Franciscan saints and blesseds – Page 14

Saint Pio of Pietrelcina

“…the legacy he left is holiness”

God our Father, in Saint Pio of Pietrelcina You gave a light to Your faithful people. You made him a pastor of the Church to feed Your sheep with his word and to teach them by his example. Help us by his prayers to keep the faith he taught and follow the way of life he showed us.

The Vatican biography may be read here.

See more on Saint Pio here.

When thinking about Padre Pio’s influence on the spiritual life it can be noted that he advocated 3 things:

1. Pray. And don’t be overcome.

2. Conform yourself to Christ crucified.

3. Attend to the sacraments, especially the sacrament of Confession.

Finding the Body of Saint Clare

This day a brilliant star rises, for today Saint Clare, the poor handmaid of the Lord, is glorified in heaven.

Lord, we recall the memory of Saint Clare the virgin. Through her merits, and following her example, may we be strengthened in our hope and charity as we await the glorious resurrection and the enjoyment of eternal communion with you.

Let me take the opportunity to promote the Capuchin Poor Clare vocation…something good happening here.

Saint Joseph of Cupertino

The love of God is honorable wisdom and they to whom she shows herself love her by the sight and the knowledge of her great works.

God, our Father, your wisdom disposed that your only-begotten Son, when lifted above the earth, should draw all things to himself. May the merits and example of Saint Joseph help us to rise above earthly desires and become perfectly conformable to your Son.

*Saint Joseph of Cupertino is a firm patron of students, particularly seminary students. So, please for me and fellow seminarians here at Saint Joseph’s Seminary (though this Joseph is the husband of Mary). He’s also the patron saint for astronauts and pilots & stewards.

Stigmata of our Holy Father Francis

The liturgical calendar can vary from country to country and the various religious orders may have their calendar of saints, e.g., the Benedictine, Carmelite, Dominican, Franciscan, Jesuit, etc. On the universal Roman calendar today is the optional memorial of Saint Robert Bellarmine, a Jesuit, bishop, cardinal and Doctor of the Church (see the prayer in the entry below). On the Franciscan sanctoral calendar, today is this the feast of Saint Francis’ stigmata. And so I offer these Mass prayers for prayer.

May I never boast of anything but the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ! Through it the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. (Gal. 6:14)

Almighty God, you renewed the marks of the sufferings of your Son in the body of our holy Father Francis in order to inflame our hearts with the fire of your love. Through his prayers may we be conformable to the death of your Son and thus share also in his resurrection.

Lord, may the humble and devout prayer of Saint Francis sustain us. Through this offering may we always experience within us the saving benefit of the sufferings of your Son. (Prayer over the Gifts)

Almighty God, in many ways you displayed the wondrous mystery of the cross in our holy Father Francis. May we follow the example of his devotion and find strength in constant meditation on the same cross. (Prayer after Communion)

Saint Maximilian Mary Kolbe

We know that we have passed out of death into life,
because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death.

Gracious
God, you filled your priest and martyr, Saint Maximilian Kolbe, with zeal for
souls and love for his neighbor. Through the prayer of this devoted servant of
Mary Immaculate, grant that in our efforts to serve others for your glory we
too may become like Christ your Son, who loved his own in the world even to the
end, and now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever
and ever.

Militia Immaculata Prayer of Marian Consecration

(Composed by St.
Maximilian Kolbe)

O Immaculata, Queen of Heaven and earth, refuge of sinners
and our most loving Mother, God has willed to entrust the entire order of mercy
to you. I, (name), a repentant sinner, cast myself at your feet, humbly
imploring you to take me with all that I am and have, wholly to yourself as
your possession and property. Please make of me, of all my powers of soul and
body, of my whole life, death and eternity, whatever most pleases you. If it
pleases you, use all that I am and have without reserve, wholly to accomplish
what was said of you: “She will crush your head,” and “You alone
have destroyed all heresies in the whole world.”

Let me be a fit
instrument in your immaculate and merciful hands for introducing and increasing
your glory to the maximum in all the many strayed and indifferent souls, and
thus help extend as far as possible the blessed kingdom of the most Sacred
Heart of Jesus. For wherever you enter you obtain the grace of conversion and
growth in holiness, since it is through your hands that all graces come to us
from the most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

V. Allow me to praise you, O sacred
Virgin

R. Give me strength against
your enemies.

Hymn to Saint Clare of Assisi

Can anyone think of Clare without Francis? Is it possible to conceive of the mendicant orders without the witness of Saint Clare? Saint Clare of Assisi is a pivotal figure in Catholic
spirituality and religious life that I think she’s been studied and followed by
very few. James Thompson, a composer of sacred music, wrote the following piece
on Clare which deserves our attention. I have posted Thompson’s texts here before
with the thought that they provide food for thought and prayer. He captures
well the spirit and life of this companion of Francis.

O Light from Light,
all splendor’s Source,

Whose clear beams shine with heaven’s joy,

We give
You thanks for Mother Clare

And ev’ry form of praise employ.

Enticed by
Francis’ preaching sweet,

Christ Crucified became her Spouse;

She gathered
sisters to her side

Where Poverty would grace the house.

