Saints: October 2011 Archives

Saints Simon and Jude

on October 28, 2011 7:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

O God, who by the blessed Apostles have brought us to acknowledge your Name, grant graciously, through the intercession of Saints Simon and Jude, that the Church may constantly grow by increase of the people who believe in you.

Today, the Dominican community and the assembled laity --about 150 people-- honored Saint Jude by the Sacrifice of the Mass and the re-dedication ceremony of the Shrine to St Jude located at the Church of Saint Catherine of Siena (NYC). The Shrine of Saint Jude had been recently renovated, thus honoring the memory of this great intercessor. These last nine days the annual Novena to Saint Jude led by Dominican Fathers Walter and Bruno, pastor and curate respectively at Saint Vincent Ferrer Church.

The St Jude Shrine assists the Priory and Church of Saint Catherine of Siena by their prayers and the financial support given to the Dominican Friars Healthcare Ministry of NY (the Catholic chaplaincy and professional bioethics center for the 4 area hospitals).

The website of the Dominican Shrine of Saint Jude can be visited here.

Saint Luke the Evangelist

Paul Zalonski

on October 18, 2011 5:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

[Saint Luke] told of the power of the Lord, and his praise. (MP resp.)

Saint Luke is known to have brought light to a dark world with the writing of his Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles. As a disciple of Saint Paul, much of early Christian life that appears in Luke-Acts is due to this connection.

The particulars of his life are fuzzy, at least in this sense: we know he was born into a pagan (that is, unbelieving) family in Antioch and that he was a doctor of some sort and that he's reported to have been an early convert to Christianity. His work as a painter, life and death are not well known. We commonly attribute a picture to Luke but certainty doesn't exist. Some say he was martyred and others say Luke died of natural causes. The date of death is thought to be around AD 74. Saint Luke's relics are venerated in Padua.

Saint Luke's feastday is a traditional day to pray for healthcare professionals but also for artists, brewers,goldsmiths and laceworkers.

Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque

Paul Zalonski

on October 16, 2011 7:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The feast day of Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque is a fitting reminder of our seeking the Heart of Jesus. What else is the Christian journey the seeking the Heart of Christ??? Or more precisely, allowing the Heart of Jesus to seek us. That He, the Lord, wants to be in a relationship with us personally and forever. Margaret Mary Alacoque, the famous nun of the Order of the Visitation of the 17th century, gives us a personal witness to the deep love Christ had for her, and she had for Him. I encourage you to spend a few moments in prayer with the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is not a quaint devotion of a former time. Is it is as Mother Dolores Hart, OSB said, love (faith) is an antagonism for life.

Prayer of Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque

I give myself and consecrate to the Sacred Heart of our Lord Jesus Christ, my person and my life, my actions, pains, and sufferings, so that I may be unwilling to make use of any part of my being other than to honor, love and glorify the Sacred Heart. This is my unchanging purpose, namely, to be all His, and to do all things for the love of Him, at the same time renouncing with all my heart whatever is displeasing to Him. I therefore take You, O Sacred heart, to be the only object of my love, the guardian of my life, my assurance of salvation, the remedy of my weakness and inconstancy, the atonement for all the faults of my life and my sure refuge at the hour of death.

Be then, O Heart of goodness, my justification before God the Father, and turn away from me the strokes of his righteous anger. O Heart of love, I put all my confidence in You, for I fear everything from my own wickedness and frailty, but I hope for all things from Your goodness and bounty.

Remove from me all that can displease You or resist Your holy will; let your pure love imprint Your image so deeply upon my heart, that I shall never be able to forget You or to be separated from You.

May I obtain from all Your loving kindness the grace of having my name written in Your Heart, for in You I desire to place all my happiness and glory, living and dying in bondage to You.

Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos

Paul Zalonski

on October 5, 2011 4:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

O God, who made your priest, Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, outstanding in love, that he might proclaim the mysteries of redemption, and comfort those in affliction, grant, by his intercession, that we may work zealously for your glory and for the salvation of mankind,

Saint Francis of Assisi

Paul Zalonski

on October 4, 2011 5:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Francis, the man of God, left his home behind, abandoned his inheritance and became poor and penniless, but the Lord raised him up.

O God, by whose gift Saint Francis was conformed to Christ in poverty and humility, grant that, by walking in Francis' footsteps, we may follow your Son, and, through joyful charity, come to be united with you.

The mystery of the Cross is likely never made more evident in Christianity than through the life of Saint Francis of Assisi. The above prayer, in fact, the new collect for the Roman Missal brings this to bear on us. Francis' life of charity and apostolic zeal effected God's love for all.

The Pope offers a glimpse into the Poor Man of Assisi:

Continue reading Saint Francis of Assisi.

Guardian Angels

Paul Zalonski

on October 2, 2011 7:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The 27th Sunday through the year trumps the feast of the Holy Guardian Angels. BUT I can't resist thinking about angels. Today in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd I spoke to the children about the angels, though I centered my thoughts on the Archangels but the Guardian Angels factored in, too. Remember to say a prayer to your Guardian Angel intercession before God the Father.

Our belief in the existence of the guardian angels is not a pious idea that we teach to children; angels are biblical; Jesus speaks of the angels and the Church continues to give witness to the existence of angels in our lives.

So, what can we conclude? We conclude that God has concern for every human being by the protection of the Guardian Angels. Pope Benedict encourages us not to forget our angels in weekly audience (read about it here).

The Church prays....

O God, who in Your unfathomable providence are pleased to send Your holy Angels to guard us, hear our supplication as we cry to You, that we may always be defended by their protection and rejoice eternally in their company.

What are angels?

Angels are spirits. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that "The existence of spiritual, non-corporeal beings that Sacred Scripture usually calls "angels" is a truth of faith (329).

What do these spirits do? What is the nature of spirits?

They angel. Again, from the Catechism of the Catholic Church we hear of the Saint Augustine of Hippo who taught "'Angel is the name of their office, not of their nature. If you seek the name their nature, it is 'spirit'; if you seek the name of their office, it is 'angel': from what they are, 'spirit', from what they do , 'angel'" (329).

What does the word "angel" mean?

Messenger.

What does the Church teach about angels?

Angels "are servants and messengers of God. Because they 'always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven' (Mt 18:10) they are 'the mighty ones who do his word' (Ps 103:20).

The Jewish people are familiar with angels --there are plenty of angels in the Old Testament (see Genesis 28-29; Exodus 12-13 and 32:34; Psalm 90:11; Job 38:7 among many sources). The Prophet Daniel (c. 550BC) speaks of Michael as "the great prince which stands for the children of His people." And Our Lord speaks of the 12 legions of angels as being at his side.

Do angels exist? I think so. The witnesses are hard to beat.

Mike Aquilina's 2009 book, Angels of God, is an excellent resource.

I recommend all of Mike's writings, so purchase everything!!!

AND send an angel postcard given here...

Pray for the monks of the American-Cassinese Congregation who have the Holy Guardian Angels as their heavenly patrons. Monasteries in this congregation places like St Vincent's (Latrobe, PA), St Anselm's (Manchester, NH), St Martin's (Lacey, WA), St Mary's (Morristown, NJ), Newark Abbey (Newark, NJ) and a few more.

« Saints: September 2011 | Main Index | Archives | Saints: November 2011 »

Saints: October 2011 Archives

Saints Simon and Jude

Saint Luke the Evangelist

Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque

Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos

Saint Francis of Assisi

Guardian Angels

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