St. Isidore the Farmer – May 15th

Posted on May 15, 2017 by mikatsa6

images.duckduckgo.com isidore

As we have already discovered, God wants each of us to be saints. No matter what our vocation in life….whether we are called to be mothers…or fathers….or lawyers or nurses…or doctors…or farmers….or teachers… or religious…whatever our vocation. God is calling each of us to reside with Him in Heaven. We already know that our time upon this earth is to help us…We must always remember that this earth…this world is not our home.  Our home is in the stars…up in the heavens with Our Lord.

When we follow the example of Saint Isidore, a Spanish farm worker, we find a man who kept his heart and his mind focused on Heaven…we see that he was a man devoted to prayer…his hands folded direct our attention to the Heavens…to the Lord. Saint Isidore sought God in all things…offering to Him all his thoughts, his words, and his deeds.

Saint Isidore was a farmer. His work was hard and he toiled everyday. We must remember that God has placed this work before us… we are called to labor, and bear the burden of hard work…the sweat on our brow should be offered to the Lord. Many saints have made their journey to heaven while working tirelessly for the Lord. We must be willing to walk this same path…it will not be glorious…in fact, if we find that we make our living in comfort and rest…with the praise of men constantly in our ear… it would be wise to reevaluate those things which fill our hearts and our minds….no saint ever had an easy path to Heaven…if you find your path too easy…it would be wise to see exactly where you are headed….ask God for His guidance … He will help you find your way…He always does…

But along these lines…regardless of how hard the task… or the lack of respect we may receive for doing menial duties…we must keep our hearts full of joy, knowing that we are working for the glory of God. “Whatsoever you do, do it from the heart, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that you shall receive of the Lord the reward of inheritance.” (Col. 3: 23)

250px-Saint_Isidor_Farmer_(18th_cen,_anon)

Saint Isidore was a man who lived for the Lord, as such, he made it a duty of his to attend daily Mass every morning…this upset some of his fellow workers, and they complained to their  boss. Since the boss’ house had a vantage view of the fields that Isidore was to be working, he watched him, trying to catch him slacking, instead what he saw astonished him and changed his heart toward Isidore forever. When he peered out over the fields, he not only saw Isidore working, but he saw several angels tilling the fields side by side with the future saint. So instead of firing Isidore, the boss and those who heard of the saint’s miraculous working companions, held him in high esteem…never complaining about him again.

He cared so much for the poor, that he often would give his earnings to the poor, and share with them his food, which by some miracle of God, always seemed to provide enough for all the poor who had gathered to be fed. His wife, aware of his generous nature, always kept a pot of stew cooking on the stove. One day, Isidore returned home with more hungry people than usual, and when his wife had served the last of the stew from the pot, she told him there was no more. He insisted that she check the pot again, only to discover that it held precisely the right amount of stew to feed everyone. On another occasion, his employer was out in the field, and was suffering due to extreme thirst, St. Isidore came and struck the ground with his wooden staff, immediately, there sprang forth a gush of water, which to this day still provides water for the area.

There are many miracles surrounding this holy saint. It seems that he and his wife had but one child who died in infancy. After much prayer, they were convinced that the good Lord wished for them to remain childless, and thus lived the remainder of their days in a chaste bond, doing good works for the Lord. His wife, Mary de la Cabeza is also recognized as a saint in the Holy Mother Church.

Saint Isidore lived to a ripe old age, and he was renowned for his holiness. When he fell asleep in the Lord, on May 15th, 1130, he was buried in the cemetery of St. Andrew, where his body remained until the citizens were admonished by God during a torrential downpour of rain, to provide a more honorable resting place for his body. It seems, that during this rain, several coffins were exposed and upon inspecting Isidore’s coffin, the people found his body to be intact and in-corrupt. His body emitted the most fragrant odor which is said to be noticeable even in our time. His body was transferred to the church and enshrined in a place of honor. Many miracles have happened through the intercession of this humble saint.

He is the patron saint of farmers, field hands, for rain, against the death of children, livestock and ranchers. He was canonized by Pope Gregory XV. Throughout the world and even in the United States, there are rural communities which honor this saint with a special feast day celebrations, one such celebration is held in Corrales New Mexico on May 15th of each year.

Prayer:
Grant unto us, we beseech Thee, O merciful God, that through the intercession of Thy Confessor, holy Isidore, the Farmer, we may take no pride in knowledge but rather by his merits and example, we may always serve thee with a humility that is pleasing to Thee. Through our Lord, Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

 

 

Posted in Patron Saints, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Feast of Our Lady of Fatima – May 13th

Posted on May 13, 2017 by mikatsa6

1-our-lady-of-fatima.jpg

On Sunday May 13th 1917 the children were pasturing their flock as usual at the Cova da Iria, which was about a mile from their homes. They were playing when suddenly a bright shaft of light pierced the air. They described it as a flash of lightning. It was not really lightning, but rather the reflection of a light that approached little by little. Frightened by the flash, the children looked around at the sky that was clear and bright without the least spot of a cloud. No breeze stirred, the sun was strong, and there was no hint anywhere of a storm that might be responsible for a flash of lightning. The children, however, thought that they had better head home in case it might start raining. As they descended the hill. Another flash of lightning took them by surprise. Panicky with fear, they took a few steps and looked towards the right. There, standing over the foliage of a small holm oak, “a lady dressed all in white, more brilliant then the sun, shedding rays of light, clear and stronger than a crystal glass filled with the most sparkling water, pierced by the burning rays of the sun”. The lady spoke to them and said: “Fear not! I will not harm you.” “Where are you from?” the children asked. “I am from heaven” the beautiful lady replied, gently raising her hand towards the distant horizon. “What do you want of me?”, Lucia asked. “I came to ask you to come here for six consecutive months, on the thirteenth day, at this same hour. I will tell you later who I am and what I want. And I shall return here again a seventh time.” Lucia said : “Do you come from heaven…and will I go to heaven?”

