January 31st
St John Bosco (1815-1888), Confessor, Founder; Piedmont, Italy

"This was the method that Jesus used with the apostles.  He put up with their ignorance and roughness and even their infidelity.  He treated sinners with kindness and affection that caused some to be shocked, others to be scandalized and still others to hope for God's mercy.  And so He bade us to be gentle and humble of heart."

The Cure of Ars (1786-1859), Confessor; Dardilly, France

"When we speak to Jesus with simplicity and with all our heart, He does like a mother who holds her child's head with her hands and covers it with kisses and caresses."

January 30th
St Elizabeth Ann Seton (1774-1821), Widow, Foundress, North American, Feast day, January 4th

"The first end I propose in our daily work is to do the will of God; secondly, to do it in the manner He wills it; and thirdly, to do it because it is His will."

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622), Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church, Feast day, January 29th

“That truth must be always charitable; for bitter zeal does harm instead of good. Reprehensions are a food of hard digestion, and ought to be dressed on a fire of burning charity so well, that all harshness be taken off; otherwise, like unripe fruit, they will only produce gripings. Charity seeks not itself nor its own interests, but purely the honour and interest of God: pride, vanity, and passion cause bitterness and harshness: a remedy injudiciously applied may be a poison. A judicious silence is always better than a truth spoken without charity."

January 29th
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622), Bishop of Geneva, Confessor, Doctor of the Church

"By turning your eyes on God in meditation, your whole soul will be filled with God.  Begin all your prayers in the presence of God."

St Teresa of Jesus (1515-1582), Virgin, Doctor of the Church, Spain, Feast day October 15th

"When people say, 'If only I had lived at the time of Jesus...If only I had seen Jesus...If only I had talked with Jesus...'  But, do we not have in the Eucharist the living, true and real Jesus present before us?  Why look for more?"

January 28th
St Peter Nolasco (1189-1256), Confessor, Catalan

"O how sweet it is to die under the protection of Mary!"

St Aelred (1108-1167), Confessor, Scotland, Feast day January 12th

On entering the Cistercian monastery of Rievaulx in Yorkshire:  "It was then, O my God, that I began to taste the comfort, the joy, and profound peace which is found in seeking Thee and serving Thee."

January 27th
St John Chrysostom (344-407), Archbishop, Doctor of the Church

"For the present we find the gates closed; but when we see them thrown open (for this is the solution of the difficulties), then we shall perceive the greatness of the splendor within....Let us not therefore with  noise or tumult enter in, but with a mystical silence....If we would order ourselves on this wise, the grace itself of the Spirit will lead us in great perfection, and we shall arrive at the very royal throne, and attain to all the good things, by the grace and love towards our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and might, together with the Father and the Holy Ghost, now and always, even for ever and ever.  Amen.

St Gaspar del Bufalo (1786-1837), Confessor, Feast day January 2nd

"If it is so sweet to tire ourselves for God, what will it be to enjoy Him!"

January 26th
St Polycarp (69-155), Martyr, Bishop of Smyrna

"Lord God Almighty, Father of your beloved and blessed Son Jesus Christ, through whom we have received knowledge of you, God of angels and powers, of the whole creation and of the whole race of the righteous who live in your sight, I bless you, for having made me worthy of this day and hour; I bless you, because I may have a part, along with the martyrs, in the chalice of your Christ, to resurrection in eternal life, resurrection both of soul and body in the incorruptibility of the Holy Spirit.  May I be received today, as a rich and acceptable sacrifice, among those who are in your presence, as you have prepared and foretold and fulfilled, God who is faithful and true.  For this and for all benefits I praise you, I bless you, I glorify you, through the eternal and heavenly High Priest, Jesus Christ, your beloved Son, through whom be to you with him and the Holy Spirit, glory now and for all the ages to come.  Amen."



Blessed Angela of Foligno  (1248-1310), Pentitent, Feast day January 4th

"To know oneself and to know God, that is the perfection of man; without this knowledge, visions and the greatest gifts are of no account."

January 25th

St Dwynwen, (5th cen.), Virgin, Confessor, Wales

“Nothing wins hearts like cheerfulness.”

St Catherine of Genoa (1447-1510), Widow, Feast day September 15th

"The time I have spent before the tabernacle is the best spent time of my life."

January 24th

St Gregory of Nazianzus (329-374), Bishop in Asia Minor, Doctor of the Church, Feast day January 2nd

"The scope of our art is to provide the soul with wings, to rescue it from the world and give it to God, and to watch over that which is in His image -- if it abides, to take it by the hand; if it is in danger, to restore it; if it is ruined, to make Christ dwell in the heart by the spirit; and in a word, to deify and bestow heavenly bliss upon one who belongs to the Heavenly Host."

St Basil the Great (329-379), Bishop of Caesarea, Doctor of the Church, Feast June 14th

"Then I read the Gospel, and saw there that a great means of reaching perfection was the selling of one's goods, the sharing of them with the poor, the giving up of all care for this life, and the refusal to allow the soul to be turned by any sympathy towards things of earth."

January 23rd
St John “the Almoner” (552 - 616), Patriarch of Alexandria, Egypt

A person, who was not really in need, applied for alms and was detected by the officers of the palace; but John merely said "Give unto him; he may be Our Lord in disguise." 

St Leonard of Port Maurice (1676-1751), Confessor, Italian --  Feast, November 27th

"If you practice the holy exercise of Spiritual Communion a good many times each day, within a month you will see yourself completely changed."

January 22nd
St. Vincent Pallotti, Confessor (1795 - 1850)

"Since God is perfect in loving man, man must be perfect in loving his neighbor."


From St. Philip Neri, Confessor (1515-1595), Feast day May 26th

"The most insane thing in the whole world was not to want to be a saint. Sanity is to take every means to achieve sanctity and be pleasing to God. When we think of the infinite reward God will give us for that - it is sheer insanity to do the opposite!"     

January 21st
St. Agnes, Virgin, Martyr (d.304 or 305)

“You may,” said she, “stain your sword with my blood, but will never be able to profane my body, consecrated to Christ.”

From St. Augustine, Bishop, Doctor of the Church (354-386), Feast day, August 28th

"[God] gives Himself only to those who desire Him and seek Him with all the zeal such a lofty aim deserves."

January 20th
St. Euthymius, Abbot (378-473), Armenia

“I am a sinner, how can I presume to appear before God, who is angry at our sins? Let us prostrate ourselves all together before him, and he will hear us.” 

From St. John Chrysostom, Bishop, Doctor of the Church (347-407), Feast day January 27th

"Jesus Christ is everything that you can and should wish for.  Long for him, seek him, because he is that unique and precious pearl for which you should be ready to sell everything you possess."

January 19th
St Tomasso da Cori, Confessor (1655 - 1729)

 ‘If we do not pray with the heart, the tongue moves to no avail.’

From another Franciscan, St Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (1221-1274) 
feast day, July 15th:

"Holy Mass is an achievement of God wherein He places before our view all the love He has borne us; in a sense, it is the synthesis, the sum of all benefits bestowed upon us."

January 18th
St. Vincenza Mary Lopez y Vicuna    (1847-1890) Virgin, Foundress.  Navarre, Spain

Working with poor young women, she said, "I count myself happier in the service of these my sisters, than the great ones of this world in the service of their lords and kings."

Catholic Online

From the Cure of Ars:   (1786 – 1859), Feast day, August 8th

"Every bell tower indicates a church, where there is a Tabernacle, where Mass is said, and where Jesus stays."

January 17th
St. Anthony of Egypt, Patriarch of Monks (251-356)

"...let us persevere in our acts of asceticism. And that we may not become weary and disheartened, it is good to meditate on the words of the apostle: 'I die daily.' If we live with the picture of death always before our eyes, we will not sin."

Catholic Encyclopedia

January 16th
St Theodosius the Cenobiarch (423-529), Cappadocia, Asia Minor -- Feast day, January 11

"Remember death, and you will never sin."

For more information, see Catholic Online.

January 15th
St. Ita, Virgin (d.570)   Born Co. Waterford, Ireland

When asked what three things God especially loves, she replied, "True faith in God with a pure heart, a simple life with a religious spirit, an open hand inspired by charity."

When asked which three things God especially abhorred, she answered, "A face which scowls upon all mankind, obduracy in wrong doing, and arrogant trust in the power of money."

For more information on the fascinating life of the woman of God, see Catholic Online.

January 14th
Hilary (Hilarius) of Poitiers (c. 300 – c. 368), Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Regarding Exodus 3:14,  "I AM WHO AM", Hilary said, "I was frankly amazed at such a clear definition of God, which expressed the incomprehensible knowledge of the divine nature in words most suited to human intelligence."

For more information, see Catholic Online.

January 13th
Bl Godfrey, Confessor (1097-1127)  From Keppensberg, Westphalia.

After living his life in God's service, dying at the age of 30, his last words were, "Great is my hope!"

For more information, see Encyclopedia.com.

January 12th 
St. Marguerite Bourgeoys (1620-1700), Virgin, Foundress.  Born in Troyes, France.

"It seems to me that we do not pay enough attention to prayer, for unless it arises from the heart which ought to be its centre, it is no more than a fruitless dream. Prayer ought to carry over into our thoughts, our words and our actions." The Writings of Marguerite Bourgeoys, p. 169

For information on her saintly life, Catholic Online.

January 11
St. Paulinus, Patriarch of Aquileia, 726-802

"...And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, Who proceeds from the Father and the Son..."

For more information on the life of St. Paulinus, see Catholic Online.

January 10 St William of Bourges, France, 1155 - 1209

 An Example for All Bishops On being chosen as Archbishop of Bourges, he redoubled all his austerities, saying, "It is now incumbent on me to do penance for others, as well as for myself."

 For more information on this saintly bishop, see Catholic Online.

January 9th
Bl. Tommaso Reggio (January 9, 1818 - November 22, 1901), Bishop of Genoa
Beatified by Pope John Paul II on September 3, 2000.

"I want to become a saint, cost what it may, living my life in accordance with the two cornerstones of Christianity: prayer and ascesis".

For information on his saintly life, Catholic Online.