CAPG's Blog 

"A HOLY man, who having employed the years of his youth in exercises of piety, put himself into an hospital, among the number of those who were to take care of the sick. There he satisfied all the duties of that place with wonderful charity, and in the practice of great mortification. He declared his aversion so much against whatever savoured of impurity, that no one dared to speak an unbecoming word in his presence. He afterwards entered the order of St. Francis, where endeavouring to outgo all in humility and other exercises of a religious life, and by his zealous preaching to reclaim the world from vice, he ended his days in the year 1444.

Learn from this servant of God to shew your charity to the sick, as occasion shall offer. There are many ways in which you may bring them comfort; and if at any time their weakness proves a trial of your patience, see that you be not wanting in it. Bearing with the infirmities of the miserable, is a sure means of finding mercy with God. Pray daily for all that are thus visited by the hand of God with distempers of mind or body, especially for the poor who are destitute of help, that heaven would be their comfort, and mercifully supply their wants. Learn something of the zeal of this saint, in prudently making war against vice, and in particular discountenancing whatever offends against chastity. St. Paul commands you to avoid all filthy communication, and that no indecent word should be so much as named among Christians. Be exact, even to a niceness, in observing this precept. Carefully avoid all expressions of double meaning, which no pious Christian can employ, or tolerate in others, without denouncing that purity, which the Gospel requires, and evidently hazarding his salvation. Can there be innocence in being the devil's instrument, and conveying poison into the souls of others, which penetrates deeper, the more wit it carries with it? All such discourse and expressions are a breach of the commandments, and contrary to the Gospel; and must be renounced by all, who pretend to be Christians. Make firm resolutions upon this matter; discourage all such pernicious practice in others, and pray for all who place their diversion in what is so serviceable to the devil." The Catholic Year by Fr. John Gother

-"And I say that the priest doth more grievous wrong by giving bad example merely by scandalizing his neighbor by a wicked life, than if a layman where to go out to rob in the highway.The reason is this: that he who standeth in the highway doth rob the man who passeth by, and doth take from him his money, his horse, his garments, and all that which he findeth, but the other with his evil example doth make away with both soul and body of the man whom he doth scandalize thereby, and leaveth him to say and to do evil and to commit sin."Source: Sermons (iv backbiters are treated of with most beautiful examples, page 28) Saint Bernardine of Siena

-"Whenever you hear sodomy mentioned, each and every one of you spit on the ground and clean your mouth out as well. If they don't want to change their ways by any other means, maybe they will change when they're made fools of. Spit hard! Maybe the water of your spit will extinguish their fire." Lenten sermon preached in Santa Croce, 1424

Prayer:

"Apostle of peace! Italy, whose factions were so often quelled by thee, may well number thee among her protectors. Behold her now a prey to the enemies of Jesus, rebellious against the Church of God, and abandoned to her fate. Oh! Forget not, that she is thy native land, that she was obedient to thy preaching, and that thy memory was long most dear to her. Intercede in her favor; deliver her from her oppressors; and show, that when earthly armies fail, the hosts of heaven can always save both cities and countries.

Illustrious son of the great Patriarch of Assisi! The seraphic Order venerates thee as one of its main supports. Thou didst re-animate it to its primitive observance; continue, now from heaven, to protect the work thou commenced here on earth. The Order of St. Francis is one of the grandest consolations of holy Mother Church; make this Order for ever flourish, protect it in its trials, give it increase in proportion to the necessities of the Faithful; for thou art the second Father of this venerable family, and thy prayers are powerful with the Redeemer, whose glorious Name thou confessed upon earth." Source: Dom Gueranger