Tag: saint

Blessed Sisters of Nowogrodek: Blessed Stella & companions

O most blessed Trinity, we praise and thank you for the example of Blessed Mary Stella and her ten companions, Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth, who by imitating Jesus Christ, offered themselves as a
sacrifice of love.

God of mercy and compassion, through the merits of their martyrdom and by their intercession, grant us the grace we humbly ask… (insert intention here) …so that like them, we may witness with our lives to the presence of the Kingdom of God’s love and extend it to the human family throughout the world. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Blessed Martyred Sisters of Nowogródek, pray for us.

Blessed Mary Stella and her companions were authentic martyrs for the faith: they “…paid with their blood for the charity they exercised in favor of escapees, of the wounded and the sick during the terrible and uncertain days” (His Will Alone, 424).

They had engaged life as any other person does and so I thinking giving the names of the sisters keeps memory of the women, our friends, alive in our hearts. Certainly as a kid in a Nazareth school (New Haven, CT) this image of the sisters was haunting and striking. On my desk sits the commemorative coin, a gift of Sister Thaddeus of Jesus, CSFN, with the faces and names of the sisters reminding me of the gift their lives are for us.

The eleven Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth who were executed by the Nazis on August 1, 1943 were:

Sister Maria Stella, Superior (Adelaide Mardosiewicz) (1888-1943)

Sister Mary Imelda (Jadwiga Zak) (1892-1943)

Sister Mary Rajmunda (Anna Kukulowicz) (1892-1943)

Sister Maria Daniela (Eleanor Juzwik) (1895-1943)

Sister Maria Kanuta (Jozefa Chrobot) (1896-1943)

Sister Maria Gwidona (Helena Cierpka) (1900-1943)

Sister Maria Sergia (Julia Rapieg) (1900-1943)

Sister Maria Kanizja (Eugenia Mackiewicz) (1904-1943)

Sister Maria Felicyta (Paulina Borowik) (1905-1943)

Sister Maria Heliodora (Leokadia Matustzewska) (1906-1943)

Sister Maria Boromea (Veronika Narmuntowicz) (1916-1943)

The Sisters had these words in their hearts and on their lips as they gave witness to Christ and the Church: “O God, if sacrifice of life is needed, accept it from us who are free from family obligations.
Spare those who have wives and children.”

And so we pray that Blessed Mary Stella and companions intercede for us before the the Throne of Grace for us, for the Nazareth Congregation of Sisters (especially for Sister Mary Ellen Genova) and for Poland.

N.B. In many places the martyrs of Nowogródek are remembered liturgically on the day their death, August 1st. In the convents of the Congregation of the Holy Family of Nazareth today is the liturgical memorial is prayed at Mass and in the Divine Office.

Blessed Jeanne Jugan

Today is the liturgical memorial of Blessed Jeanne Jugan (Sister Mary of the Cross), a relatively unknown sister here in the USA unless you you’ve met them begging for money to sustain their life and work. She is soon to be canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 11th.

Blessed Jeanne Jugan.jpg

The congregation of sisters founded by Blessed Jeanne, The Little Sisters of the Poor, are an exceptional group of women who dedicated themselves to doing small things for the poor for the sake of the Gospel: be humble, i.e., be little in order to be close to the humble and making the poor happy is everything. It was the spirituality of Saint John the Baptist: I must decrease and He must increase. Jugan was very much influenced by Saint John Eudes because in him she saw a path that corresponded to her heart: we must be other Christs on earth and to go to Jesus through Mary. Jugan called together women to serve poor elderly women, a work of charity that Jeanne had done for her own conversion since she was a young woman. Not only did Jeanne address the physical needs of the women she served, but she also attended to the spiritual ones too. The Little Sisters take a 4th vow of being hospitable: showing mercy to our poor brothers and sisters.
Here in Connecticut the Little Sisters of the Poor are located in Enfield but there was a time that they had a house in New Haven. Sadly, the New Haven community closed when the health care politics got to be too much for the sisters to handle.
When I am visiting the local Catholic cemetery I make it a point to visit the graves of the Little Sisters who died in New Haven. For me it is a way being grateful for the work and witness of the sisters in New Haven.
Watch the video clip of a recent first vows profession ceremony…
Among the recent books about Blessed Jeanne are:

Beheading of Saint John the Baptist

Martyrdom St John Baptist ASpinello.jpgBlessed is the man who endures temptation: for when he has been tried, he will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him.

We beseech Thee, O Lord, may the holy festival of Saint John the Baptist, Thy Precursor and Martyr, obtain for us help unto salvation.

Saint Augustine of Hippo

St Augustine PPRubens.jpgO blest teacher, light of holy Church, blessed Augustine thou lover of God’s law, plead with the Son of God for us.

O almighty God, hearken to our supplications, and by the intercession of blessed Augustine, Thy Confessor and Bishop, graciously grant the effect of Thy wonted mercy to those who hope in Thy loving-kindness.

St Augustine, whom we are commemorating today, has some
marvellous thoughts about the invitation found in Psalm 105[104]: “Quaerite
faciem eius semper – constantly seek his face” (v. 3). 

