Saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina Quote

Remember, that the devil has only one door by which to enter the soul: the will. There are secret or hidden doors. Temptations, discouragement, and unrest are the wares offered by the enemy. Remember this: if the devil makes noise, it is a sign that he is still outside and not yet within. That which must terrify us is his peace and concord within the human soul.

-- Saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux Quote (From a sermon on Mary's Sorrows)

Truly, O blessed Mother, a sword has pierced your heart. For only by passing through your heart could the sword enter the flesh of your Son. Indeed, after your Jesus - who belongs to everyone, but is especially yours - gave up his life, the cruel spear, which was not withheld from his lifeless body, tore open his side. Clearly it did not touch his soul and could not harm him, but it did pierce your heart. For surely his soul was no longer there, but yours could not be torn away. Thus the violence of sorrow has cut through your heart, and we rightly call you more than martyr, since the effect of compassion in you has gone beyond the endurance of physical suffering.

Or were those words, Woman, behold your Son, not more than a word to you, truly piercing your heart, cutting through to the division between soul and spirit? What an exchange! John is given to you in place of Jesus, the servant in place of the Lord, the disciple in place of the master; the son of Zebedee replaces the Son of God, a mere man replaces God himself. How could these words not pierce your most loving heart, when the mere remembrance of them breaks ours, hearts of iron and stone though they are!

Do not be surprised, brothers, that Mary is said to be a martyr in spirit. Let him be surprised who does not remember the words of Paul, that one of the greatest crimes of the Gentiles was that they were without love. That was far from the heart of Mary; let it be far from her servants.

-- Saint Bernard of Clairvaux from a sermon

Saint John Chrysostom Quote

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 Monica Quote

Son, as far as I am concerned, nothing in this life now gives me any pleasure. I do not know why I am still here, since I have no further hopes in this world. I did have one reason for wanting to live a little longer: to see you become a Catholic Christian before I died. God has lavished his gifts on me in that respect, for I know that you have even renounced earthly happiness to be his servant. So what am I doing here?

-- Saint Monica

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux Quote

Look at that clever calumniator! He begins by fetching a deep sigh, he affects to be humble, and puts on a modest look, and with a voice choking with sobs tries to gloss over the slander which is on the tip of his tongue One would fancy that he expressly assumed a calm and easy demeanor; for when he speaks against his brother, it is in a tender and compassionate tone. I am really hurt, says he, to find that our brother has fallen into such a sin; you all know how much I love him, and how often I have tried to correct him. It is not today that I have noticed his failing; for I should always be on my guard to speak of others, but others have spoken of it too. It would be in vain to disguise the fact; it is only too true, and with tears in my eyes I tell it to you. This poor unfortunate brother has talent, but it must be confessed that he is very guilty, and however great may be our friendship for him, it is impossible to excuse him.

-- Saint Bernard of Clairvaux from a sermon on The Canticles

Saint John Damascene Quote (On The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary)

But even though, according to nature, your most holy and happy soul is separated from your most blessed and stainless body and the body as usual is delivered to the tomb, it will not remain in the power of death and is not subject to decay. For just as her virginity remained inviolate while giving birth, when she departed her body was preserved from destruction and only taken to a better and more divine tabernacle, which is not subject to any death . . . Hence I will call her holy passing not death, but falling asleep or departure, or better still, arrival. . . .

Your stainless and wholly immaculate body has not been left on earth; the Queen, the Mistress, the Mother of God who has truly given birth to God has been translated to the royal palaces of heaven. .

-- Saint John Damascene

Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein) Quote

One cannot desire freedom from the Cross when one is especially chosen for the Cross.

-- Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross

Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori Quote

God says to each of us: "Give me your heart, that is, your will." We, in turn, cannot offer anything more precious than to say: "Lord, take possession of us; we give our whole will to you; make us understand what it is that you desire of us, and we will perform it."

-- Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori

Saint Lawrence of Brindisi Quote

Christ is the first-born of every creature, and the whole of humanity as well as the created world finds its foundation and meaning in Him. Moreover, this would have been the case even if Adam had not sinned.

-- Saint Lawrence of Brindisi

Saint Benedict of Nursia Quote

We must know that God regards our purity of heart and tears of compunction, not our many words.

-- Saint Benedict of Nursia from Rule of Saint Benedict, Chapter 20

Saint Aloysius Gonzaga Quote

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

Saint Athanasius the Great Quote

By dying for others, he immediately banished death for all mankind. The corruption of death no longer holds any power over mankind, thanks to the Word, who has come to dwell among us through his one body.

-- Saint Athanasius the Great

Saint Quote: Saint Patrick of Ireland

That which I have set out in Latin is not my words but the words of God and of apostles and prophets, who of course have never lied. He who believes shall be saved, but he who does not believe shall be damned. God has spoken.

-- Saint Patrick of Ireland

Saint Quote of the Day: Saint Josephine Bakhita

I received the Sacrament of Baptism with such joy that only angels could describe.

-- Saint Josephine Bakhita

Note: On January 9, 1890 Sister Bakhita was baptized with the names of Josephine Margaret and Fortunata (which is the Latin translation for the Arabic Bakhita). On the same day she was also confirmed and received Holy Communion from Archbishop Giuseppe Sarto, the Cardinal Patriarch of Venice, the future Pope Saint Pius X, himself.

Saint Quote of the Day: Saint Gonsalo Garcia

My good friend, God be with you. I am going to heaven. A hearty hug to Fr. Sabastian Gonsalves on my behalf.

-- Saint Gonsalo Garcia to a friend on the day of his martyrdom

Note: Saint Gonsalo Garcia is one of the 26 Martyrs of Nagasaki. He is unique, not only for his being one of the martyr's, but also because he was the first native of India to be canonized a saint. He was canonized, along with the other Martyr's of Nagasaki by Pope Blessed Pius IX in 1862. 

Saint Quote of the Day: 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 Quote of the Day: Saint John Bosco

This was the method that Jesus used with the apostles. He put up with their ignorance and roughness and even their infidelity. He treated sinners with a kindness and affection that caused some to be shocked, others to be scandalized and still others to hope for God's mercy. And so he bade us to be gentle and humble of heart.

-- Saint John Bosco

Saint Quote of the Day: Saint Thomas Aquinas

Hence we must say that for the knowledge of any truth whatsoever man needs divine help, that the intellect may be moved by God to its act. But he does not need a new light added to his natural light, in order to know the truth in all things, but only in some that surpasses his natural knowledge.

-- Saint Thomas Aquinas

Saint Lucy of Syracuse

No one's body is polluted so as to endanger the soul if it has not pleased the mind. If you were to lift my hand to your idol and so make me offer against my will, I would still be guiltless in the sight of the true God, who judges according to the will and knows all things. If now, against my will, you cause me to be polluted, a twofold purity will be gloriously imputed to me. You cannot bend my will to your purpose; whatever you do to my body, that cannot happen to me.

-- Saint Lucy of Syracuse

Saint Quote: Saint Ambrose of Milan

There is a stream which flows down on God’s saints like a torrent. There is also a rushing river giving joy to the heart that is at peace and makes for peace.

–- Saint Ambrose of Milan from a letter