Finding of the Body of St. Stephen, THE FIRST MARTYR, A.D. 415.
by VP
Posted on Saturday August 03, 2024 at 01:00AM in Saints
"A FESTIVAL in memory of that day, when by divine revelation the body of St. Stephen, the first martyr, mentioned in the Acts, was found at Jerusalem, together with the bodies of Nicodemus, Gamaliel, and his son Abibas, in the year 415, under the Emperor Honorius. Upon the opening of St. Stephen's coffin, the earth shook, and there came from it so agreeable an odor, that no one remembered any thing like it. Seventy-three persons, afflicted with various distempers, recovered their health upon the spot. The sacred relics were removed with great solemnity by the Christians into the church of Sion; afterwards to Constantinople, under Theodosius the younger; and at length to Rome, in the time of Pelagius I. At the removal of this sacred body, God was pleased to work many miracles, by giving sight to the blind, and health to the sick, as recorded by St. Augustin in his book Of the City of God, and by other writers of those primitive times. Bless God in his saints, for all his graces bestowed on them, and for all his wonders wrought by them. Revive this day in your mind the virtues of St. Stephen, his great zeal for the faith of Christ, his patience in suffering, and wonderful charity in praying for his enemies, even those who stoned him. Pray that on this day of miracles, God would work one more o you, by changing your obstinate and rebellious heart, and subjecting it entirely to the impression of his grace and the accomplishment of his holy will. Pray for the zeal, patience, and charity of this saint. Offer yourself to do and suffer whatever your profession of a Christian, and the obligations of your state call you to; for this is the manifest will of God Pardon all your enemies, and pray for them. Depart not from your prayers, till this perfect charity be wrought in you. Admit of no false coloring or pretexts to disguise your passion. Resolve to speak freely to those who seem averse to you, and never permit yourself in discourse, to express any resentments, or dislike of them, If this be hard, the difficulty is from the corruption and pride of your heart: pray for remedy." The Catholic Year by Fr. John Gother
Novena for Priests to St. John Vianney Day 9
by VP
Posted on Saturday August 03, 2024 at 01:00AM in Prayers
John Vianney, Good and Holy Priest O holy Priest of Ars, you lived in an
age of much upheaval, in a time when men turned their backs on God.
Your bishop told of a parish to which he wished to send you where there
was no love. He assigned you to Ars and said that you would be the
Priest who would enable the people to know the love of God. Not only did
you draw these people back to God, but your saintly reputation soon
spread and many people were converted to a life of holiness. You said
that a good Priest, a Priest after Christʼs own heart is the greatest
treasure that God can give a parish. Give us such Priests!
O great St. John Vianney, once again we are living in day of upheaval.
There is much evil in the word.
Obtain for Father ___ the grace to persevere in his faith and never to
despair. May he walk
with the Lord and trust in Him all the days of his life. Obtain through
your heavenly intercession, for Father ___ the grace of modeling his
life after that of Jesus Christ, that his people will
know the love of God. More than ever the people need him to be able to
bring the world to Christ.
Pray for Father ___ and all Priests, O great Priest of Ars.
Novena Prayer:
O holy Priest of Ars, St. John Marie Vianney, you loved God and served
Him faithfully as
His Priest. Now you see God face to face in heaven. You never despaired
but persevered in your faith
until you died. Remember now the dangers, fears and anxieties that
surround Father ___ and intercede for him in all his needs and troubles
especially console him in his most difficult moments, grant him serenity
in the midst of crisis, and protect him from evil. O St. John Vianney, I
have confidence in your intercession.
Pray for Father ___ in a special way during this novena.
St. Alphonsus Liguori, BISHOP AND CONFESSOR, A.D. 1787.
by VP
Posted on Friday August 02, 2024 at 01:00AM in Saints
" If Priests and Religious did all recite the Office as it ought to be recited, the Church would not behold herself in the miserable state to which she is reduced. How many sinners would be delivered from the slavery of the devil, and how many souls would love God with much greater fervor! And how would priests themselves not find themselves ever the same, imperfect, irritable, jealous, attached to their own interests, and led away by vanities! Our Lord has promised to hear every one who prays to him. (Luke xi. 10).
