Labor day with St. Joseph the worker

A Prayer for Workers

O glorious Joseph! Who concealed your incomparable and regal dignity of custodian of Jesus and of the Virgin Mary under the humble appearance of a craftsman and provided for them with your work, protect with loving power your sons, especially entrusted to you.

You know their anxieties and sufferings, because you yourself experienced them at the side of Jesus and of His Mother. Do not allow them, oppressed by so many worries, to forget the purpose for which they were created by God. Do not allow the seeds of distrust to take hold of their immortal souls. Remind all the workers that in the fields, in factories, in mines, and in scientific laboratories, they are not working, rejoicing, or suffering alone, but at their side is Jesus, with Mary, His Mother and ours, to sustain them, to dry the sweat of their brow, giving value to their toil. Teach them to turn work into a very high instrument of sanctification as you did. Amen.

[composed by Blessed Pope John XXIII (1958-63)]

St. Augustine

"A Christian at 33, a priest at 36, a bishop at 41: many people are familiar with the biographical sketch of Augustine of Hippo, sinner turned saint. But really to get to know the man is a rewarding experience.
There quickly surfaces the intensity with which he lived his life, whether his path led away from or toward God. The tears of his mother, the instructions of Ambrose and, most of all, God himself speaking to him in the Scriptures redirected Augustine’s love of life to a life of love.

Having been so deeply immersed in creature-pride of life in his early days and having drunk deeply of its bitter dregs, it is not surprising that Augustine should have turned, with a holy fierceness, against the many demon-thrusts rampant in his day. His times were truly decadent—politically, socially, morally. He was both feared and loved, like the Master. The perennial criticism leveled against him: a fundamental rigorism.

In his day, he providentially fulfilled the office of prophet. Like Jeremiah and other greats, he was hard-pressed but could not keep quiet. “I say to myself, I will not mention him,/I will speak in his name no more./But then it becomes like fire burning in my heart,/imprisoned in my bones;/I grow weary holding it in,/I cannot endure it” (Jeremiah 20:9)." From "Saint A Day."

St. Monica

Being a mother, one of my favorite saints is St. Monica. I admire her for her unceasing prayer for her wayward son and her husband. St. Monica's prayers, by God's grace changed hearts. Her tears were redemptive and her prayers powerful. Every faithful mother's prayer is powerful. We need to believe that the words that were spoken to St. Monica by her Bishop when she pleaded through tears for help from him for her wayward son, Augustine are words that are meant for every faithful Christian mother. We must believe, trust, and never give up on hope!

From my new book, Catholic Saints Prayer Book:

Dear St. Monica, your devotion as a mother and wife and your commitment to your family, especially in your prayer for them, sets a powerful and timely example for us all. Please pray to the Blessed Trinity for me, my family, and all I hold dear so that we will be open to the graces that Our Lord in His great mercy wants to shed upon us. Help mothers and wives everywhere to know that Our Lord never turns His ear away from a mother's faithful prayers for her family. St. Monica, pray for us and for all who invoke your aid. If it is in God's holy will, please grant me (here mention your request). Amen.

From Fr. James's blog:

"Saint Monica (331-387) was the mother of one of the most celebrated converts in the history of the Catholic Church. Augustine was spiritually lost for many years and his mother shed many tears. St. Ambrose was approached one day by Monica after Mass with tears in her eyes begging the the famous bishop of Milan that he pray for the conversion of her son. "God will never deny the tears of a mother", were his consoling words to the troubled mother of the wayward son. Eventually Augustine did leave behind his life of sin and was baptized. Moreover, he became a priest and then a bishop. He is known was one of the most famous theologians of the Catholic Church.



I have been a Catholic priest for almost 21 years. Almost every family that I have known as a priest has worries and concerns about wayward children that have lost the Faith or are living immoral lives. Like Ambrose, I have seen many tears shed by many mothers and even many fathers. Parents must look to the example of St. Monica and never give up on their wayward children. Let us remember our best weapons for the conversion of sinners: prayer and penance. I am sure that Monica's struggle with Augustine gave her plenty of opportunities to become the great saint that she became."

