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"He was the founder of the poor regular clergy of the pious schools of the Mother of God, and was born at Petralta in Spain, of a noble family. From his tender years he gave indications of his future charity towards children, and for their pious education. For while he was yet a youth, he was accustomed to assemble children together, and teach them the mysteries of religion and prayers. He sanctified his youth by all virtues from his infancy, particularly by charity and prayer. He consecrated himself to God by a vow of virginity, and distinguished himself in his studies of philosophy and divinity at Valentia. Being ordained priest, he was employed by several bishops in different parts of Spain; and surpassed the expectations of all, by producing everywhere a reformation of corrupt morals, restoring ecclesiastical discipline, and wonderfully extinguishing enmities and cruel factions.

After frequent admonitions from heaven, he proceeded to Rome. In that city he practiced great austerities, and spent days and nights in heavenly contemplation, being accustomed to visit seven churches almost every night; and continuing this method of life for several years. At Rome he was enrolled in the confraternity of the Christian doctrine; in which zealous employment, he soon saw the importance of instructing children early in the knowledge and spirit of religion. Hereupon he particularly devoted himself to this part of the pastoral charge; though he gave also much time to visit, relieve, and exhort to perfect virtue all the sick, and all the poor and destitute: in which, by his courage and patience, he seemed a perpetual miracle of fortitude. When the city was ravaged by the plague, his charity was not contented with large alms to the sick and poor, but he even carried the dead bodies upon his shoulders to be buried.

"THIS saint was bishop of Rome in the time of the Emperor Severus; and under the cruel persecution raised by him against the Church, this holy pastor was the support and consolation of the distressed flock of Christ. He filled the pontifical chair seventeen years, and was put to death by the Emperor Antonius Caracalla, in the year 219.

Pray for the present bishop of that holy see. His charge is great; and as all the faithful have a concern in his conduct, so he ought to have a daily share in their prayers, Pray for all in persecution and trouble, that by patience and perseverance they may work out their salvation. Let the difficulty which you experience in yourself in all manner of suffering, move you to have compassion on others, and oblige you to be in earnest in soliciting heaven in their behalf. Be ever watchful against all the attempts of impatience and anger; that so your temporal evils may be a means of obtaining eternal goods. How much might you have advanced towards heaven, by a Christian submission to your troubles now past! But you have lost the opportunity. Make a better use of such occasions as are yet to come. Be careful not to permit your heart to be seized with prejudice or passion. These are evils which indispose your mind against all the force of reason, truth, justice, religion, and even against the evidence of miracles; and who must answer for all the train of ill consequences which follow upon them? Be upon your guard against ill temper. To be always on the fret, and make all unhappy who live under the same roof with you, is a temper scarcely tolerable in a Christian. It is too apt to make those under you careless of everything that is said to them, and to judge all reproof to be nothing but humour; it is not consistent with discretion, and therefore ought to be amended. Few are exempt from some degree of this ill temper: observe yourself, and while you honour the martyrs, doing good to all by their patience, pray for grace to follow their example." The Catholic Year by Fr. John Gother.

KING AND CONFESSOR, A.D. 1270.

"ST. LOUIS was king of Francis, and the ninth of that name. He was brought up in great piety by his holy mother St. Blanche; whose first care it was to instill into his tender soul the highest esteem and awe for every thing that regarded the divine worship, the strongest sentiments of religion and virtue, and a particular love of holy chastity. She used often to say to him, when he was a child: "I love you, my dear son, with all the tenderness a mother is capable of; but I would infinitely rather see you fall down dead at my feet, than that you should ever commit a mortal sin." In the court, he observed the discipline of the cloister, being moderate in apparel, rigorous in fasting, charitable to the poor and the sick, not only in visiting but relieving and helping them with his own hands. His zeal for Christianity made him bewail the Holy Land being in the possession of Infidels, and think of recovering it. For this end, having transported himself and a great army into those parts, and attempted its relief with success in his first battle with the Saracens, he was afterwards taken prisoner. Being ransomed, he resolved to make a second attempt upon them, but was seized with sickness in his camp, in Africa, and died there, at the head of his army, in the year 1270.

Pray for all Christian princes, and beseech God to give them a zeal for virtue and truth, that being in a rank above all, they may be examples to all. Be zealous in promoting what is good: but if you are sometimes disappointed, in not meeting with success, let not this deject you. For though you propose, yet you must leave it to God to dispose of all, as seems best to him. Is not his wisdom infinite? Depend therefore upon his wisdom, and call not in question what he does. Join with this pious prince in recovering the Holy Land. Ought not your heart to be the seat of God, and your soul the temple of the Holy Ghost? And are not they both subject to the tyranny of infidelity and sinful passions? Arm yourself against this usurpation, and strive to regain that liberty which Christ has purchased for you."  The Catholic Year by Fr. John Gother

Bartolomeo Manfredi: The Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew

"ST. BARTHOLOMEW was called by Jesus Christ to be His apostle: pray that all who undertake this sacred function, may be called to it, and chosen by Christ.