And how comes it that a priest offering up so many prayers in a day, were it only in the Office which he recites, is yet never heard? He is always the same, as weak and prone as ever to fall not only into slight sins (to which he is habituated, and takes neither pains nor care to correct himself of them,) but into grievous sins against charity, justice, or chastity; hence when he recites the Office, he pronounces sentence of condemnation against himself, in these words: Maledicti qui declinant a mandatis tuis. And what is still worse, he feels little remorse, excusing himself as being of the same flesh and blood as other men, and not able to restrain himself.
But if he said the Office with fewer distractions and less negligence, accompanying with his heart the many prayers which he offers to God in reciting it, he certainly would not be so weak but would acquire fortitude and strength to resist all temptations, and to lead a holy life, such as becometh a Priest of God." Source: Sacerdos sanctificatus; or, Discourses on the Mass and Office by Saint Alphonse de Liguori
Biography: "He was born near Naples in the year 1696. His mother instilled into him a tender piety, and particularly a great devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and great zeal for the glory of God. He embraced the profession of the law, and soon rose to great eminence. But he ever preserved the strictest justice, and practiced the most exemplary virtue. He heard Mass every morning before going into court, and punctually observed the fasts and other precepts of the Church. He approached to the Sacraments every week, and made a spiritual retreat every year.
St. Alphonsus was advancing to the highest degree of professional eminence, when he determined to abandon all his temporal prospects, and embrace the ecclesiastical state. From the moment that he was ordained priest, his life became a continual exhortation to virtue. In the year 1732, he founded the congregation of our most Holy Redeemer, whose members
were to employ themselves in preaching to the poor, and affording the comforts of religion to those deprived of them. He surpassed all his companions in the exact observance of rule; and it was a wonder how he could live considering his severe fasts and mortification. He wore continually rough hair shirts with small iron chains, and a girdle of camel's hair. He rose early to meditation, and his prayer was unceasing. He consecrated all his actions to the glory of God, to whom he often turned by fervent ejaculations and aspirations. His whole demeanor breathed devotion and edification.
His wonderful life and apostolic labors made many dioceses wish to have him for their bishop. He was appointed to the see of St. Agatha of the Goths, and consecrated bishop in 1762. He continued to practice the same rigid poverty. He slept, as before, upon a straw bed, and his rooms were quite unfurnished. His food was of the most inferior kind, and even this he sprinkled with bitter herbs.
It may be easily conceived with what zeal he labored to extirpate scandals from his diocese, and to propagate virtue and piety. He expelled a company of players from his diocese, lest they should corrupt his flock; and he converted many bad women and public sinners. He gave all to the poor, except a small sum for his own support, and other necessary expenses. He suffered much in his bodily health for many years; but persevered in performing all the duties of his office. At length, on account of his declining health, and earnest entreaties, he was permitted by Pope Pius VI. to resign his bishopric, and retired to a house of his order in 1775. There he still preached and instructed the faithful, particularly the poor, and composed many works of theology and piety. After a long and fervent preparation for eternity, he passed to the glory of Jesus, and the peace of the saints, on the 1st of August, 1787, in the ninety-first year of his age." The Catholic Year by Fr. John Gother
- "Unless a Priest esteem the Holy Sacrifice as it deserves, he can never celebrate it with suitable devotion. Assuredly there is no action, which man can perform, so sublime, so sacred, as the celebration of Mass. God Himself could not enable a man to perform anything greater than the celebration of Mass." Source: Sacerdos sanctificatus; or, Discourses on the Mass and Office, St. Alphonsus Liguori 1861
- "The entire Church cannot give to God as much honor, nor obtain so many graces, as a single priest by celebrating a single Mass; for the greatest honor that the whole Church without priests could give to God would consist in offering to Him in sacrifice the lives of all men." Source: St. Alphonsus Liguori (The Dignity and Duties of the Priest)
Holy Name Cathedral, Raleigh NC, TLM Sept 14, 2017
Prayer for Priests (St. Alphonsus Liguori): My God, I believe in the sublime dignity
conferred on Thy ministers by priesthood – the supreme dignity of all,
says St. Ignatius; a divine dignity says St. Denis; a dignity surpassing
that of kings and angels, says St. Ambrose. O my God! Thy priests are
the leaders of Thy people (St. P. Damian), the guardians of Thy Church
(St. Bernard), the light of the world (Matt. V. 14), the dispensers of
the sacraments (St. P. Damian,) the vicars of Jesus Christ (St.
Augustine), and His coadjutors in the work of salvation (1 Cor. iii 9).
