the one, universal Church, the Catholic Church, the Church of Jesus Christ against which the gates of Hell shall never prevail. 

-- Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Saint Josephine Bakhita



Mary protected me even before I knew her! 

-- Saint Josephine Bakhita


Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Saint Colette of Corbie



We must faithfully keep what we have promised. If through human weakness we fail, we must always without delay arise again by means of holy penance, and give our attention to leading a good life and to dying a holy death. May the Father of all mercy, the Son by his holy passion, and the Holy Spirit, source of peace, sweetness and love, fill us with their consolation. Amen. 

-- Saint Colette of Corbie from her spiritual testament to her sisters


Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Saint Paul Miki



Like my Master I shall die upon the cross. Like him, a lance will pierce my heart so that my blood and my love can flow out upon the land and sanctify it to his name.

-- Saint Paul Miki

Monday, February 4, 2013

Saint Agatha



Lord, my creator, you have protected me since I was in the cradle. You have taken me from the love of the world and given me patience to suffer. Now receive my spirit. 

-- Saint Agatha 

Saint Joseph of Leonessa



O most holy cross, transform us completely into yourself.  Let your base become our feet, your beams our arms, your summit our head.  And so that we may become the cross, nail our feet that they may be fixed in you;  bind our arms that they may not act apart form you; open our side, wound breast and touch our heart with love for you.  Grant that our eyes may see nothing but you; our ears hear nothing but you; our nostrils smell nothing but you.  O cross, rest in us now, as once Christ rested upon you; may we thirst for you, just as Christ, while hanging upon you, thirsted for us. May we commend ourselves to Him who hun upon you, just as he commended himself to the Eternal Father. O sweet cross, o loving cross, be our defence and our support.

-- Saint Joseph of Leonessa

Saturday, February 2, 2013

Pope Saint Clement



Since all things lie open to His eyes and ears, let us hold Him in awe and rid ourselves of impure desires to do works of evil, so that we may be protected by His mercy from the judgement that is to come. Which of us can escape His mighty hand?

-- Pope Saint Clement


Saint John Vianney


Prayer is nothing else but union with God. In this intimate union, God and the soul are fused together like two bits of wax that no one can ever pull apart. This union of God with a tiny creature is a lovely thing. It is a happiness beyond understanding.

-- Saint John Vianney