St Rose of Lima

Yesterday was the feast of St. Rose of Lima

From the writings of St. Rose of Lima:


"Our Lord and Savior lifted up his voice and said with incomparable majesty: 'Let all men know that grace comes after tribulation. Let them know that without the burden of afflictions it is impossible to reach the height of grace. Let them know that the gifts of grace increase as the struggles increase. Let men take care not to stray and be deceived. This is the only true stairway to paradise, and without the cross they can find no road to climb to heaven.'


When I heard these words, a strong force came upon me and seemed to place me in the middle of a street, so that I might say in a loud voice to people of every age, sex and status: "Hear, O people; hear, O nations. I am warning you about the commandment of Christ by using words that came from his own lips: We cannot obtain grace unless we suffer afflictions. We must heap trouble upon trouble to attain a deep participation in the divine nature, the glory of the sons of God and perfect happiness lf soul."


That same force strongly urged me to proclaim the beauty of divine grace. It pressed me so that my breath came slow and forced me to sweat and pant. I felt as if my soul could no longer be kept in the prison of the body, but that it had burst its chains and was free and alone and was going very swiftly through the whole world saying: 'If only mortals would learn how great it is to possess divine grace, how beautiful, how noble, how precious. How many riches it hides within itself, how many joys and delights! Without doubt they would devote all their care and concern to winning for themselves pains and afflictions. All men throughout the world would seek trouble, infirmities and torments, instead of good fortune, in order to attain the unfathomable treasure of grace. This is the reward and the final gain of patience. No one would complain about his cross or about troubles that may happen to him, if he would come to know the scales on which they are weighed when they are distributed to men.'"

HT to Fr. James

The Queenship of Mary

"Pius XII established this feast in 1954. But Mary’s queenship has roots in Scripture. At the Annunciation Gabriel announced that Mary’s Son would receive the throne of David and rule forever. At the Visitation, Elizabeth calls Mary “mother of my Lord.” As in all the mysteries of Mary’s life, Mary is closely associated with Jesus: Her queenship is a share in Jesus’ kingship. We can also recall that in the Old Testament the mother of the king has great influence in court.
In the fourth century St. Ephrem called Mary “Lady” and “Queen” and Church Fathers and Doctors continued to use the title. Hymns of the eleventh to thirteenth centuries address Mary as queen: “Hail, Holy Queen,” “Hail, Queen of Heaven,” “Queen of Heaven.” The Dominican rosary and the Franciscan crown as well as numerous invocations in Mary’s litany celebrate her queenship.

The feast is a logical follow-up to the Assumption and is now celebrated on the octave day of that feast. In his encyclical To the Queen of Heaven, Pius XII points out that Mary deserves the title because she is Mother of God, because she is closely associated as the New Eve with Jesus’ redemptive work, because of her preeminent perfection and because of her intercessory power" (from "Saint a Day").

Review: Catholic Saints Prayer Book

This is from "Building the Ark"

"As much as I loved Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle's first book, I wondered if the second book could be as inspiring and engaging. Well, I am happy to report that this gifted mother and writer did not disappoint!

Again, the size and succinctness of the Catholic Saints Prayer Book is a big plus in this busy mom's life. In the midst of my day, if I'm looking for a quick biography of one of the many well-loved and well-known saints, I can easily find it in her book.

It's a little like having an address book for the soul. At a moment's notice, a quick glance down the table of contents is all you need to find the page number of the saint you want to *call*. (Oh, if only there really were phone numbers! ) Then, with her beautiful written prose, a prayer for calling on each saint for intercession.

And being a wee bit biased on all things Irish, I was thrilled to find both the male patron of Ireland--St. Patrick and his not-as-well-known female counterpart St. Brigid. This is a wonderful book to keep in a classroom or family prayer area, in your pocketbook for easy access or to loan out to a friend. Just a warning, though, if you decide to lend it out; buy a second one as a back-up because it may be a while before your friend is ready to give it and all its beauty back!

Thanks again, Donna-Marie! It's always a pleasure!"

***

Thank you very much, Jane for your very kind words. I'm glad that you are enjoying this book!

God bless and hugs,

Donna-Marie

Miracle in Chili attributed to Nicola D'Onofrio?