I believe, O Lord! That at the very instant when Thy priest
consecrates, the Incarnate Word makes it a duty to obey him by coming
into his hands under the sacramental species; I also believe that at the
moment when the priest gives absolution to a penitent sinner, that
sinner is changed from being an enemy of God and a slave of hell into
being an inheritor of heaven, and that thus the priest may indeed be
rightly named the door-keeper of heaven (St. Prosper).
Grant then, O Lord, to me and to all the faithful, to have the same
respect and submission to the person, words, and counsels of Thy
ministers as for Thine own, since Thou Thyself didst say to them: “He
that heareth you heareth Me, and he that despiseth you despiseth Me”
(Luke x .26).
Lastly, my God, I ask of Thee for all the priests in the world, and
specially for those who have done any good to my soul, by seeking to
sanctify it, the grace of loving Thee much and making Thee to be loved
by others, so that by their piety, their virtues, and the ardor of their
zeal they may merit a place with Thy apostles and most faithful
servants.
O Mary, Mother of Jesus! Do thou second the efforts of all thy Son’s priests, and sanctify their lives and souls. Amen
St. Alphonsusʼ Prayer Book by Father Edward Saint Omer, Redemptorist. 1888
Novena for Priests to St. John Vianney Day 8
by VP
Posted on Friday August 02, 2024 at 01:00AM in Prayers
St. John Vianney, Lover of Penance and Mortification O holy Priest of
Ars, you led a life of detachment
from worldly pleasures. Your meals consisted of a boiled potato each
day; you slept a few hours each night. But you did all of this so that
you would be able to serve God to the best of your ability. Your life
was portrayed by the saying: We complain when we suffer. We have much
more reason to complain when we do not suffer, since nothing likens us
to our Lord as the bearing of His cross.
O great St. John Vianney, in these days when we are surrounded by so
many comforts and pleasures, it can be so difficult for us to do penance
for our sins and live a life of detachment. I resolve to offer
some sacrifice today for the expiation of Father ___’s sins and the sins
of all mankind. Assist Father in accepting the cross God chooses to
send him. May he embrace the life of sacrifice to which Priests are
called. May he willingly offer his whole life to God! Obtain for Father
___ the grace to imitate the life of Christ by the bearing of His cross.
Novena Prayer:
O holy Priest of Ars, St. John Marie Vianney, you loved God and served
Him faithfully as
His Priest. Now you see God face to face in heaven. You never despaired
but persevered in your faith
until you died. Remember now the dangers, fears and anxieties that
surround Father ___ and intercede for him in all his needs and troubles
especially console him in his most difficult moments, grant him serenity
in the midst of crisis, and protect him from evil. O St. John Vianney, I
have confidence in your intercession.
Pray for Father ___ in a special way during this novena.
#1 Acts of Adoration Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament in reparation for all the offenses committed against Him by mankind
by VP
Posted on Thursday August 01, 2024 at 01:00AM in Thursday Reparation
1. Jesus, our Lord and our God, ever adorable! Oh, that we could be present in all the churches throughout the universe, where thou art not adored as thou oughtest to be, and where thy inflamed love is not repaid with gratitude worthy of thy majesty! We fly, at least in spirit, to these holy places now profaned, and offer on thy altars there, the fervent love and adoration of thy holy Mother, in compensation for the injuries ever done thee by the Jews, by heretics, and bad Christians. Eternal praise and thanksgiving be to the Most Holy and Most Divine Sacrament.
O Queen of heaven and earth, hope of mankind, who adores thy Divine Son incessantly! We entreat thee, that, since we have the honor to be of the number of thy children, thou would interest thyself in our behalf and make satisfaction for us, and in our name, to our Eternal Judge, by rendering to Him the duties which we ourselves are incapable of performing. Amen
Source: CAPG
Novena for Priests to St. John Vianney Day 7
by VP
Posted on Thursday August 01, 2024 at 01:00AM in Prayers
O holy Priest of Ars, your life was filled with humility. You wore an
old cassock. You ate meager meals. You realized that before the throne
of God, you were one of His creatures made to glorify God and praise Him
in all things. You said that the first virtue is humility; the second,
humility; and the third, humility. You counseled people to remain
humble, remain simple and the more one is so, the more good he will do.
Your simplicity of soul and your uncluttered way of life led you to
sanctity.