” Yes, you’ll go“, the beautiful Lady replied. “And Jacinta?” Lucia inquired. “As well.”   “And Francisco?” “Him too , but he will have to say many rosaries“. In the end Our Lady asked : “Do you wish to offer yourselves to God, to endure all the suffering that He may please to send you, as an act of reparation for the sins by which He is offended, and to ask for the conversion of sinners?” “Yes, we do.” said the children. “You will have to suffer a lot, but the grace of God will be your comfort. “Then she opened her hands with a loving gesture of a mother who offers her heart. From it an intense light departed that seemed to go through them. The vision vanished telling them : “Recite the rosary every day to obtain the peace for the world and the end of the war.” And She disappeared.

This is an excerpt from the dialogue between Our Blessed Mother and Lucia during  the 1st apparition at Fatima.  She had come to Portugal, to repeat the message She had shared with Saint Bernadette in 1858. To stress the importance of praying the Rosary, She asked the children to call her Our Lady of the Rosary, to emphasize the importance of this devotion. Her message stressed the importance of praying the rosary daily…in particular regards for world peace...She also stressed  the importance of making acts of reparation for the sins which are committed against Our Blessed Lord everyday. This is a very important message of our time. So many people have turned away from God’s Truth, and thus are engaging in sinful actions on a regular basis.

With the tenants of Truth muddled in the spokes of political dialogue,  many people are gravely offending the Lord …without pause…without hesitation. So many people have mistakenly turned to the world for their truth…they have clouded their hearts with the lies of the screaming earth…taking their eyes and hearts from the Lord, they have allowed themselves to be dehumanized to the rank of mere creatures without souls. They follow a moral compass that shifts with the days…shifts with the changing trends, blowing in and out with the changing winds of cultural and political climates. This is not how it should be…we have allowed ourselves to be deceived, but do not fret….  there is still time to make amends…time to turn our hearts towards Heaven and away from the snares of the world…

So as we celebrate this special feast,a feast which celebrates Her messages to three young children about making reparations for man’s sins… messages about taking time to pray the rosary on a daily basis… it would be wise for us to heed Her warnings…we would be wise to heed Her call….Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.

Posted in Catholic Feast Days, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Saint Joseph Damien de Veuster – Apostle to the Lepers- May 10th

Posted on May 13, 2017 by mikatsa6

As we travel through our calendar of Catholic saints, we come upon so many who devoted their lives for the Lord in ways that are truly selfless, without any regard to their own physical pains and sufferings, Saint Joseph de Veuster or Father Damien as he was called, was one such saint.

St.-Damien-of-Molokai-2

Born in Belgium on January 3rd in 1840, he was raised on a small family farm. He was a strong young man with a sturdy build and was very helpful to his family in taking care of the chores that needed to be done. When he was thirteen he left school to help at the farm full time. When he was eighteen he joined the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, and took the name of Damien, after a favorite saint. By that time, he felt that God was calling him to the priesthood. As would happen, his older brother who was already a priest, had been assigned to the Hawaiian Islands, but fell ill and was too sick to travel, since travel preparations had already been made, Damien sought approval to take his brother’s place. He arrived in Honolulu in March of 1864 and was ordained a priest, May of the following year.

During this time, leprosy, which had recently been introduced to the people of Hawaii, began to ravage the native people, and as a means of controlling the spread, the Hawaiian government decided to quarantine all those who had leprosy, on the neighboring island of Molokai. The government sent food and rations to the leper colony, but for the most part, the suffering people were not cared for properly, and as the people lost strength…as they lost hope…the colony fell into great disarray. This concerned the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, and the Bishop wished to send one of his priests to care for the ailing colony. Since leprosy at that time was incurable, he did not wish to insist on sending one priest to his death sentence…instead he chose four young priests, hoping they would take turns in caring for the sick colony, but he made sure they knew that they had the freedom to stay longer with the people or return home….Father Damien volunteered to be the first one to go.

After finding that the people in the colony  were in dire need of  spiritual healing, he sought permission from his superior to remain with the colony and to live with them, so as to become one of them. He wanted to show these people that God loved them no matter what. Of course, he prayed for the people to be healed, but above all, he prayed for them to know that God had not abandoned them in their suffering. Not only did Father Damien wish for them to know Christ, but he wanted them to feel Christ’s love too…and being the good priest that God desired him to be….he lived with the colony and worked with them, side by side, to rebuild the village which had fallen into such great disrepair and to reignite the hope of the people that had fallen into despair.