Santiago, Aug 1, 2008 / 10:23 am (CNA).- Maria Mercedes Correa Maldonado, a 23 year-old Chilean woman who in explicably “woke up” from cerebral palsy when she was 18, is now pregnant, in what could be the second miracle attributed to Italian seminarian Nicola D’Onofrio (1943-1964), whose cause of beatification is open in the Diocese of Rome.

Maria Mercedes suffered from grave cerebral palsy but on a March afternoon on 2003, after her mother had incessantly prayed to the Italian seminarian for his intercession, she woke up in her hospital bed in Puataendo, sat up and said, “I’m hungry.”

Inexplicable from a medical point of view, the case drew the attention of the Sons of St. Camillus, who are following D’Onofrio’s beatification process in Rome, which began in 2000.

Now, five years after her miraculous recovery, Maria Mercedes says she is experiencing a new miracle from D’Onofrio, as she has become pregnant despite doctors’ diagnoses that it would be impossible. “All the specialists who examined her came to the conclusion that she could never have any children. But now she is pregnant. It is a new miracle,” her mother said... (Continued here).

St. Martha

"Martha was born of noble and wealthy parents, but she is still more illustrious for the hospitality she gave to Christ our Lord. After His Ascension into heaven, she was seized by the Jews, together with her brother and sister, Marcella her handmaid, and Maximin, one of the seventy two disciples of our Lord, who had baptized the whole family, and many other Christians. They were put on board a ship without sails or oars, and left helpless on the open sea, exposed to certain shipwreck. But God guided the ship, and they all arrived safely at Marseilles.
This miracle, together with their preaching, brought the people of Marseilles, of Aix, and of the neighborhood to believe in Christ. Lazarus was made Bishop of Marseilles and Maximin of Aix. Magdalen, who was accustomed to devote herself to prayer and to sit at our Lord's feet, in order to enjoy the better part which she had chosen, that is, contemplation of the joys of heaven, retired into a deserted cave on a very high mountain. There she lived for thirty years, separated from all human intercourse; and every day she was carried to heaven by the angels to hear their songs of praise.

But Martha, after having won the love and admiration of the people of Marseilles by the sanctity of her life and her wonderful charity, withdrew in the company of several virtuous women to a spot remote from men, where she lived for a long time, greatly renowned for her piety and prudence. She foretold her death long before it occurred; and at length, famous for miracles, she passed to our Lord on the fourth of the Kalends of August. Her body which lies at Tarascon is held in great veneration."

Excerpted from The Liturgical Year, Abbot Gueranger O.S.B.




"He Knows My Name" blogspot expresses this about St. Martha:

"She is mentioned three times in the Bible, but most people focus on only one - when Jesus was visiting and she wanted His help in getting her sister Mary off the floor to help do the dishes. Our gracious Lord reminded her that it was a good thing to sit awhile and listen, after all they may not get that opportunity again. It doesn't tell us how she responded to that, but if you read further about her I think you'll agree that she would have taken that to heart and learnt from it. In fact, she seemed a very focused woman. She did not appear to be an emotional personality like her sister, but rather seeing things in black and white. She saw there was work to do and set about doing it believing it to be necessary at that time, though Christ teaches her otherwise. Also, she wasn't complaining about working, just that Mary also had chores to do.

Further on, Lazarus has died. Mary is a mess. When Jesus arrives, days after they had sent word to Him, Martha rebukes Him. "Lord, if you had been here my brother would not have died." She doesn't hold back, BUT, can you see what else she is saying? She BELIEVES, without a doubt,that Christ has the power to heal her brother. No faltering faith for Martha. She is convinced (remember, I said she sees everything in black and white?).
Now, if that faith statement doesn't grab you the next one must!
She continues, without taking a breath, "BUT EVEN NOW, I KNOW THAT WHATEVER YOU ASK OF GOD, GOD WILL GIVE YOU." What a woman of faith in her Lord!!
She continues on declaring Him to be "...the Christ, the Son of God..."!"