Having followed Christ, he preached the Gospel to barbarous nations, and planted the faith among them. Pray that the same blessing may attend all those who are engaged in this employment. So few heretofore and so plentiful a harvest; so many now, and so little fruit!

St. Philip

"ST. PHILIP was born at Florence, and practiced medicine some time at Paris. But returning home he applied himself to solicitude and prayer in a religious house which he entered, and was afterwards ordained priest. He spent his life in seeking the lost sheep, laboring every where to reclaim wicked Christians from their evil ways, and those that were seduced, from their errors, as likewise to make peace wherever he found differences, whether public or private. In this method he lived, till God called him to the reward of his labors, in 1285.

Follow the same method: whatever your employment be, you are to find time for prayer and recollection of spirit. If you seem not to have this time, be faithful and sincere in examining how far this is true; for sloth, tepidity, and indifference have many hindrances, which industry, resolution, and contrivance would find ways to remove. It is not a Christian's part to conclude that things cannot be done, because they cannot be done easily. Be helpful to others, in making them sensible of their evil ways. Be charitable in composing differences: sweetness and moderation are effectual for this end. Give no occasion to any misunderstanding between neighbors. For this end, never inform any one what you have heard another say of him. For this cannot be done, without betraying a trust reposed in you, in being a witness to such a discourse. It is seldom done without prejudice to truth, in making the affair worse than it was; and it cannot be done without the hazard of injustice; since the person who said it may have spoken inconsiderately, and may have repented of his rashness. Nor can it be done without a breach of charity, in doing otherwise than you would have others do by you. This informing temper ought to be avoided by all who love peace or hope for the reward of charity. Silence is far better than such tale bearing, by which Christians forget their profession, and make themselves the agents of the devil. Consider this well: pray and watch against this pernicious evil; and never encourage those who are given to it." The Catholic Year by Fr. John Gother

"The father of St. Jane Frances was left a widower whilst his children were in their infancy: but he took care to train them to every religious duty, and this saint profited by this holy education above all the rest. She was married at twenty years of age to the Baron de Chantal, an officer of distinction in the French army. She made it her first care to establish regularity in her family. She scarcely ever admitted any company, and never stirred abroad; knowing it to be the delight of a good wife to watch over her servants, children, and domestic concerns, and to shun the snares of dissipation, levity, vanity, love of trifling, and much loss of time. She employed all her leisure hours, either at her work, or in daily exercises of prayer and pious reading.

Strive to imitate the eminent virtues, which this saint ever practiced and inculcated. Bear one another's burdens, and suffer nothing to cool your charity towards any one. Let mildness be the natural and constant frame of your soul, which no provocation must ever disturb. Temper corrections and reproofs with such tenderness and charity, as to give no one uneasiness: conceal and bear all personal injuries, and repay affronts with blessings and favors."

Novena and prayers to St. Jane Frances de Chantal: O Glorious saint, blessed Jane Frances, who, by thy fervent prayer, attention to the divine Presence, and purity of intention in thy actions, didst attain on earth an intimate union with God, be now our advocate, our mother, our guide in the path of virtue and perfection. Plead our cause near Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, to whom thou wast so tenderly devoted, and whose holy virtues thou didst so closely imitate.

Obtain for us, O amiable and compassionate saint, the virtues thou seest most necessary for us; and ardent love of Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament, a tender and filial confidence in His blessed Mother, and, like thee, a constant remembrance of His sacred passion and death. Obtain also, we pray thee, that our particular intention in this novena may be fulfilled.

v. St. Jane Frances, pray for us

r. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray: Almighty and merciful God, Who didst grant Blessed St. Jane Frances, so inflamed with the love of Thee, a wonderful degree of fortitude through all the paths of life, and wast pleased through her adorn Thy Church with a new Religious order; grant, by her merits and prayers, that we, who, sensible of our weakness, confide in Thy strength, may overcome all adversities with the help of Thy heavenly grace, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen

Prayer to Implore Fidelity to Divine Grace: O Great St. Jane Frances! who, to follow the inspirations of the Holy Spirit, when thou west called to the religious state, didst despise all the ties of nature and of blood; obtain for us also the grace to correspond faithfully with all divine impulses, and to sacrifice to God whatever is most dear and precious to us.