Not only did he help repair their houses, and built a church. He also anointed their foreheads with Holy oil, he said Masses for them, heard their confessions and gave them the Holy Eucharist.  He baptized the babies and the converts. He prayed for the sick…and for the dead as well.  He helped build coffins and helped them as they buried their dead ….never flinching from the horrible smell that often accompanied the rotting sores of leprosy. ..He became one of them in spirit…using his healthy hands to share Christ’s love and the Holy Faith with these cast away people. This act of unselfish love endeared him to the colony and they received him with great love and admiration. Many people converted to the Faith…the Church grew….Christ’s love was evident in the actions of this Faithful priest, the people of Molokai once again regained their hope…

For the next sixteen years, Father Damien de Veuster lived with the lepers and cared for their spiritual needs as well as their physical needs…often caring for the wounds that spread over the bodies of the lepers. Unfortunately, this close contact with the colony resulted in the priest contracting the dreaded disease. And even though he knew that he was dying, he continued to work tirelessly, trying to care for all of the suffering people on Molokai. Finally, after suffering quietly…his body succumbed to the disease on April 15, 1889, at the age of 49.

st. damien.jpg

Photo of Father Damien de Veuster taken just a couple of weeks before his death.

Father Damien inspired many while he was living, and he continues to inspire many people to this day. He was able to see Christ in those he cared for…it did not matter that their bodies …their faces… might be so completely disfigured by disease…he saw people with a Heart of Christ…wanting for all people, regardless of what they believed…to be able to enjoy the salvation that Christ had won for them…he felt that it was his duty to share Christ’s love with everyone…it was his duty to convert the souls for God.…and he gave his life doing just that…He is a remarkable inspiration for us all!

Saint Damien de Veuster, pray for us, that we may see others as you saw them…as the  children of the One True God, and that we may treat them with the love and respect they deserve as being such. Amen.

Posted in Patron Saints, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

First Saturday Devotion – May 6th

Posted on May 6, 2017 by mikatsa6

fatima

May 6th….the first Saturday of the month. May…the month for mothers…the month of Our Lady….and her apparitions in Fatima….And don’t forget the request she made to the children of Fatima….First Saturday Devotion as requested by Our Blessed Mother.

images.duckduckgo.com heart of mary

The 100th anniversary of the Blessed Mother’s visit to the children of Fatima, is right around the corner….there is still time to make Five First Saturdays before October 13th…but time is getting close….

The Fatima message is being spread wide and far this year…there are Pilgrim Statues traveling throughout the country…Check your local parishes and see if one is making a stop near you…It is time… to convert our hearts….wear the miraculous medal….the brown scapular….it is time for all of us to pray our Rosary on a daily basis.

100 years …times have changed so much…humanity has changed so much….I’m afraid not for the better..every day we see more and more examples of people falling away from God…the loss of innocence in children… Think about it…The Fatima children were young and  innocent, yet the Blessed Mother warned them that they would spend time in purgatory if they did not change their ways… We had better pray…those children were far more innocent than most of us…We are so much of the world…our tablets…our t.v.’s and smart phones….How much time do we devote to them??? How much time do we devote to the Rosary? We carry our phones with us wherever we go, and yet when we are told to pray the Rosary…it’s like: “What? Everyday?? ”  The world will not be saved by a smart phone… but according to the messages…the world can be saved with a Rosary….So grab those beads and start praying….

images.duckduckgo.com

Why Five First Saturdays?

Our Lady explained those Five First Saturdays to Sr. Lucia dos Santos, one of the Fatima visionaries, on Dec. 10, 1925, in the following way:

See, my daughter, my Heart encircled by thorns with which ungrateful men pierce it at every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. Do you, at least, strive to console me. Tell them that I promise to assist at the hour of death with the graces necessary for salvation all those who, in order to make reparation to me, on the First Saturday of five successive months, go to Confession, receive Holy Communion, say five decades of the Rosary, and keep me company for a quarter of an hour, meditating on the … mysteries of the Rosary.

Why five First Saturdays in particular? Jesus explained this to Sr. Lucia on May 29-30, 1930, saying:

“Daughter, the motive is simple: There are five kinds of offenses and  blasphemies spoken against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.”

First: blasphemies against the Immaculate Conception.

Second: against Her Virginity.

Third: against the Divine Maternity, refusing, at the same time, to receive her as the Mother of mankind

Fourth: those who seek publicly to implant, in the hearts of children, indifference, disrespect, and even hate for this Immaculate Mother

Fifth: those who revile her directly in her sacred images

“Here, dear daughter, is the motive that led the Immaculate Heart of Mary to petition Me to ask for this small act of reparation. And, out of regard for her, to move My mercy to pardon those souls who have had the misfortune to offend her. As for you, seek endlessly, with your prayers and sacrifices, to move Me to mercy in regard to these poor souls.”

Will you continue to be one of the poor souls who offends Our Lady?..  Who offends Our Dear Lord??? There is still time to change…the Rosary is a very powerful means of conversion…for ourselves…for the world…..Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.

Here is a simple prayer to add to your Rosary, it is a powerhouse of a prayer that was given to the children by the Angel of Peace.

My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love Thee! I ask pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love Thee.