He points out that
this invitation is not only valid for this life but also for eternity. The
discovery of “God’s Face” is never ending. The further we penetrate
into the splendour of divine love, the more beautiful it is to pursue our
search, so that “amore crescente inquisitio crescat inventi – the greater
love grows, the further we will seek the One who has been found” (Enarr.
in Ps 105[104]: 3; CCL 40, 1537).

This is the experience to which, deep down,
we too aspire. May the intercession of the great Bishop of Hippo obtain it for
us! May the motherly help of Mary, the Star of Evangelization whom we now
invoke with the prayer of the Angelus, obtain it for us. (Pope Benedict XVI, 28 August 2005, Angelus)

Saint Monica

St Monica BGozzoli.jpgGive unto her of the fruit of her own hands, and let her works praise her in the gates, alleluia.

O God, the comforter of the sorrowful and the salvation of them that hope in Thee, Who had merciful regard to the pious tears of blessed Monica in bringing about the conversion of her son Augustine: grant us by their united intercession to grieve over our sins and obtain Thy merciful pardon.

Saint Pius X, pope

St Pius X 2.jpgYes, Lord; you know that I love You.



Father, to defend the Catholic faith and
to make all things new in Christ, You filled Saint Pius X with heavenly wisdom
and apostolic courage. May his example and teaching lead us to the reward of
eternal life.

Today we pray for first communicants and pilgrims through the intercession of Saint Pius X.


The Wiki article on Saint Pius
The Holy See’s page on Saint Pius

Saint John Eudes

St John Eudes.jpg

 

…that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.

 

 Father, you chose the priest John Eudes to preach the infinite riches of Christ. By his teaching and example help us to know You better and live faithfully in the light of the gospel.

 

 

Father Mark writes about Saint John Eudes‘ spousal union with Blessed Virgin Mary.

 

Saint Roch (Roque, Rocco)

St Roch patron of Dogs.jpg

O blessed Saint Roch, patron of the sick, have pity on those who lie upon a bed of suffering. You power was so great when you were in this world, that by the sign of the cross, many were healed of their diseases. Now that you are in heaven, your power is not less. Offer, then to God our sighs and tears and obtain for us that health we seek through Christ our Lord.

A native of Montpellier (France) who after the death of his parents and giving his money to the poor, he went to Rome on pilgrimage. At the time of his stay in Italy (c. 1348) it was the time of the Black Plague. A mysterious mark on his chest in the formed of cross identified him and by the sign of the cross did Roch heal the sick. Having cared for the plague victims Roch caught the sickness himself. Thinking he’d retire alone to forest near Piacenza to prepare for his own death a dog became his companion, licking his wounds and providing food. The saint recovered his health. Returning to Montpellier he was not recognized and imprison as a spy. At his death in 1378, the mark of the cross on his chest alerted the people to Roch’s identity. Members of the Council of Constance asked Saint Roch to spare them from the plague and indeed it was lifted.

Saint Roch is a famous patron of those living with the severe sickness as he was called upon in his lifetime and after during the plague. The iconography associated with Saint Roch includes a dog, a pilgrim’s robe and staff.
Update (8/17): My friend Father Matthew Mauriello is the pastor of Saint Roch’s Church, Greenwich, CT. The Greenwich Times ran a story on the procession he led on the saint’s feast day. Read about it here and watch the slide show.

Saint Philomena

St Philomena.jpgAugust 11th is also Saint Philomena’s liturgical feast day but today is also a day to honor the name of Philomena and her place in our Church. Recently, a news item appeared about her.

Growing up in New Haven, CT I knew many of Italian Catholic women named for Saint Philomena. Across the street from Portsmouth Abbey (Portsmouth, RI) there’s a school that’s under the patronage of this saint. The connections are many more. One has to say that some ‘people’ think Philomena didn’t exist in the same way they think Saint Christopher didn’t exist. What historical proof does one need to prove a person’s existence? For someone who never existed in the scientific minds, Philomena has had some prominent people take an interest in her with a  sanctuary (Italy) and a shrine (USA).

A little known fact is that Saint John Vianney, Saint Peter Julian Eymard, Saint Bartolo Longo and Saint Damian de Vuester had a special love for Philomena; Vianney even attributes the conversion of Ars to her intercession.  He built a shrine to Saint Philomena and composing a litany in honor of her. 

Pray the Litany to Saint Philomena and the Novena Prayer to the saint.

Saint John-Baptist-Mary Vianney hymn

St John-Mary Vianney2.jpgSing the God of awesome wisdom
Who has chosen for his own
Those of ev’ry age and nation
To hold fast to God alone
Through all changing styles and customs,
Hearts that only Christ enthrone.

In a faithless time of torpor,
John Vianney loved the Lord,
Preached the truth with ceaseless fervor,
Led his flock by deed and word,
And by his example fearless
Caused our God to be adored.

Lovingly he coaxed the sinner
To submit to Jesus’ way;
In humility and patience
To his Lord he knelt to pray
And, obedient to his calling,
Lived his teaching ev’ry day.

To the Trinity give glory,
Father, Son, and Paraclete:
Those on earth with those in heaven
Joining in one anthem sweet:
As the saints on earth gave witness,
Let us each our course complete!

87 87 87
PICARDY, ST. THOMAS
James Michael Thompson (c) 2009, World Library Publications