She left behind
all earthly gain

That riches true might be her all;

In poverty, obedience,

And
chastity she heard Christ’s call.

As mother to her flock, she lived

And
modeled Christ to ev’ryone;

In loving service spent herself

In toil from dawn
to setting sun.

As she has shown us, Lord,

Your way, So give us grace like her
to be,

That we may turn from self to You

And in your Way be truly free.

Most
high, omnipotent, good God,

O Father, Son and Spirit blest,

With Mother Clare
and all your saints Bring us,

Your Church, to endless rest.

88 88 (LM) no suggested
tune

Saint Clare of Assisi

The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking good pearls, who, when he had found one of great price, gave all that he had and bought it.

Hear us, O God our Savior, that as we rejoice in the feast of blessed Clare, Thy Virgin, so may we also be strengthened in the love of true piety.

Saint Clare once said, “They say we are too poor. Can a heart which possesses God be really called poor!”

The Poor Clares nuns never ate meat. They walked without socks and shoes. The sisters wore a hair shirt and ate only bread and water during Lent.

Explore the Poor Clare vocation; there’s also this new monastery of Poor Clares.

Saint Lawrence of Brindisi

Lord, for the glory of your name and the salvation of
souls you gave Lawrence of Brindisi courage and right judgment. By
prayers help us to know what we should do and give us the courage to
do it.

Friar Lawrence was a brilliant man when it came to language study, knowledge of the Bible, the ability to preach in several languages, keeping balance in the Capuchin order and skillful in exercising leadership diplomacy. Spiritually he had the gift of tears, tongues and ecstacy. His work for God’s Kingdom was preaching so that Jews and Protestants would be Catholic.

Saint Lawrence had a supreme belief in the Sacrifice of the Mass (taking up to 16 hours to celebrate the Mass on Christmas day in 1610), he advocated the efficacy of Mary’s place in the economy of salvation as a font of mercy, and was a model of Christian virtue. One last interesting, but trivial note for those interested in the Franciscan
way, Friar Lawrence was educated by the Conventuals but joined the Capuchins.
There’s got to be a story there.

In 1961, Saint Lawrence joined three other Franciscans friars as a
Doctor of the Church (Saints Anthony & Bonaventure and Blessed John Duns
Scotus) though he is the only Capuchin to have this distinction. He is known as the Doctor Apostolicus (the Apostolic Doctor).

Saint Lawrence’s brief biography is found here.

New to me is this Litany of Saint Lawrence of Brindisi.

Saint Bonaventure

O God, Who did give Thy people blessed Bonaventure as a minister of eternal salvation, we beseech Thee; grant that we may deserve to have him as an intercessor in heaven, whom we had as a teacher of life on earth.

Today, the Church celebrates the feast day of Saint
Bonaventure. Born and baptized in 1221 as John in Bagnoregio, Tuscany, he had an encounter with Saint Francis of Assisi. John was a very sick child is said to have been brought to Saint Francis who prayed over him and brought him back to health. The pious legend has it that Saint Francis exclaimed “O buona ventura.”The healing wasn’t enough for John to enter the Franciscan order. A man of considerable talent and brilliance, the desire to study led him to the University of Paris where as a layman he completed his Master of Arts by the age of 22. He was regarded as an expert and a popular lecturer in logic and rhetoric. The Franciscans indicate that he enter the fraternity in either 1238 or 1243.By 1256 Bonaventure’s university life was anxiety provoking when lay professors started violently opposing their religious counterparts. In 1257 and not yet 36 years old, Bonaventure was elected minister general of the Franciscans. He was known to keep the unity and direction for the friars at a time that the order was experiencing unrest. Both Saints Bonaventure and Thomas Aquinas were given their doctoral degrees from the University of Paris on 23 October 1257.The saint served the Church as bishop of Albano and as a cardinal.

Bonaventure died in 1274 while participating in the Council of Lyon; he was invited to the council by Pope Gregory X.

As a scholar and thinker with a sterling character, Saint Bonaventure was known to intercede for others before God and richly blessed by God leading others to say that he had escaped original sin. He left the Church a rich written legacy intellectual works and an incredible constellation of high profile students. His The Life of Saint Francis, Commentary on the Sentences of Lombard, Commentary on the Gospel of Saint Luke, and Itinerarium Mentis ad Deum, Breviloquium are his significant works.

Bonaventure was canonized by Pope Sixtus IV and named a Doctor of the Church by Pope Sixtus V.

Saint Thomas Aquinas asked Saint Bonaventure about the source of his teaching; Bonaventure responded, “I study only the crucified one, Jesus Christ.” And so should we.

In your spare time why not read Joseph Ratzinger’s book, Theology of History in St. Bonaventure?

Blessed Junipero Serra

My words that I have put in your mouth, says the Lord, will never be absent from your lips, and your gifts will be accepted on my altar.

God most high, Your servant Junipero Serra brought the gospel of Christ to the peoples of Mexico and California and firmly established the Church among them. By his intercession, and through the example of his apostolic zeal, inspire us to be faithful witnesses of Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

An interesting itinerary of Blessed Junipero