 

Posted in Catholic Feast Days, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Carthusian Martyrs -May 4th

Posted on May 5, 2017 by mikatsa6

Earlier this morning as I was looking over the list of saints that are recognized in the Holy Mother Church, I realized that narrowing down today’s list was going to be a daunting task ….There are over thirty saints listed for today…and that’s not counting the groups that are listed as one entry, such as the Martyrs of England and the Carthusian Martyrs….It seems that May the fourth was a busy day… long before the Star Wars movies became so popular.…

images.duckduckgo.com martyrs of carth.jpg

Finally, after much consideration and reading, it seems to me, that the Carthusian Monks are a group of courageous men who need a bit of rediscovering…so...let’s begin...

The Carthusian Monks were an English order of monks who were led by Saint John Houghton. They have always been a very strict and austere monastic order. Their monastery was actually a group of hermitages built next to each other. They were the first group of religious to become martyrs, during the reign of terror that King Henry VIII inflicted upon the faithful in the Holy Mother Church of England.  When the Catholic Church refused to acknowledge the validity of his second marriage, this power hungry king tried to remove the rights of the Catholic Church and the Papacy by establishing himself as the head of the Church in England. He created  the Act of Supremacy in 1534. It was his desire to impose this new ‘law’ upon all the religious groups that were living within his kingdom.  When confronted with this new decree, the monks; realized they would need a boost of confidence; celebrated Mass; and  at the consecration of the Eucharist, witnesses saw the Blessed Sacrament elevate, and the Holy Spirit blew through the hermitage, giving the friars the courage they needed to resist the evil impositions being forced upon them. Saint John Houghton, and his fellow monks refused to sign the new decree, having been filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit, they were able to stand firm…and remain faithful to the Lord.

When  John Houghton first refused to comply, he was thrown into the Tower of London and imprisoned for a period of time. After several months of imprisonment, a compromise was reached with the king, and he added the words “as far as the law of Christ allows,” so that the religious group would agree to sign the document. But once Saint John Houghton signed the decree with the other monks joining him, King Henry changed the wording again and St. John and several of the monks were rounded up and thrown in prison once again. In 1535, they were sentenced to death by Thomas Cromwell, in which they were to be hung, drawn and quartered.

It is noted, that as the monks were taken to the place of their execution, they were still clothed in their religious habits. Even as they were hung…nearly to their death, and then  tied behind horses and drug to the gallows, they wore their robes as a sign, a quiet protest to the world….And it just so happens that St. Thomas More, who was in prison at the Tower at the time, was watching from his cell window. He could see the brave monks facing their death with courage and joy. He said to his daughter who was visiting, “Look Meg, those blessed fathers be now as cheerfully going to their deaths, as a bridegrooms to their marriage.”

Vicente_Carducho._Pinturas_para_la_cartuja_de_El_Paular._13

St. John, who had nearly been hung to death, was in his captors hands, and as they tore open his habit, revealing his chest, he exclaimed “Oh Jesus, what would You do with my heart?” Before the Saint could die, they began to cut into his body, and in a gruesome display of savagery, they began to quarter him before his body was dead. And then, in like manner, they continued to quarter the rest…

One thing that strikes me as incredibly evil, is the fact that these monks were tortured in the same way that missionaries had been killed by savage men in foreign un-Godly lands, men who had no prior knowledge of God. But the Carthusian monks had not traveled to an uncivilized world…No, they had remained in ‘a civilized’ England; which had up until a very short time before, been Catholic…And these executioners behaved in the very same as way as unbaptized heathens….cutting limbs from men before they were dead… an absolutely unthinkable act in our present day, Christian nation.

St. John and four of his brother monks were killed that day in Tyburn. They are but only the first four, in a long line that runs into the hundreds, of Catholics, who were put to a cruel death at the bloodied hands of King Henry VIII. It is quite ironic, that when the king was younger, he was a staunch supporter of the Faith, he even wrote “The Defense of the Seven Sacraments.” But when the king’s first marriage was in trouble, and he wished to dissolve the bond…a request that was subsequently refused by the Church, something in the king changed….A hatred festered in his soul, and he carried on a fight with the Holy Mother Church, for the remainder of his reign, killing those who tried to oppose him, whether they be a political enemy or not…But most especially, those who infringed upon his distorted view of the Truth.

The king went on to marry six times, murdering a wife here and there, it seems whenever he saw fit to end the ‘sacred bond’… evilness had rotted him to his very core. He is said to have suffered ill health in his later years…some historians say his mind was crazed as well, but what I find interesting is that his heart rotted…as his soul  was destroyed by his anger…and in the end, his body was covered in festering boils and it appeared that the rottenness that had eaten away his soul was ravaging his body. His last words were “Monks, monks, monks…” Perhaps, as he took his last breath, his mind, his heart…. harkened back to those dutiful monks, whom he had unjustly put to death because they loved the Lord…and they loved the Faith…and they stood firm…to their earthly ends.

Today, as we remember these brave monks, who were martyred for the Faith… for the Truth that Christ gave to us….the Truth, the Holy Church has handed down to us…Let us pray, that if we are ever faced with persecution…that we may find our courage in the Lord, pray that we may allow the Holy Spirit to enter our souls and give us the courage we need, so that we may stand firm and give our lives for the glory of God. Let us also pray that the inspiration of these heroic saints, who died on May the fourth, be with us forever….

