March 7th

St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274); Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Roccasecca, Italy; Patron of  academics, against storms and lightning, apologists, book sellers, Catholic academies, schools and universities, chastity, learning, pencil makers, philosophers, publishers, scholars, students, theologians.

"The things that we love tell us what we are."

"Give us, O Lord, a steadfast heart, which no unworthy affection may drag downwards; give us an unconquered heart, which no tribulation can wear out; give us an upright heart, which no unworthy purpose may tempt aside.  Bestow upon us also, O Lord our God, understanding to know You, diligence to seek You, wisdom to find You, and a faithfulness that may finally embrace you, through Jesus Christ our Lord."

"We must love them both, those whose opinions we share and those whose opinions we reject, for both have labored in the search for truth, and both have helped us in finding it."

"Hold firmly that our faith is identical with that of the ancients.  Deny this, and you dissolve the unity of the Church."

"Man should not consider his material possession his own, but as common to all, so as to share them without hesitation when others are in need."

"Law: an ordinance of reason for the common good, made by him who has care of the community."

"A man has free choice to the extent that he is rational."

"Beware of the person of one book."

"Grant me, O Lord my God, a mind to know you, a heart to seek you, wisdom to find you, conduct pleasing to you, faithful perseverance in waiting for you, and a hope of finally embracing you."

March 6th

Sts Perpetua and Felicity (died 203); Martyrs; Carthage; Patronesses of mothers.

"We lie not in our own power but in the power of God."

March 5th

St Basil the Great (329-379); Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Caesarea, Cappadocia; Patron of liturgists.

"In truth, to know oneself seems to be the hardest of all things. Not only our eye, which observes external objects, does not use the sense of sight upon itself, but even our mind, which contemplates intently another's sin, is slow in the recognition of its own defects."

"I know the laws of allegory, though less by myself than from the works of others. There are those, truly, who do not admit the common sense of the Scriptures, for whom water is not water, but some other nature, who see in a plant, in a fish, what their fancy wishes, who change the nature of reptiles and of wild beasts to suit their allegories, like the interpreters of dreams who explain visions in sleep to make them serve their own end."

March 4th

St Casimir of Poland (1458-1484), Confessor; Krakow, Poland; Patron of Lithuania.

"Daily, daily sing to Mary,
Sing, my soul, her praises due:
All her feasts, her actions honor
With the heart's devotion true.

Lost in wond'ring contemplation,
Be her majesty confessed:
Call her Mother, call her Virgin,
Happy Mother, Virgin blest.

She is mighty in her pleading,
Tender in her loving care;
Ever watchful, understanding,
All our sorrows she will share.

Advocate and loving mother,
Mediatrix of all grace:
Heaven's blessings she dispenses
On our sinful human race.

All our graces flow through Mary;
All then join her praise to sing:
Fairest work of all creation,
Mother of creation's King.

Sing in songs of peace unending,
Call upon her lovingly:
Seat of wisdom, Gate of heaven,
Morning star upon the sea.."

March 3rd

St Katharine Drexel (1858-1955), Foundress; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Feast day, March 3rd; Patroness of racial justice and philanthropists.

“It is a lesson we all need – to let alone the things that do not concern us. He has other ways for others to follow Him; all do not go by the same path. It is for each of us to learn the path by which He requires us to follow Him, and to follow Him in that path.”

September 18

St Thomas of Villanova (1488-1555), Bishop, Confessor; Fuentellana, Spain; Feast day September 18

"O man, look on that cross, on those torments, and that cruel death, which Jesus Christ has suffered for you:  after so great and so many tokens of his love, you can no longer entertain a doubt that he loves you, and loves you exceedingly."

August 30

St Rose of Lima (1586-1617); Virgin; Lima, Peru; Feast day August 30

"Lord, increase my sufferings, and with them increase Your love in my heart."

Abbot Macarius, as quoted by St Alphonsus:

"When you are tempted in times of dryness to give up praying because you seem to be wasting your time, say:  Since I cannot pray, I will be satisfied just to remain on watch here in my cell for the love of Jesus Christ!"

St John of Avila (1500-1569); Priest, Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Almodovar del Campo, Spain; Feast day May 10.

"O nails, leave those innocent hands of my Lord, and come and pierce my heart with compassion and love!  For you, my Jesus, did die, as St Paul says, in order to gain dominion over the living and the dead, not by means of chastisements, but by love."

August 29
The Beheading of St John the Baptist

Ut Queant Laxis

So that these your servants can, with all their voice, to sing your wonderful feats, clean the blemish of our spotted lips, O St John!

An angel came from the heavens to announce to your father the greatness of our birth, dictating your name and destination.

He doubted of these divine promises and was deprived of the use of the speech; but when you were born he recovered his lost voice.

Still locked in your mother's breast, you felt the King's presence housed in the vestal womb.  And prophet before being born, you revealed this mystery to your parents.

Glory be to the Father and to the engendered Son; glory similar to the Holy Spirit that is knot of both, for every century.  Amen.

.

August 28

St Augustine of Hippo (354-430); Bishop, Doctor of the Church; feast day August 28

“Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee."

“And men go abroad to admire the heights of mountains, the mighty waves of the sea, the broad tides of rivers, the compass of the ocean, and the circuits of the stars, yet pass over the mystery of themselves without a thought.”

“Belatedly I loved thee, O Beauty so ancient and so new, belatedly I loved thee. For see, thou wast within and I was without, and I sought thee out there. Unlovely, I rushed heedlessly among the lovely things thou hast made. Thou wast with me, but I was not with thee. These things kept me far from thee; even though they were not at all unless they were in thee. Thou didst call and cry aloud, and didst force open my deafness. Thou didst gleam and shine, and didst chase away my blindness. Thou didst breathe fragrant odors and I drew in my breath; and now I pant for thee. I tasted, and now I hunger and thirst. Thou didst touch me, and I burned for thy peace.”

“You never go away from us, yet we have difficulty in returning to You. Come, Lord, stir us up and call us back. Kindle and seize us. Be our fire and our sweetness. Let us love. Let us run.”

“Too late came I to love you, O Beauty both so ancient and so new! Too late came I to love you - and behold you were with me all the time . . .” 

“You called and shouted and burst my deafness. You flashed, shone, and scattered my blindness. You breathed odors, and I drew in breath and panted for You. I tasted, and I hunger and thirst. You touched me, and I burned for Your peace.” 

“Give me yourself, O my God, give yourself back to me. Lo, I love you, but if my love is too mean, let me love more passionately. I cannot gauge my love, nor know how far it fails, how much more love I need for my life to set its course straight into your arms, never swerving until hidden in the covert of your face. This alone I know, that without you all to me is misery, woe outside myself and woe within, and all wealth but penury, if it is not my God.” 

"O God, Who art always the same!  May I know myself, may I know Thee."

August 27

St Joseph Calasanctius (1557-1648), priest, founder; feast day August 27

"My work was done solely for the love of God."

St John Chrysostom (347-407), bishop, doctor of the Church; feast day September 13

"...God stands continually waiting, if any of his servants should perchance call Him and never, when we have called as we ought, hath He refused to hear."

The Visitation, July 2nd

St Elizabeth (c. 1st cen.), Mother, St John the Baptist; Hebron, Palestine; Feast day November 5

"Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb!  And how have I deserved that the Mother of my Lord should come to me?  For behold, the moment that the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leapt for joy.  And blessed is she who has believed, because the things promised her by the Lord shall be accomplished."

St Mary (c. 1st cen.), Virgin, Mother of God; Nazareth, Palestine

"My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, because He has regarded the humility of His handmaid; for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.  Because He that is mighty has done great things to me; and holy is His name.  And His mercy is from generation to generation to them that fear Him.  He has shown might in His arm; He has scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.  He has put down the mighty from their thrones; and has exalted the lowly.  He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty.  He has received Israel His servant, being mindful of His mercy, even as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever.  Amen."

July 1st
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622), Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Thorens-Glieres, France; Feast day January 29th

"Two sorts of persons ought to go frequently to Communion:  the perfect, in order to remain so; and the imperfect, in order to become perfect."

St Bonaventure (1221-1274), Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Bagnoregio, Italy; Feast day July 14

Although it be with lukewarmness, still approach Holy Communion, trusting in the mercy of God.  The more one feels himself sick, the greater need has he of a physician."

St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787), Bishop, Confessor, Founder; Marianella, Italy; Feast day August 2nd

"The Eternal Father has made Jesus Christ the possessor of all His own heavenly treasures.  The Father has given all things into His hands.  Hence, when Jesus Christ comes to a soul in Holy Communion, He brings with Him boundless treasures of grace; and consequently after Commnion we can justly say, 'Now all good things came to me together with it.'"

June 30th
St Paul (5-67), Apostle, Martyr; Tarsus, Asia Minor; Feast day June 30th

"Brethren:  Have this mind in you which was also in Christ Jesus, Who though He was by nature God, did not consider being equal to God a thing to be clung to, but emptied Himself, taking the nature of a slave and being made like unto men.  And appearing in the form of man, He humbled Himself, becoming obedient to death, even to death on a cross.  Therefore God also has exalted Him and has bestowed upon Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend of those in heaven, on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father."

"Brethren:  If you have risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.  Mind the things that are above, not the things that are on earth.  For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ, your life, shall appear, then you too will appear with Him in glory."

"Brethren:  I reckon that the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come that will be revealed in us.  For the eager longing of creation awaits the revelation of the sons of God.  For creation was made subject to vanity -- not by its own will but by reason of Him Who made it subject -- in hope, because creation itself also will be delivered from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the sons of God.  For we know that all creation groans and travails in pain until now.  And not only it, but we ourselves also who have the first-fruits of the Spirit -- we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption as sons of God, the redemption of our body, in Christ Jesus our Lord."

"Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.  May no temptation take hold of you but such as man is equal to.  God is faithful and will not permit you to be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also give you a way out that you may be able to bear it."

"Be not deceived, God is not mocked.  For what a man sows, that he will also reap.  For he who sows in the flesh, from the flesh also will reap corruption.  But he who sows in the spirit, from the spirit will reap life everlasting.  And in doing good let us not grow tired; for in due time we shall reap if we do not relax.  Therefore, while we have time, let us do good to all men, but especially to those who are of the household of faith."

"Brethren:  I pray you not to be disheartened at my tribulations for you, for they are your glory.  For this reason I bend my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from Whom all fatherhood in heaven and on earth receives its name, that He may grant you from His glorious riches to be strengthened with power through His Spirit unto the progress of the inner man; and to have Christ dwelling through faith in your hearts: so that, being rooted and grounded in love, you may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know Christ's love which surpasses knowledge, in order that you may be filled unto all the fullness of God.  Now, to Him Who is able to accomplish all things in a measure far beyond what we ask or conceive, in keeping with thepower that is at work in us -- to Him be glory in the Chruscch and in Crhrist Jesus ddown through all the ages of time without end.  Amern."

June 29th
St Peter (d. 64/67), Apostle, Pope, Martyr; Bethsaida, Palestine; Feast day June 29th

"Depart from me, O Lord, for I am a sinful man!"

"Behold, O Lord, we have left all things and have followed thee."

"Lord, to whom shall we go?  Thou hast the words of eternal life."

"Thou are Christ, the Son of the living God."

"Be prudent therefore and watchful in prayers.  But above all things have a constant mutual charity among yourselves; for charity covers a multitude of sins."

"Lay aside therefore all malice, and all deceit, and pretense, and envy, and all slander.  Crave, as newborn babes, pure spiritual mild, that by it you may grow to salvation; if, indeed, you have tasted that the Lord is sweet.  Draw near to Him, a living stone, rejected indeed by men but chosen and honored by God."

"You, however, are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people; that you may proclaim the perfections of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light."

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in the time of visitation; cast all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you.  Be sober, be watchful!  For your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, goes about seeking someone to devour.  Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same suffering befalls your brethren all over the world.  But the God of all grace, who has called us unto His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will Himself, after we have suffered a little while, perfect, strengthen and establish us.  To Him is the dominion forever and ever.  Amen."

June 28th
St Iranaeus (120-202), Bishop, Church Father, Martyr; Smyrna, Greece; Feast day June 28th

"The greatest church is the most ancient and known to all, founded at Rome by the two most glorious apostles, Peter and Paul, which retains the tradition which it received from them, and which is derived through a succession of bishops down to us.  Showing which, we confound all who, any way out of self-conceit, love of applause, blindness, or false persuasions, embrace what ought not to be advanced; for to this church (of Rome,) on account of its chiefer presidentship, it is necessary that every church, that is, the faithful everywhere, address themselves, in which church the tradition from the apostles is everywhere preserved."

"To this almighty Maker and Disposer of all things it is, that we Christians offer up our prayers, with eyes lifted up to heaven; and without a prompter, we pray with our hearts rather than with our tongues; and in all our prayers are ever mindful of all our emperors and kings wheresoever we live, beseeching God for every one of them, that He would bless them with length of days, and a quiet reign, a well established family, a valiant army, a faithful senate, an honest people, and a peaceful world, with whatever else either prince or people can wish for.  Thus while we are stretching forth our hands to God, let your tormenting irons harrow our flesh, let your gibbets exalt us, or your fires consume our bodies, or let your swords cut off our heads, or your beasts tread us to the earth.  For a Christian, upon his knees to his God, is in a posture of defense against all the evils you can crowd upon him.  Consider this, O you impartial judges, and go on with your justice; rack out the soul of a Christin, which is pouring out herself to God for the life of the emperor."

June 27th
St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787), Bishop, Confessor, Founder; Marianella, Italy; Feast day August 2nd

"Ah, if faith had not assured us of it, who could ever have believed that a God, almighty, most happy, and the Lord of all, should have condescended to love man to such an extent that He seems to go out of Himself for the love of him?  We have seen Wisdom itself, that is the Eternal Word, become foolish through the excessive love He bore to man!"

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

"With what love would not our souls become enkindled at the sight of those flames which are in the Redeemer's breast!  And oh, what happiness, to be able to be consumed by that same fire with which our God burns for us!  What joy, to be united to God by the chains of love!"

St John of Avila (1499-1569), Priest, Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Almodovar del Campo, Spain; Feast day May 10

"No human intellect can conceive how strongly this fire burns in the heart of Jesus Christ.  As He was commanded to suffer death once, so, had He been commanded to die a thousand times, His love had been sufficient to endure it.  And if what He suffered for all men had been imposed upon Him for the salvation of one single soul, He would have done the same for each in particular as He did for all."

June 26th
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622), Bishop, Confessor, Founder, Doctor of the Church; Savoy, France; Feast day January 29th

"When we remember that Jesus Christ, true God, has loved us to such an excess as to suffer death, and the death of the cross, for us, our hearts are, as it were, put in a wine-press, and suffer violence, until love be extorted from them, but a violence which, the stronger it is, becomes the more delightful."

St Augustine (354-430), Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Thagaste, Algeria; Feast day August 28th 

"My Lord, what ever I behold on the earth, or above the earth, all speak to me, and exhort me to love You; because all assure me that You have made them for the love of me."

St Leonard (1676-1751), Priest, Confessor; Port Maurizio, Italy; Feast day November 27th

"If every morning for one half-hour the sky were to send us a shower of gold, would you not, dear reader, find time to gather in some of it.  Well, each day there falls a shower of supernatural gold, not from the clouds, but from the altars of Holy Church.  This golden shower is increase of grace, forgiveness of sin, remission of punishment and fellowship in the merits of Christ."

June 25th
St Ignatius of Antioch (35-107), Bishop, Martyr, Church Father; Syria; Feast day February 1

"I have no taste for corruptible food nor for the pleasures of this life.  I desire the bread of God, which is the flesh of Jesus Christ, who was of the seed of David; and for drink I desire His blood, which is love incorruptible."

St Vincent de Paul (1581-1660), Priest, Confessor; Gascony, France; Feast day July 19

"You must ask God to give you power to fight against the sin of pride which is your greatest enemy -- the root of all that is evil, and the failure of all that is good.  For God resists the proud."

St Julian Peter Eymard (1811-1868), Priest, Confessor, Founder; La Mure, France; Feast day August 2

"He loves, He hopes, He waits.  If He came down on our altars on certain days only, some sinner, on being moved to repentance, might have to look for Him, and not finding Him, might have to wait.  Our Lord prefers to wait Himself for the sinner for years rather than keep him waiting one instant."

June 24th
St Teresa of Avila (1515-1582), Virgin, Foundress, Doctor of the Church; Avila, Spain; Feast day October 15th

"Love of God does not consist in experiencing His tendernesses, but in serving Him with resolution and humility."

St John of Avila (1499-1569), Priest, Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Almodovar del Campo, Spain; Feast day May 10

"O how much better it is to endure aridity and temptation by God's will than to be raised to the heights of contemplation without God's will!"

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

"If we do nothing else but banish distractions and temptations in our prayers, the prayer is well made."

June 23rd
St Bonaventure (1221-1274), Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church; Bagnoregio, Italy; Feast day July 14

"Great are the excellences of prayer, great its privileges.  The heavens open before it and unveil therein their secrets, and to it are the ears of God ever attentive."

St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787), Bishop, Confessor, Founder; Marianella, Italy; Feast day August 2nd

"Perhaps if God had given us greater talent, better health, a more personable appearance, we might have lost our souls!  Great talent and knowledge have caused many to be puffed up with the idea of their own importance and, in their pride, they have despised others.  How easily those who have these gifts fall into grave danger to their salvation!...'But one thing is necessary,' and it is not beauty, not health, not talent.  It is the salvation of our immortal souls."