For Perfect Conformity: O great St. Jane France, who didst execute, with the utmost exactness, thy singular and difficult vow to do always what thou didst recognize as most perfect; obtain for us the grace always to aspire to the acquisition of the most sublime sanctity, and never to omit any means which we know may conduce to this end.

Source: Blessed Sacrament Book By Fr. Francis Xavier Lasance

Conversion of the Duke of Aquitaine

 Memorare, O piissima Virgo Maria, non esse auditum a saeculo, quemquam ad tua currentem praesidia, tua implorantem auxilia, tua petentem suffragia, esse derelictum. Ego tali animatus confidentia, ad te, Virgo Virginum, Mater, curro, ad te venio, coram te gemens peccator assisto. Noli, Mater Verbi, verba mea despicere; sed audi propitia et exaudi. Amen. By Saint Bernard

Remember O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly to thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother; to thee do I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

"ST. BERNARD was born in Burgundy, and finding great difficulties in living up to the rules of the Gospel in the world, at the age of two-and-twenty entered into a religious house of the Cistercian monks. Here he applied himself wholly to the exercises of humility, piety, watching, and prayer; and was so rigorous in fasting, that at length eating became a greater mortification to him than abstinence. He refused great dignities, several times offered to him. He labored very much in composing many differences among Christian princes, and settling all ecclesiastical affairs, particularly here in England, under King Henry II., to whom he wrote many letters. He has left great proofs of his wonderful piety and learning in his writings. He died at the age of sixty-three, in the year 1153.

Pray for all the religious of his order, who from him are called Bernardines.From the pious resolution of this saint, who, the better to secure his salvation, withdrew from the world, reflect seriously on the world, and considering its common method, see how far you are obliged to forsake it, for securing your eternal good. Do you not observe that it goes contrary to the gospel, and not only approves, but encourages those very things, which are condemned by Christ? It promotes all manner of vanity, pride, and intemperance: it recommends pleasures, sensuality, idleness, and ease. It puts you upon all manner of curiosities, detraction, and revenge. It sets a value on all that is temporal, and disesteems whatever is for your eternal advantage. What, in these unhappy circumstances, can you do? If you follow the world, you are miserable; if you do not follow it, you appear ridiculous. This is the condition of those who live in the world. Can you then wonder at those who retire from it? Do you not see that they choose the much better part, in avoiding both its snares and its censures? If you are not called to this, you are obliged to come as near it as you can, in not being one of the world, while you live in it. live in it. And how can this be, but by taking in all things that way which it most disapproves, and forsaking that which it admires? It passes very wrong judgments upon every thing: therefore, how can you go right, but by letting its censures direct you in what you are to choose? This it will call folly: but is not the folly of the world the wisdom of Christ? If you have not courage to pursue this method, you have not the courage necessary to secure you from those dangers in which you live. For if you cannot stand against the torrent, you must be carried down by it: if you cannot overcome the world, you must be overcome by it. And if that perishes, what will become of you? These circumstances are very hard; watch then and, pray, and let your daily endeavors be answerable to the dangers in which you live." The Catholic Year by Fr. John Gother

"ST. HYACINTH was born in Poland; and his parents diligently cultivated his natural disposition to virtue. He preserved an unspotted innocence of manners through the dangerous paths of youth. Being employed by his bishop as his assistant in the administration of his diocese, he shewed great prudence, capacity, and zeal. After some time, he was admitted into the Order of the Dominicans by the holy founder himself; where his sole occupation was the study and practice of humility, patience, abstinence, and piety. His austerity was great, in giving little rest to his body. His prayer was what St. Paul advises, without ceasing. His charity was extraordinary, in endeavoring to reclaim all from vice, both by word and example. Having lived in this method nearly forty years, he made a happy end in the year 1257.

Pray for some degrees of his holy spirit. Examine into your present method, as to eating, sleeping, and praying. Consider your excesses, and beg pardon. Pray for the gift of temperance and moderation. If you cannot approve of rigors, yet see that you flatter not yourself in all your inclinations. Endeavor to be easily pleased, and avoid niceness, for it is the effect of self love, and self-love has no title to heaven. If your temper be,to be out of humor and displeased, if every thing be not according to your will, see that you be as exact in doing the will of God, as you expect others should be in doing yours: otherwise, the exactness you demand from others, will be the condemnation of your neglects in regard of God. Give good example to all. It is a kind of spiritual alms, of which all are capable. For this, it is not enough not to scandalize your neighbor by what is sinful, but you are to suppress all your passions and ill-humors. For these being contagious, are so far from edifying, that they may easily injure those, who are witnesses of them. Pray that you may be exact in all duties, and endeavor to be so. Such a life is the best preparation for a happy death." The Catholic Year by Fr. John Gother