Posted in Patron Saints, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

St. Louis de Monfort – April 28th

Posted on April 28, 2017 by mikatsa6

e0ed7ce0a1979cc6cb6353c4c46f7533


In the history of the Catholic Church, She has recognized and honored various types of saints…There are those saints who lived quietly for the Lord, never creating waves…they had a subtle servitude for God as they eked out  their way to heaven. Then there are those, who while  in their lifetime, developed a spiritual life that was in fact a ‘spiritual road’ they paved as a pathway to heaven… a road that served not only themselves…but others as well...These are the saints whose very existence needs to be celebrated and remembered by the faithful, not merely for the inspirational way they lived their lives, but for the trail towards heaven they have left for us.  These saints created a way of life … developed a means of devotion, which when followed by others, have benefited many souls, enabling others to attain their ultimate goal of heaven. One such Saint was St. Louis de Montfort.

Louis de Monfort was a pious child who was devoted to his prayer life and to the Blessed Sacrament. When he was nineteen years old, he gave away all of his possessions, choosing to live on alms and the charity of others. In Paris, he was ordained a priest and served as hospital Chaplin for some time, but his heart belonged to preaching... and more especially, to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

images.duckduckgo.com louis de monfort

“We never give more honor to Jesus than when we honor his Mother, and we honor her simply and solely to honor him all the more perfectly. We go to her only as a way leading to the goal we seek Jesus, her Son.”- St. Louis de Monfort

As writing was another of his loves, he penned a number of books that have become classic Catholic titles. Louis de Monfort is considered one of the early writers in the field of Mariology, which is the systematic studying of  the Blessed Mother, Mary, and her role in the salvation of mankind, within Catholic theology. Several of his books include: “Love of the Eternal Wisdom”, “True Devotion To The Blessed Virgin”, “The Secret of Mary“, and “The Secret of the Rosary.” Georges Rigault aptly summarized the works of Monfort, observing “Three words cover the gist of his teaching: Wisdom, the Cross, the Virgin – words which belong to each other : No Wisdom outside of the Cross and without the aid of the Virgin.”

images.duckduckgo.com de mont

According to St. Louis de Monfort, Wisdom here means “Jesus Christ, the Eternal Word of God, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, Who took flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary.” He also wrote: “To know Jesus Christ, the Eternal Wisdom, is to know enough. To know everything and not know Him is to know nothing. . . . A thousand times happier is the man into whose soul Wisdom has come to dwell. . . . To acquire Wisdom we must seek Him ardently, that is, we must be willing to abandon all, to suffer all, and to undertake all things in order to possess Him. There are but few who find Him because there are but few who seek Him in a manner worthy of Him.”

So as we celebrate the life of this great saint, we must remember how important his life was for his time…but also, for our time. Louis de Monfort  lived during a time when France was in great turmoil and he was able to convert many people to the faith by the holy way he lived.  As you read about the life of St. Louis de Monfort, you will find that he encountered one obstacle after another.

It seemed that the devil was constantly trying to prohibit this great saint from doing the Lord’s Will.  But through it all, he remained steadfast and he continually shouldered his share of crosses for God, for the Faith….for the Holy Mother Church…He developed devotions that all men could easily understand and follow, because they are so easy to understand, his books have remained popular and are still widely distributed today.  They are especially useful in gaining a deeper understanding of the vital role of the Blessed Mother in the salvation of man…We have a wonderful opportunity to unite ourselves with this great Saint and follow his path…his spiritual ways of holiness…

images.duckduckgo.com st louis

Our world is in turmoil, souls are falling away from the Truth at an alarming rate…the devil is running wild on the earth…we must follow this great saint’s example and unite ourselves to the Truth…to Christ Jesus through His Most Blessed Mother. And as St. Louis de Monfort wrote: ”

 “It is through the most holy Virgin Mary that Jesus came into the world, and it is also through her that he has to reign in the world. . . . It was through Mary that the salvation of the world was begun, and it is through Mary that it must be consummated. . . . Devotion to Our Blessed Lady is necessary for salvation. . . . He who has not Mary for his Mother has not God for his Father.”

As we make our way in this corrupt world we will encounter the snares of the devil…of that you can be certain….But remember, St. Louis de Monfort also said :

“But the power of Mary over all the devils will especially shine forth in the latter times, when Satan will lay his snares against her heel: that is to say, her humble slaves and her poor children, whom she will raise up to make war against him. They shall be little and poor in the world’s esteem . . . and persecuted as the heel is by other members of the body. But in return for this, they shall be rich in the grace of God, which Mary shall distribute to them abundantly.”

Will you join in this army of servants for the Blessed Mother?  Will you consecrate yourself for the Lord? God is calling you…He is calling each of us…All the Faithful of the Holy Church…to become saints for our own time…the path to sainthood is a road that beckons each of us…and like Louis de Monfort said of those who will heed this calling:

“They shall be the ministers of the Lord who, like a burning fire, shall kindle the fire of divine love everywhere.” And “they shall be ‘like sharp arrows in the hand of the powerful’ Mary to pierce her enemies.”