St. Bridget of Sweden

Bridget was born in Sweden in 1303. From the time she was a child, she was greatly devoted to the passion of Jesus. When she was only ten, she seemed to see Jesus on the cross and hear him say, "Look at me, my daughter." "Who has treated you like this?" cried little Bridget. "They who despise me and refuse my love for them," answered Jesus. From then on, Bridget tried to stop people from offending Jesus. When she was fourteen, she married eighteen-year-old Ulf. Like Bridget, Ulf had set his heart on serving God. They had eight children, of whom one was St. Catherine of Sweden. Bridget and Ulf served the Swedish court. Bridget was the queen's personal maid. Bridget tried to help King Magnus and Queen Blanche lead better lives. For the most part, they did not listen to her. All her life, Bridget had marvelous visions and received special messages from God. In obedience to them, she visited many rulers and important people in the Church. She explained humbly what God expected of them. After her husband died, Bridget put away her rich clothes. She lived as a poor nun. Later, she started the order of the Most Holy Savior, also known as Bridgettines. She still kept up her own busy life, traveling about doing good everywhere. And through all this activity, Jesus continued to reveal many secrets to her. These she received without the least bit of pride. Shortly before she died, the saint went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. At the shrines there, she had visions of what Jesus had said and done in that place. All St. Bridget's revelations on the sufferings of Jesus were published after her death. St. Bridget died in Rome on July 23, 1373. She was proclaimed a saint by Pope Boniface IX in 1391. May Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of the world, grant us the grace to share in his passion through a deeper spirit of repentance. (From Saint of the Day)

Review from Hawaii on my book "Catholic Saints Prayer Book"

Our family's home is filled with Catholic books, especially books on the saints. Would there be new book on the saints that would stand out? Could there really be a Catholic saints book that would be different than the ones already sitting on our book shelves?

Well, when fellow Catholic blogger and online friend Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle gave me an opportunity to read and review her book, I was briefly hesitant to accept because I believed that it would just be another ordinary saints book.

However, after reading Donna's little book recently published by Our Sunday Visitor I can honestly say that this book truly stands out.

First of all, you can see it was a work of love on Donna's part. Here is a woman who is very spiritual and who has been blessed in her life to personally know a Catholic saint, Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

Then there is the fact that the book in itself is beautiful to behold. It reminded me of the old fashioned books with the lovely designs and elegant fonts. It was not a cheap paperback but a quality hardcover book.

The book itself is tiny in size yet packed full of interesting tidbits of favorite Catholic saints. Some of my favorite saints which I found covered in the book include:

- St. Augustine
- St. Faustina
- St. Francis
- St. John Chrysostom
- St. Maximilian Kolbe
- St. Padre Pio
- St. Rita of Cascia
- St. Thomas More

Actually, it was very enjoyable reading about all the saints that were selected by Donna. I believe I learned something new on just about all the saints that I had not known before. For example, I did not know that St. Augustine started living with a woman at the age of fifteen! I also did not know that the sisters of St. Bernadette's convent treated her so harshly!!

Each saint's page contains the feast day of that particular saint, a quote from either the saint, the Catechism of the Catholic Church or from scripture, a short list of all their patronages, (what they were patron saints of)a compact yet precise outline of the saint's biography and to make each entry special, Donna included a prayer for each particular saint. The little book also contains graphics that are not usually seen. For instance, St. Ignatius of Loyola's death mask.

The first time I opened the book to read it was when my family and I were at the airport waiting for my niece and nephew to arrive. I took out the little book to read and was soon absorbed in it. Before I knew it, my husband was looking over my shoulder to read along with me and then soon our son was doing the same thing. In order to be fair we took turns reading the lovely little saints book. My husband commented that that I should always carry the book in my purse. He said it was a treasure. I thought that was an excellent suggestion and so that is what I have been doing since receiving the book.

I really hope that if you are looking for a book on the saints that will captivate your family's interest and also be a prayer book for yourself, that you will consider buying this beautiful little book.

Mahalo Donna for the opportunity to read your new book.

***

Thank you very much, Esther! Your words are very kind and your review is thorough. Someday I'd love to visit with you in Hawaii!

God bless and hugs,

Donna-Marie

PS Esther has a very beautiful Catholic blog from Hawaii. Go take a look at her Hawaiian Catholic blog, "A Catholic Mom in Hawaii" here!