share our JOY

JOY{filled}family

striving to radiate Him always

St. Peter Nolasco

by Filed Under: 01 January Saints, Mother of Mercy, St. Peter Nolasco

Sell what you possess and give alms. Make to yourselves bags which grow not old, a treasure in heaven which faileth not: where no thief approacheth, nor moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. ~GOSPEL  Luke. 12. 32-34

peternolasco8

SAINT PETER NOLASCO
Confessor

Traditional Calendar January 28

Saint Peter Nolasco

Peter Nolasco was born of a noble family at Recaudun, near Carcassonne, in France, and lost his parents while still young. In consequence of his horror of the Albigensian heresy, he sold his estates and withdrew into Spain.  Here, as he was praying one night, the Blessed Virgin appeared to him in a vision, and gave him to understand that it would be most pleasing to her Son and herself, if he would found an order of religious men, whose chief duty it should be to effect the redemption of Christian bondsmen out of the hand of the infidels.  And so, together with St. Raymund Pennaforte and King James I of Aragon, who had been told the same thing by the Mother of God on the very same night, he founded the Order of the Blessed Mary of Ransom for the Redemption of Captives.  The members add a fourth vow that they will be ready to remain as hostages in the hand of the infidels if this were needed to free Christians.  He was refreshed by frequent apparitions of his Guardian Angel, and of the Virgin Mother of God ; and when he had attained a good old age, he died a holy death at midnight between the 23rd and 24th of December, in the year 1256. ~Roman Breviary

REOURCES

~~~

Practice of Merciful Charity – The passion for freedom creates in Mercedarians the mystique of the liberation of those brothers and sisters who are in the power of the enemies of the faith. The first Mercedarian Constitutions insist repeatedly on affirming that the mission or goal of the Institute is to visit and to free Christians who are in the power of the Saracens or other enemies of the faith. In order to liberate Christian captives, this mystique encourages the use of every licit recourse, including the one inspired by the greatest charity: Giving one’s own freedom and life!

~~~

St. John Chrysostom

by Filed Under: 01 January Saints, 09 September Saints, Patron Saint, St. John Chrysostom

"He became what we are, that we might become what He is." ~ St. John Chrysostom 

St. John Chrysostom Holy Card

SAINT JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Traditional Calendar January 27 ~ New Calendar September 13

Archbishop of Constantinople in the fourth century, John was surnamed Chrysostom, "the golden-mouthed," because of his moving eloquence. His gifted pen, as well as his sermons drew many to Christ. The saint’s courageous condemnation of sinfulness brought him exile and all manner of ill-usage from his persecutors. Solicitous for the poor of Constantinople, St. John also looked beyond the boundaries of his episcopal see, and sent out missioners among the Scythians, Persians, and Goths. With the praise of God on his lips, this great Doctor of the Eastern Church died in exile on September 14, 407.

~~~

crisosto

“Prayer is the light of the soul, giving us true knowledge of God. It is a link mediating between God and man. By prayer the soul is borne up to heaven and in a marvellous way embraces the Lord. This meeting is like that of an infant crying on its mother, and seeking the best of milk. The soul longs for its own needs and what it receives is better than anything to be seen in the world.” ~ St John Chrysostom (Hom 6 on Prayer)

~~~chrysostom16

“True Peace comes from God” ~ St. John Chrysostom, PG 61:14

RESOURCES

 

 

"When Mass is being celebrated, the sanctuary is filled with countless angels who adore the divine victim immolated on the altar." ~ Saint John Chrysostom

chrysostom28

St. Francis de Sales

by Filed Under: 01 January Saints, St. Francis de Sales

“Lord, I am yours, and I must belong to no one but you. My soul is yours, and must live only by you. My will is yours, and must love only for you. I must love you as my first cause, since I am from you. I must love you as my end and rest, since I am for you. I must love you more than my own being, since my being subsists by you. I must love you more than myself, since I am all yours and all in you. Amen”. ~ St. Francis de Sales, Treatise on the Love of God

SAINT FRANCIS DE SALES

Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Traditional Calendar January 29 ~ New Calendar January 24

Born on the border of Switzerland, into an old aristocratic family of Savoy, Francis of Sales became one of the foremost missioners of the Catholic Restoration. He drew Calvinists to the Church by his Christlike kindness; but after the winning of the heretics, the saint was very exacting in the direction of his converts. His writings are Christian classics in which he emphasizes the importance of a staunch Catholic laity, holding that it is an error to believe that piety is incompatible with any state of life. Francis of Sales was appointed bishop of Geneva in 1603. Seven years later, together with St. Jane de Chantal, he founded the Order of the Visitation. This holy and gentle apostle died in 1622.

He joyfully undertook this mission, and amid many dangers and struggles, is said to have recalled seventy-two thousand of these heretics to the Catholic Faith.

"Do you seek the higher things, such as prayer and meditation, the Sacraments leading souls to God and kindling good thoughts in them? Do all these good works according to your vocation; but meanwhile do not neglect your spindle and distaff. I mean, cultivate those little virtues which spring like flowers round the foot of the Cross, such as ministering to the poor and sick, family cares, and the duties arising therefrom, and practical diligence and activity; and amid all these things cultivate such spiritual thoughts. . . . Great occasions for serving God come seldom, but little ones surround us daily; and our Lord Himself has told us that ‘he that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much.’ If you do all in God’s Name, all you do will be well done." ~St. Francis de Sales

Francis%20de%20Sales

Patron: Authors; Diocese of Baker, Oregon; Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Ohio; Catholic press; Diocese of Columbus, Ohio; confessors; deaf people; deafness; Diocese of Wilmington, Delaware; educators; journalists; teachers; writers.

Symbols: Bald man with a long beard wearing a bishop’s robes holding a book; heart pierced with thorns or picture of the Virgin.

RESOURCES

litany27

“O love eternal, my soul needs and chooses you eternally! Ah, come Holy Spirit, and inflame our hearts with your love! To love — or to die! To die — and to love! To die to all other love in order to live in Jesus’ love, so that we may not die eternally. But that we may live in your eternal love, O Savior of our souls, we eternally sing, "Live, Jesus! Jesus, I love! Live, Jesus, whom I love! Jesus, I love, Jesus who lives and reigns forever and ever." Amen. ~ Treatise on the Love of God by Saint Francis de Sales

“Holy detachment is one of the virtues which Our Lord Jesus Christ spread abroad with a delightful scent. It was a lovely flower in His most holy passion. It is the most excellent of virtues because it shares in the firmness of charity, in the perfume of humiliy, in the merit of patience and in the fruit of perseverance. Great is this virtue, worthy of being practiced by all the children of God.” (Sermons 29; O. IX, p. 283)

"As soon as worldly people see that you wish to follow a devout life they aim a thousand darts of mockery and even detraction at you. The most malicious of them will slander your conversion as hypocrisy, bigotry, and trickery. . . .” ~St. Francis de Sales

“Do not look forward to what may happen tomorrow.  The same Everlasting Father, who takes care of you today, will take care of you tomorrow.  He will either shield you from suffering, or give you unfailing strength to bear it.  Be at peace then, and put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations.”     ~St. Francis de Sales

 

originall posted – 1/29/2011 02:07:00 AM

Subscribe to our Newsletter