The Blessed Mother is calling….What are we waiting for? It is time to answer the call…

Posted in Catholic Feast Days, Patron Saints | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Saint Mark the Evangelist April 25th

Posted on April 26, 2017 by mikatsa6

Who Was St. Mark? | St. Mark Catholic School | Plano, TX

St. Mark was an Evangelist or one of the first Gospel writers, in fact, as St. Peter preached, St. Mark was a pioneer in Gospel writing as he wrote down what he saw and what he heard.  The people of Rome were so enthralled with St. Peter’s message, that they begged St. Mark to write about Jesus’ life. His is the shortest and oldest of the Gospels. It contains both oral and written traditions concerning the words and deeds of Jesus. He is believed to be the young man who ran away when Jesus was captured.(Mark 14: 51-52) Like St. Luke, Saint Mark was not one of the original apostles. He was born about fifteen years after Jesus. After Jesus was crucified, he began to follow St. Peter. He even traveled with him to Rome, and they became close friends, as Mark served as St. Peter’s interpreter. When St. Peter preached, he often referred to St. Mark as his son.

Mark’s gospel was written for both the Jewish and the Gentile Christians. Yet more for the Gentile audience as there are several times when he provides great detail and description of a Jewish custom, that would need no explanation if he was writing specifically to the Jewish people. The main target audience of Mark’s writing were Roman citizens who were suffering fierce persecutions under a deranged Emperor Nero.  He wished that the Roman believers would be encouraged to remain faithful during their time of trails. He presented the message of Jesus’s suffering, because he wished that once man learned of the immense sacrifice that was made for them by Jesus, that they could unite themselves to the Cross of Christ, and therefore share in His redemption.

His Gospel is a great contribution to the Church, many believed that Saint Peter’s authority stood behind the second Gospel. Some even referred to St. Mark as the ‘interpreter’ of St. Peter. Ultimately though, when St. Mark wrote this second Gospel, his intention was to proclaim the ‘Good News’ of Christ and spread Jesus’ message through the lands. He wanted to set the world on fire with love of Jesus…through all of the world’s people….He wrote the gospel to tell the world about Jesus, “Go therefore into the whole world and proclaim the good news to all creation. The man that believes and is baptized will be saved, but woe to the man who does not believe, he will be condemned.”  ( Mark 16: 15-16)

images.duckduckgo.com mark

Saint Mark the Evangelist is often pictured with a winged lion. It has become his symbol, because when he set about to write the Gospel, he started with the story of Saint John the Baptist and the description he gave to the sound of Saint John’s voice roaring like a lion in the wilderness…There is also a story, that at one time he was thrown to the lions and the lions did not attack, instead they lay at his feet, tame. The lion imagery also appeared in a vision of the Prophet Ezekiel…in which he saw four creatures representing the four evangelists. Matthew is pictured as a human, Mark as a lion, Luke appears as a bull and John is shown as an eagle. (Ezekiel 1 :10)

Saint Mark then went  and lived in Alexandria Egypt, where he founded the Church of Alexandria. It is here that his disciples spread Christianity and became the wonder of the world, known for their piety and their abandonment of earthly goods. It is here too, that St. mark set up the first Christian school, which became the fruitful mother of many renowned doctors and bishops. After living and governing in the land for many years, Saint Mark was captured one day by heathens who resented his works. They tied the saint and bound him with a rope. He was then drug through the streets of Alexandria, over the rocky roads for hours. At the end of the first day, he was still breathing so the group of heathens tossed his battered body into a prison. That night in prison he was visited by a group of angels and the voice of Jesus comforted him and gave him the courage he needed. The next morning they retrieved his battered body again tied him in ropes and continued the horrible torture of dragging his body through the streets for all to see. Saint Mark’s spirit endured until his body could no longer survive and finally, he went to enjoy his eternal reward in heaven.

His relics were translated to Venice in 466, although the Italian government returned many of the relics to Egypt in the mid 1900’s.

stmark

O Almighty God, who hast instructed thy holy Church with the heavenly doctrines of thy Evangelist Saint Mark; Give us grace, that, being not like children carried away with every blast of vain doctrine, we may be established in the truth of thy holy Gospel; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Posted in Catholic Feast Days, Daily Gospel Reading | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Divine Mercy Sunday April 23, 2017

Posted on April 23, 2017 by mikatsa6

images.duckduckgo.com divine.jpg

Since the year 2000, the Sunday following Easter has been celebrated as Divine Mercy Sunday throughout the Holy Catholic Church. It is a day for the faithful to gather together and seek God’s Mercy and forgiveness. One of the requirements to gain the indulgence is that the faithful must first obtain forgiveness through the sacrament of confession. We are then able to seek His Mercy from His most Merciful Heart. Although this particular devotion is fairly new, God’s Mercy is ageless…it is as eternal as the Lord Himself…

When speaking to Saint Faustina Jesus told her to “tell the whole world about My inconceivable mercy. I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon the souls who approach the Fount of My Mercy. On that day all the divine floodgates through which graces flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet…. Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the Fount of My Mercy.” (Diary 699)

In reading Jesus’ words to St. Faustina, one can tell that God wishes for all mankind to take refuge in His most Merciful Heart. It is His desire that we act  as steward’s of this same mercy, when dealing with one another. In order that we gain Mercy from the Lord, we must treat those around us with this same Mercy. As faithful Catholics gearing our way towards heaven…we must learn to carry our crosses…we must learn to love with a heart like Christ’s..a heart that is full of mercy and forgiveness..especially to those around us...we must become the very fount of Mercy that we seek...