O humble St. John Vianney, when Father ___ forgets he is totally
dependent on God for everything, intercede for him with Almighty God, to
allow him to see that without His Creator nothing is possible and that
he must rely on God for everything. He is his Creator, who keeps him in
existence at every moment. Obtain for Father ___ the grace of humility.
May his life exemplify your humility and simplicity, a life uncluttered,
a life totally dependent on God.
Novena Prayer:
O holy Priest of Ars, St. John Marie Vianney, you loved God and served
Him faithfully as
His Priest. Now you see God face to face in heaven. You never despaired
but persevered in your faith
until you died. Remember now the dangers, fears and anxieties that
surround Father ___ and intercede for him in all his needs and troubles
especially console him in his most difficult moments, grant him serenity
in the midst of crisis, and protect him from evil. O St. John Vianney, I
have confidence in your intercession.
Pray for Father ___ in a special way during this novena.
St. Peter's Chains.
by VP
Posted on Thursday August 01, 2024 at 01:00AM in Saints
"A DAY in memory and honor of St. Peter's sufferings for Christ; when to oblige the Jews, he was imprisoned by Herod, and bound in chains, as it is related in the 12th chapter of the Acts; and from which he was delivered by an angel. This festival was instituted in the year 438, when the Empress Eudoxia, wife of Theodosius the younger, having gone in pilgrimage to Jerusalem, had these chains presented to her by the Christians of that city. She afterwards sent them to Rome to her daughter Eudoxia, wife of the Emperor Valentinian. Two churches were afterwards erected in memory of them, one at Constantinople, the other at Rome; and many miracles were wrought by them.
Give thanks to God for the miraculous deliverance of his apostles, for the good of His Church. Pray for the relief of all those who suffer for their faith throughout the world, as the Christians then did for St. Peter. Pray for all in captivity and prison, that God would be their comforter, preserve them from the too common dangers and contagion of those places, and teach them by his grace to sanctify all their sufferings. Pray for all, who living in habitual sin, are slaves to the devil. Their misery is of all the greatest, and demands your compassion and prayers.
They have evil spirits to keep them in their
chains: beseech God to send his angels to disengage them. Pray for
yourself, to be delivered from all oppression, spiritual and temporal.
Remember not to be discouraged at any difficulties. For what is there
that you may not hope for, when you see both guards and gates of iron yield to the command of God If you are in the sleep and bonds of sin, beseech God to awaken you, and that his light may shine upon you. Pray for the present successor of St. Peter, and for all the pastors of God's Church; that as they are Christ's vicegerents, so they may be ever mindful of the charge which they have undertaken, and perform it with a holiness becoming Him, whose ministers they are." The Catholic Year by Fr. John Gother
Month of August
by VP
Posted on Thursday August 01, 2024 at 01:00AM in Tradition
Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, St. Anthony of Padua NC
Devotion for the Month of August: Blessed Sacrament and the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Virtue for the month of August: Diligence
What is diligence? Diligence is a virtue which enables us to serve God readily and cheerfully, to promote His honor as much as lies in our power, and faithfully to perform all our duties.
Application: Unless you perseveringly struggle with your wicked inclinations, you will never acquire the Christian Virtues; therefor fight faithfully until death, and God will give you the crown of life. (Apoc.ii.10) A Full Catechism of the Catholic Faith by Fr. Joseph Deharbe SJ 1883
Sloth is a laziness of soul, by which persons neglect to begin, or to perform, such things as are necessary for salvation; for, as one of the deadly sins, it means spiritual sloth. The more this sloth is indulged, the more burdensome it becomes. The slothful Christian has indeed faith; but is is a dead faith; because he neglects to keep it alive by good works. We are sent into the world, not to live at our ease, but to work our our salvation; and to succeed in this work, we must bot only be resolute in "declining from evil;" but diligent also in "doing good." (example of the five foolish Virgins; and also of the slothful servant.)
Diligence or spiritual fervor is a virtue by which we are zealous in laboring for the service of God, and the salvation of our soul: it makes the duties of Religion appear, not burdensome or tedious, but easy and agreeable; - it keeps the lamp of our faith burning with the oil of good works; and so causes us to be always ready, like the give wise Virgins; and, having made us rich in good works, it will entitle us, at our entrance into eternity, to hear from our Lord these consoling words: "Well done, good and faithful servant; because thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will place thee over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."
A full course of instructions for the use of Catechists, by Rev. Fr. John Perry 1852