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.

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