One of the first prayers that we learn as children…one of the first prayers Christ taught the disciples as a way to pray to our Heavenly  Father, is the Our Father…which contains this very important message:

‘forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us’…

So, we see that Jesus’ message has always been one of mercy and forgiveness…this is nothing new…Remember, we have to turn away from what causes us to sin, we cannot just continue our sinful ways and expect God to unfold His Mercy upon us…He might…because that is just how awesome He is…but…we have a responsibility too…When Jesus encountered the adulterous woman about to be stoned…He told her that He would not condemn her…but….(and here’s the kicker…) He also told her…’Go and sin no more.’

The Catholic Church has always recognized that man is in need of God’s mercy, and that God’s mercy is abundant. One of the more popular devotions is the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It was typically the devotion that took place on the First Friday of the month as a way for the faithful to make reparations for the sins against Jesus, particularly in the Most Blessed Sacrament. It was also a way for man to seek out God’s Mercy through the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. It was given to St. Margaret Mary directly from Jesus….all the way back in 1673! But for some reason many people ignored the devotions to the Sacred Heart…And then when Vatican II moved through the Church, there were many changes in the way people worshiped…unfortunately with the air of modernism that came with this change, many priests stopped encouraging this powerful devotion…Many of the faithful felt lost, and abandoned…some even went so far as to abandon the Faith and these long held traditions of the Church….Those very devotions that had been the backbone of their forefathers, were put aside and neglected…and the faithful suffered…

SacredHeartJesus2-732233

Then during his Pontificate, Pope John Paul II felt that the time had come for the world…for God’s Faithful, to once again develop a devotion to God’s Infinite Mercy, he did this by studying the writings of St. Faustina and Jesus’ messages to her about His Divine Mercy, which had long been studied by the Church since their occurrence in 1931-1938. After careful review and consideration, he followed the wishes of Jesus as recorded by St. Faustina, and declared Divine Mercy Sunday a Feast day within the Church. His desire was that the faithful find healing to their suffering, he wanted to promote Jesus’ Heart as the Well of Mercy that it is… He felt that it would help man to focus once again on the Heart of Jesus…and the timeless nature of His Most Merciful Heart.

As a side note…contrary to the creation of the new Mercy2Earth movement…Jesus did not wish to establish the Divine Mercy as a devotion to worship the earth…Yes, I know, we have a responsibility to be good stewards of the earth. And yes, we have a responsibility to care for others; by keeping the environment safe for all. But the Corporal works of Mercy as well as the Spiritual works of Mercy are to be done out of love for neighbor…done out of charity for one another….not love of earth… and we do not dare put this stewardship of the earth on the same level as the worship and devotion that belongs to God. God’s Heart is a flaming furnace of Mercy and Love for mankind, it deserves  our honor and devotion…the world does not. The Divine Mercy Chaplet is just one way to unite ourselves to that fount of Mercy… it should not be trivialized by ‘earth -firsters’ whose desire is to take our focus off of the One Who created us…

So as we celebrate God’s Love and Mercy on this Feast of Divine Mercy…remember that both the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Merciful Heart of Jesus are one and the same…Jesus has one Heart! A heart that is full of love and mercy for all mankind…we just need to seek out His forgiveness and Mercy and it will be given…God wants to heal the suffering… the broken…the lost and the forgotten…He wants all of us to dwell in the abode of His Most Sacred and Merciful Heart….forever…

.Sacred Heart of Jesus

Posted in Catholic Feast Days | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Saint Agnes of Montepulciano April 20th

Posted on April 21, 2017 by mikatsa6

images.duckduckgo.com agnes.png

In the Tradition of the Holy Catholic Church, there are many saints who are recognized for their devotion to God, and the way they lived their Faith. Most of these saints were just like me and you…in a  lot of ways. Many of them entered into this world with nary a side wards glance from others; these were the ones whose childhood’s were very normal; they were barely distinguishable from others while they were young.

We have also read about other saints, who were not so fortunate. These were the ones whose very families considered them a burden from the moment of their birth. Yet, somehow, even with all the struggles and hardships, they were able to hear God, and follow His calling. Other times, there are special souls, who immediately hear God and follow him… even before their birth…(St. John the Baptist comes to mind)… In reality, we are all close to the Lord before we are born…Can we even begin fathom that?…In the book of Jeremiah it says “Before I knit you in your mother’s womb…I knew you...” That’s pretty intense…Anyway, of all the saints we recognize there are some who united themselves more perfectly to the Lord while still in the womb… Saint Agnes of Montepulciano was one such soul. She loved the Lord from the moment of her creation…

Agnes was born to a wealthy, noble family in Italy. At the moment of her birth lit torches appeared out of no where,flying about, they surrounded the family’s house. Lighting it up, with a light so bright, it seemed that the heavens had opened upon it. All who were in the house were covered with this celestial miracle. As the young Agnes grew, it became quite obvious to her family that indeed she was a very pious child, who relished her prayer life and simplicity. At the age of four, she would often retire to her room and spend long hours praying many Our Fathers and Hail Marys.

When she was but six years old, she began to seek her parents permission to join a convent. Not wanting to disappoint their daughter, her parents often allowed her to visit with sisters at a nearby convent. One time, on her way home from visiting the convent with her mother and several other women from the household, they were passing an area where a brothel was located. As they passed by, a large flock of crows attacked the young Agnes. After the other women were able to chase off the unruly birds, young Agnes told them that the crows were of the devil, and that they had attacked her because she was going to build a convent there when she grew up.

By the time she was nine years old, her persistence paid off, and her parents finally allowed her to join the convent. The group of sisters were called “Sacchines”. They were a very pious order, whose habits were made out of coarse sack cloth, which is where their name came from. Their austere lifestyle suited little Agnes, and filled her with much happiness. She blossomed...and by the time she was only fourteen years old, they named her ‘bursar’ of the order, which meant she was in control of the financial and practical needs of the convent. As with all of her daily tasks, Agnes performed her new role with grace and obedience. She never complained, and always managed to find the food and supplies necessary for her sisters. There were even several occasions when miracles happened, such as the multiplying of food in the pantry during particularly lean times.

It was during these years that the Blessed Mother began appearing to Sister Agnes, and she became known as a visionary. During the Blessed Mother’s first visit to Agnes, she presented the girl with three stones, which represented the Most High and Undivided Trinity. She told Agnes to use these three stones when building the convent.  When the young saint replied that she had no plans for building a convent, she was told by the Blessed Mother to keep the stones, for a future time when she did have plans.

images.duckduckgo.com agnes and Jesus

During another vision, the Blessed Mother appeared holding the Infant Jesus, whom She let Agnes hold. The young sister fell into a trance. When she awoke, she was still holding the gold cross that the Infant had been wearing, which she kept and treasured forever.

When Agnes turned fifteen, she was granted special permission by Pope Nicholas IV, to become abbess of a nearby monastery in Procena. Agnes felt unqualified to hold this position, and tried to refuse, but the Pope urged her on, and she obediently complied. When she was consecrated as abbess, small white crosses miraculously fell from the sky and were witnessed by all present. Under her gentle and humble guidance, her community flourished.

Throughout the years, everyone who met her, loved her. There were many miracles surrounding her. It is said that when she prayed, she could be seen levitating two feet in the air. Also, she had many visions in which angels brought her the Holy Eucharist. She lived an austere life and ate nothing but bread and water for fifteen years. She often slept with a stone as a pillow.

After serving in the monastery for twenty years, the residents of her hometown called her back. They requested that she build a convent in the location where the brothel had been many years before. Agnes, remembered the three stones, and used them, consecrating the convent to the Blessed Trinity. And even though she had no money, the Lord provided everything she needed. She was able to establish a new order under the Dominican Laws of prayer and penance.

Shortly after, Agnes fell extremely ill. She offered up her sufferings with grace and humility, remaining cheerful to those around her. The sisters of her convent took her to the healing waters of Chianciano. While there, a young child fell into the water and drowned. Saint Agnes prayed over the child and miraculously the child returned to life. A new well sprung up from where Agnes had been sitting, and since her death many people have found healing in its waters.

After she returned home to Montepulciano, she died peacefully on April 20th, 1317, with her sisters nearby. The tomb of her body has been the sight of many miracles. It become a sight of pilgrimage for many. It is said that one time, St. Catherine of Sienna visited the tomb, as she bent to kiss the feet of St. Agnes, the feet rose to meet St. Catherine’s lips!

In 1435 the body of the Saint was moved to Orvieto. As it was exhumed it was found to be incorrupt…there was said to be a sweet odor of perfume trickling from her feet and hands…even some fifty years later! She was canonized by Pope XIII in 1726.

saint_Agnes_Montepulciano

Saint Agnes of Montepulciano lived her life united to the Will of God from the moment of her conception. Can you imagine? We all aware of the fact that God knows us…from the very  moment we are conceived…We meet Him from our very first moment….from the very beginning of our existence…God knows us and we know Him……Saint Agnes was unique in the fact that she was able to unite herself to God so quickly…She used her freewill to follow God…I find that so amazing! Kind of makes me sad in a way too…when I think of all the times in my life when I have actively worked to separate myself from God…from His Will…I have spent so much time running from what He wants…thinking that somehow…I know better…

But, God is good...He is Awesome and even though we may flee from His calling…fight with Him like a spoiled child fights with a loving parent…He calls us back…again and again….always waiting for us to return to Him…always waiting for us to return once again to His loving embrace…

images.duckduckgo.com monte.jpg

Dear Lord, With the intercession of your Blessed Child Saint Agnes, please help me to recognize Your Will in all things. Help me to live a more austere life, so that like Saint Agnes, I may separate myself from the distractions of the world and grow to unite myself more closely with You. Amen.

Posted in Patron Saints | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Easter Sunday – Rejoice – He Is Risen

Posted on April 16, 2017 by mikatsa6

12012025134easter[1].jpg

The bells have rung…there is a chorus of Alleluias ringing in the air! The veil of darkness has been lifted…the promise of salvation is here! Christians rejoice, for it is as He said!

Jesus resurrection.jpg

 

“O Death, where is your sting? O Hell, where is your victory? Christ is risen, and you are overthrown. Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen. Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice. Christ is risen, and life reigns. Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in the grave. For Christ, being risen from the dead, is become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. To Him be glory and dominion unto ages of ages.” (St. John Chrysostom, Easter Homily)

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment