The Power of the Mass

You can have an intention for each Mass that you attend (resolution of a family matter, health problem, etc., and you can have intentions for the prayers of the faithful. You can also have the Mass said for a particular intention by calling the Parish Secretary and having the Priest announce the intention at the Mass. Why? Because of the spiritual benefits that occur at the Mass.

In the "Our Father" prayer, we pray to "give us this day our DAILY bread", and the Catholic Church fulfills this with Daily Masses. This correlates exactly to Acts 2:46, where the Apostles met daily for the breaking of the bread. So take advantage of all of these spiritual blessings for YOU by attending as many daily Masses as possible. When you meet Jesus face to face, the number of Masses you attended while alive will plead loudly for your salvation!

Quotes from the Saints on the Mass

Why the Holy Mass is SO Powerful

At the hour of death the Holy Masses you have heard devoutly will be your greatest consolation.

Every Mass will go with you to Judgment and will plead for pardon for you.

By every Mass you can diminish the temporal punishment due to your sins, more or less, according to your fervor.

By devoutly assisting at Holy Mass you render the greatest homage possible to the Sacred Humanity of Our Lord. ...

Through the Holy Sacrifice, Our Lord Jesus Christ supplies for many of your negligences and omissions.

He forgives you all the venial sins which you are determined to avoid. He forgives you all your unknown sins which you never confessed. The power of Satan over you is diminished.

By piously hearing Holy Mass you afford the Souls in Purgatory the greatest possible relief.

Through Holy Mass you are preserved from many dangers and misfortunes which would otherwise have befallen you. You shorten your Purgatory by every Mass.

Through the Holy Mass you are blessed in your temporal goods and affairs.

When you hear Holy Mass devoutly, offering it to Almighty God in honor of any particular Saint or Angel, thanking God for the favors bestowed on him, etc., you afford that Saint or Angel a new degree of honor, joy and happiness, and draw his special love and protection on yourself.

Every time you assist at Holy Mass, besides other intentions, you should offer it in honor of the Saint of the day.

In holy Mass, in obedience to Christ's command, "Do this in remembrance of me," we of the Church offer perfect praise to the heavenly Father, and sanctify ourselves and the world by the power that flows from the priestly office of our eternal High Priest, Jesus Christ.

The benefits of even one holy Mass are infinite and include the whole world. The blood of the new and everlasting covenant was "shed for you and for all."

In every Mass that is offered the Church remembers before God "those who take part in this offering, those here present and all your people, and all who seek you with a sincere heart." In a special way those who have holy Mass offered and those for whom a Mass is offered partake of the grace of the Eucharistic sacrifice.

The Church which offers Mass each day includes not only the faithful on earth, but the saints in heaven, as well as the suffering souls still awaiting entrance into heaven.

It is a pious and praiseworthy custom for the faithful to have Masses offered for their particular intentions, and especially for departed friends and loved ones. It is a laudable Catholic practice when requesting Mass for a special intention to make an offering both for the support of the priest who will celebrate the Mass and to provide for the needs of the altar as well as the materials required for the holy Sacrifice.

It is very sad that so many non-Catholic Christians consider the Mass to be an abomination. It is just the opposite. It is the one-time sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross recreated, through time and space, in an unbloody fashion, just like Jesus did during the Last Supper.

QUOTES FROM THE SAINTS ON THE MASS

The Mass is the most perfect form of prayer!

Pope Paul VI

For each Mass we hear with devotion, Our Lord sends a saint to comfort us at death.

(revelation of Christ to St. Gertrude the great).

A single Mass offered for oneself during life may be worth more than a thousand celebrated for the same intention after death.

St. Anself

One Mass before death may be more profitable than many after it.

St. Leonard of Port Maurice

"The Holy Mass would be of greater profit if people had it offered in their lifetime, rather than having it celebrated for the relief of their souls after death"

Pope Benedict XV

Once, St. Teresa was overwhelmed with God's Goodness and asked Our Lord "How can I thank you?" Our Lord replied, "ATTEND ONE MASS."

Jesus Christ

"The Blessed Virgin Mary once told Her faithful servant Alain: "My Son so loves those who assist at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass that, if it were necessary He would die for them as many times as they've heard Masses."

The Virgin Mary

"When we receive Holy Communion, we experience something extraordinary - a joy, a fragrance, a well being that thrills the whole body and causes it to exalt."

Saint Jean Vianney

"If we really understood the Mass, we would die of joy."

Saint Jean Vianney

"There is nothing so great as the Eucharist. If God had something more precious, He would have given it to us."

Saint Jean Vianney

"When we have been to Holy Communion, the balm of love envelops the soul as the flower envelops the bee."

Saint Jean Vianney

"The celebration of Holy Mass is as valuable as the death of Jesus on the cross."

Saint Thomas Aquinas

"It would be easier for the world to survive without the sun than to do without Holy Mass."

St. Padre Pio, stigmatic priest

"The Mass is infinite like Jesus. . .Ask an angel what the Mass is, and he will reply to you in truth,"I understand what it is and why it is offered, but I do not, however, understand how much value it has." One angel, a thousand angels, all of Heaven know this and think like this."

St. Padre Pio, stigmatic priest

"If we only knew how God regards this Sacrifice, we would risk our lives to be present at a single Mass."

St. Padre Pio, stigmatic priest

"Renew your faith by attending Holy Mass. Keep your mind focused on the mystery that is unfolding before your eyes. In your mind's eye transport yourself to Calvary and meditate on the Victim who offers Himself to Divine Justice, paying the price of your redemption."

St. Padre Pio, stigmatic priest

"Every Holy Mass, heard with devotion, produces in our souls marvelous effects, abundant spiritual and material graces which we ourselves, do not know."

St. Padre Pio, stigmatic priest

"The heavens open and multitudes of angels come to assist in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass."

Saint Gregory

"The angels surround and help the priest when he is celebrating Mass."

Saint Augustine

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

Saint John Chrysostom

The Power of the Mass if for you! It is the sacrifice of sacrifices, because it is the sacrifice of God for US. There is NO better activity that anyone in the entire world can do than attend a Mass in the state of grace, and receive Jesus in the Eucharist. Like the Blessed Virgin Mary, we become living tabernacles of God after Communion! Through time and space, we connect with the original Last Supper (the Church does not re-sacrifice Jesus at each mass; rather, each Mass is a re-creation of the original Mass).

The Hail Mary

The Hail Mary is one of the most beautiful prayers in the world. It combines the words of the Archangel Gabriel (who is a messenger from God), the words of Elizabeth (the mother of John the Baptist, filled with the Holy Spirit in her womb), and a very powerful petition for our mother to pray for us always, especially at the hour of our death, when satan will make his most powerful attempt to deceive us one last time.

The Incarnation of Jesus Christ in Mary's womb is a very special part of the Bible, as it is the dividing line between the Old and the New Testaments. The Old Testament was the time before Jesus was on the earth, and the New Testament is the time after Jesus is on the earth. Every time we devoutly say a Hail Mary, we are recalling that very special time when the promised Messiah of the Old Testament became a reality in the New Testament. The Archangel Gabriel was last seen in the Bible in Daniel Chapter 9, when he foretold that the new Messiah would be born in "69 weeks of years", or 483 years (69 x 7). Daniel lived around 500 years before Jesus, so this prophecy was fulfilled by Mary giving birth to Jesus; Gabriel was involved not only with the prophecy, but with announcing its fulfillment.

Gabriel also used a royal greeting for Mary, when he said "Hail" ("Ave" in Latin). This term "Hail", as in "Hail Caesar" or "Hail, King of the Jews", wasn't used for peasants. It is a term used for royalty, as in the Queen of the King of Kings, or the Queen Mother of Heaven. Notice too, that Gabriel did not address her by her name of Mary, but rather by her new title - "Full of Grace" ("gratia plena" in Latin). To be "full of grace" means that there can be NO room for sin anywhere in your body or soul. And we know from Romans 6:14 that the more grace one has, the less sin one has:

Romans 6:14: For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

Gabriel, still relaying God's message to Mary (an angel is a messanger), next said to her, "The Lord is with you". This is a very powerful statement, coming before she had Jesus in her body. In other words, God had handpicked her from all women from all eternity to be the Mother of Jesus. She wasn't holy just because she had Jesus living in her for 9 months: she was already holy before that. And notice the word "is" in Gabriel's statement - not "was" or "is now, but not forever", but "IS". That means that the Lord was with Mary, and still is with Mary. How many people dismiss her as just an ordinary woman randomly chosen to be an "incubator" for Jesus. WAY TOO MANY. Mary was the very first Christian and the very first evangelist, after all.

Next in the Hail Mary, we hear the words of Elizabeth, already pregnant with John the Baptist, who, according to Luke 1:15 is filled with the Holy Spirit while still a "fetus" (warning to pro-choicers - whatever you do to the least of Jesus' brothers, including those in the womb, you do unto him). Elizabeth said "Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb", in Luke 1:42. Notice how this part of the prayer praises Jesus as well as Mary! So now we know that Mary is blessed among all women, more blessed than our own mother, who we are commanded to honor in the 4th Commandment. So if Mary is more blessed than our own mother, then how much more should we honor her, the woman chosen by God to be His living tabernacle for 9 months? And the term "among women" should also remind us of the 6th Chapter of the Song of Solomon in the Old Testament, which talks about the "fairest among women". Verses 9-10 of of Chapter 6 say the following:

"My dove, my perfect one, is only one, the darling of her mother, flawless to her that bore her. The maidens saw her and called her happy; the queens and concubines also, and they praised her. "Who is this that looks forth like the dawn, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army with banners?"

Notice these verses talk about the fairest among women being flawless (immaculately conceived and sinless), as well as "bright as the sun". "The dawn" is when the sun comes up and lights up the world, and Mary brought forth "the Son", who is the light of the world. St. John wrote a thousand years later in Revelation 12:1 about Mary being "clothed with the sun, and with the moon under her feet". And if the maidens, queens, and concubines praised her, then so should we!

And notice how Elizabeth calls Jesus "the fruit of her womb". That calls to mind other verses from the bible, like

Matthew 7:17-18: So, every sound tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears evil fruit. A sound tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.

So if Jesus if the good fruit of Mary's womb, then, according to the Bible, Mary has to be a sound tree, that is, sinless and holy. If she were sinful, then it would have been impossible for her to bear the good fruit of the sinless Jesus Christ.

The final part of the Hail Mary does not come directly from Scripture like the first two parts do. Rather, it is a petition - "Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen." Students of this prayer will realize that we are only asking Mary to pray for us, which is intercessory prayer, lauded by St. Paul in 1 Timothy 2:1. Non-Catholics sometimes mistakenly believe that we are praying to Mary as if she were some kind of stand-alone goddess, but that is because they are ignorant of Catholic teachings. The word "pray" only means to ask, as in "Pray tell, what are you doing?" In Genesis 19:2, Lot said this to 2 angels:

"My lords, turn aside, I pray you, to your servant's house and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you may rise up early and go on your way."

And besides that, God has always chosen to use people for his intermediaries, whether it's Abraham, Moses, Jacob, Joseph, Isaiah, Elijah, Peter, Paul, or Mary. Jesus is the one mediator between God the Father and man, but Mary's role is to cooperate in that and lead us to Jesus, who then shows us The Father. This is no different than your spouse or your pastor leading your Jesus, who then leads us to The Father.

But, some will say, "Mary is dead and can't hear our prayers", and she doesn't know what's going on down here on earth. But that is totally unbiblical. In Luke 20:38, Jesus says that "

God is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for ALL live to Him. "

The Bible also says in

Luke 15:7:Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

Now if dead Christians are in heaven, then they must know what is going on down here if they are rejoicing over our turning away from sin. After all, Paul says in Hebrews 12:1 that they are our WITNESSES!

Saints who have died and have gone to heaven are one with Christ, and are partakers in His divine nature. They are no longer separate individuals, but they are ONE WITH CHRIST.

1 Corinthians 6:17: But he who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.

2 Peter 1:4: by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, that through these you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of passion, and become partakers of the divine nature.

So therefore, we know that Mary and Jesus were one body and blood while on earth, because Jesus was inside of Mary's womb, and we also know that in heaven she is one spirit with him, and she is a partaker of His divine nature. Why would any Christian hesitate to ask for such a holy person's intercession, like James says in James 5:16:

Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects.

No, the real "Bible Christian" not only accepts Mary as his mother (John 19:27 and Revelation 12:17) because we want to have Jesus as our brother, but he/she will always ask for her very powerful prayers and intercessions to her Son. Just as the King of Israel, Solomon, could not refuse the Queen Mother (Bathsheeba) anything (1 Kings 2:20), just so, Solomon's successor on the throne of Israel, the King of Kings, Jesus, will not refuse the Queen Mother of Heaven (Revelation 12) anything. Just look at how Jesus obeyed her when the wedding feast ran out wine at Cana, even though it was not yet His time (John 2:4)!

Catholics agree completely with Gabriel. Hail Full of Grace! The Lord IS with you!

7 days with ANGELS

St. Gabriel is the bearer of God's secret messages to His chosen ones. He is the Angel who announced to the Blessed Virgin Mary God's plan for her to be the Mother of His Son, Jesus (Luke 1:19). He was also the Angel who foretold to Daniel the end of the world. (Dan. 8:19; 9:21).

Reflections

1) How faithful am I in bringing God's message of love to the people as St. Gabriel brought faithfully and promptly the message of love incarnate to the Blessed Virgin Mary?
2) How attentive am I in listening to God's words and voice as He talks to me in my everyday life?
3) Am I following the footsteps of Jesus and am I ready to carry the cross that He has given me?
4) Do I project God's love to others by my exemplary life?

Novena to St. Michael and the Archangels

St. Gabriel, Holy Archangel, you, who are known as the bearer of God's secrets meant especially for His chosen ones, we, God's children, are constantly keeping watch on God's message. Through your powerful intercession, may we receive God's words and messages so that together with Mary, our Blessed Mother, we may give glory and praise to Him. May we also radiate God's love to others by our exemplary deeds. O, St. Gabriel, obtain for us the grace and present to God the Father the following requests _________ through Jesus Christ our Lord together with the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

St. Raphael is the Archangel of the Christian's journey to heaven. He is assigned by God to accompany us along the way of our pilgrimage in search of the treasures of real happiness which God has in store for all His children. He also gives the light to discern correctly God's ways and protects us from the dangers that befall us on our way to our heavenly home. As his name Raphael connotes, "medicine of God," he is the Angel that brings good health and abundant provisions during our journey. (Tob. 8:3; 12:15).

Reflections

1) Am I aware that my life here on earth is a pilgrimage to heaven?
2) During my journey, do I contemplate the past and prepare myself for tomorrow to meet my God?
3) Do I prefer to gain material riches than that of the upliftment of my soul in anticipation of the divine judgment of God?
4) Do I pray for others who are at present dying or sick aside from myself?

Novena to the Archangels

O Great Archangel, St. Raphael, you have been appointed by God to become our healer and to guide us in our earthly pilgrimage to our home in heaven. We beg you to assist us in all our undertakings and in all the trials and pains of this earthly life. We pray for constant good health both physically, mentally and spiritually. We beseech you to guide always our steps that we shall walk with confidence towards our journey, and enlighten us with our doubts generated by intellectual pride and wordly ambitions. St. Raphael, please present to God the following petitions _________ through Jesus Christ our Lord together with the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

St. Uriel, with the weighing scale in his hand, reminds us of divine justice that weighs according to its true worth whatever good we do and whatever doings we commit in relation to God, to our neighbors or to ourselves, both as individuals and as a community of nations. He also reminds us of the terrible judgment of God upon the world for the human pride and godlessness with which human affairs are conducted. These are now fast bringing mankind towards the throes of its own destruction. (Book of Henoch and IV Esd. 4, 1).

Reflections

1) Do I love God above all persons and things?
2) How do I deal with God's commandments?
3) Do I treat others justly?
4) Do I help those who are victims of injustices?

Novena to the Archangels

O Illustrious St. Uriel, the Archangel of God's Divine Justice, as you hold the heavenly scales that weigh our lives on earth, we ask you to intercede for us, that God may forgive us all our sins. Obtain for us the grace of true repentance and conversion of heart that we may be spared of the punishment we deserve. Offer our prayers to God in our search for true peace and happiness founded on truth and justice. We pray for those who are suffering of inhumanities, dying because of injustice and the oppressed due to manipulation and exploitation. We also pray for our less fortunate brothers and ourselves for the following intentions _________.

Present to God the Father all these petitions through Jesus Christ our Lord together with the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

St. Sealtiel continually stands before God, with incenser in hand in unceasing adoration of the Most Holy Trinity. As the Archangel of contemplation and worship, his angelic purity transforms the love and worship which we mortals give to God. We need St. Sealtiel's powerful intercession before God's throne to overcome the evils of hedonism in our day. May the evils of drug addition, sex exploitation and abortion become things of discredited past. May endless hymns of praise rise from all peoples as they chant in union with the Heavenly Choirs of Angels, in perpetual thanksgiving for God's bountiful blessings. He is known to be the angel who stopped Abraham from killing his son Isaac as a sacrifice. (Gen. 22:12)

Reflections

1) Do I take time to pray and reflect during some moments of the day?
2) Do I praise and thank God for every blessing in my life?
3) Do I pray with filial trust and confidence in God?
4) Do I make my life prayer of praise and thanksgiving?

Novena to the Archangels

O Pure and Holy Archangel St. Sealtiel, you bow before the Almighty Lord offering angelic salutations of praise and thanksgiving. Guide us in our prayer. Like you, we would like to unceasingly pray and worship God the right way. May our lives be like incense pleasing to God. While awaiting for the inevitable time of separation frmo this material world, may we praise the Holy Trinity in the spirit of true love and humility throughout the days of our life in eternity. Obtain for us these favors _________ and present to God the Father all these petitions through Jesus Christ our Lord together with the Holy Spirit forever and ever.
Amen.

God's mercy comes to us every moment of our lives. Without it, we would die. With it, God provides us the graces we need for our bodies. Mercy is God's love helping us fight the temptations of life and obtain forgiveness for our sins. Mercy is grace for bodily and spiritual needs. Mercy is God Himself through the merits of Jesus Christ bringing us back to our Heavenly Home.

Reflections

1) How do I show mercy to others?
2) Do I easily forgive those who have sinned against me?
3) Do I extend a helping hand to those who are in need of my help without expecting any reward in return?
4) Do I share God's blessings to my less fortunate brothers and sisters?

Novena to the Archangels

O Merciful Archangel, St. Jhudiel dispenser of God's eternal and abundant mercy. Because of our sinfulness, we do not deserve God's forgiveness. Yet, He continually grants us forbearance freely and lovingly. Help us in our determination to overcome our sinful habits and be truly sorry for them. Bring each one of us to true conversion of heart, that we may experience the joy of reconciliation which it brings, without which neither we as individuals, nor the whole world can know true peace. You who continually intercedes for us, listen to our prayers _________ and present to God the Father all these petitions through Jesus Christ our Lord together with the Holy Spirit forever and ever.
Amen.

Through the merits of Our Lord Jesus Christ, His passion, death and resurrection, all His disciples are brought to a transforming union with Him. Through His transformation in love, the soul becomes Christ-like. As such, every Christ-like soul becomes, by adoption, the child of the Father. St. Barachiel is the Archangel who was assigned by God to keep watch over His adopted children, taking care that He and the Choirs of Angels assigned to the task guard these transformed souls in all their ways, bearing them up in their hands, "lest they dash their feet against the stone on their way to their heavenly home." (Psalm 91, 12)

Reflections

1) Do I realize that to be Christlike means to follow God's commandments?
2) How do I grow in the qualities of Christ called virtues?
3) Do I pray to my Guardian Angel?
4) Does his presence remind me of God's protection and care?

Novena to the Archangels

O Powerful Archangel, St. Barachiel, filled with heaven's glory and splendor, you are rightly called God's benediction. We are God's children placed under your protection and care. Listen to our supplications __________ grant that through your loving intercession, we may reach our Heavenly Home one day.

Sustain us and protect us from all harm that we may posses for all eternity the peace and happiness that Jesus has prepared for us in heaven.

Present to God the Father all these petitions through Jesus Christ our Lord together with the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.


St. Michael is the Commander-in-Chief of all the hierarchies of the Heavenly Hosts. He is usually known as the Angel who defeated Lucifer and his followers in the first rebellion of creatures against God. By his battlecry: "Mi-ca-El" which means "Who is like unto God?", he was named Michael. He is the first defender of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Mystery of the Incarnation. He is usually associated with the miracles manifesting the almighty power of God with the Blessed Virgin Mary. (Dan. 10:12; 12:1; Apoc. 12:7).

Reflections

1) How strong is my faith in God?
2) Do I firmly believe that He constantly watches me in all my undertakings?
3) Do I reject sin and all the works, promises and influence of Satan?
4) Do I commit myself faithfully to Jesus Christ by serving and loving my neighbors?

Novena to the Archangels

O Mighty Prince of the Heavenly Hosts, St. Michael, we beg you to protect and defend us in ll struggles against the everyday temptations in this world. Help us to overcome all evils and strengthen us, that we may declare our faith in and loyalty to the Most High so that together with all the angels and saints in heaven we may glorify the Lord. St. Michael, please intercede for us together with the Blessed Virgin Mary, and obtain for us the following requests __________.

Present to God the Father all these petitions through Jesus Christ our Lord together with the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

LIFE OF A SAINT

St. Therese, "the little flower"

Therese Martin was the last of nine children born to Louis and Zelie Martin on January 2, 1873, in Alencon, France. However, only five of these children lived to reach adulthood. Precocious and sensitive, Therese needed much attention. Her mother died when she was 4 years old. As a result, her father and sisters babied young Therese. She had a spirit that wanted everything.

At the age of 14, on Christmas Eve in 1886, Therese had a conversion that transformed her life. From then on, her powerful energy and sensitive spirit were turned toward love, instead of keeping herself happy. At 15, she entered the Carmelite convent in Lisieux to give her whole life to God. She took the religious name Sister Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face. Living a hidden, simple life of prayer, she was gifted with great intimacy with God. Through sickness and dark nights of doubt and fear, she remained faithful to God, rooted in His merciful love. After a long struggle with tuberculosis, she died on September 30, 1897, at the age of 24. Her last words were the story of her life: "My God, I love You!"

The world came to know Therese through her autobiography, "Story of a Soul". She described her life as a "little way of spiritual childhood." She lived each day with an unshakable confidence in God's love. "What matters in life," she wrote, "is not great deeds, but great love." Therese lived and taught a spirituality of attending to everyone and everything well and with love. She believed that just as a child becomes enamored with what is before her, we should also have a childlike focus and totally attentive love. Therese's spirituality is of doing the ordinary, with extraordinary love.

Therese saw the seasons as reflecting the seasons of God's love affair with us. She loved flowers and saw herself as the "little flower of Jesus," who gave glory to God by just being her beautiful little self among all the other flowers in God's garden. Because of this beautiful analogy, the title "little flower" remained with St. Therese.

Her inspiration and powerful presence from heaven touched many people very quickly. She was canonized by Pope Pius XI on May 17, 1925. Had she lived, she would have been only 52 years old when she was declared a Saint.

"My mission - to make God loved - will begin after my death," she said. "I will spend my heaven doing good on earth. I will let fall a shower of roses." Roses have been described and experienced as Saint Therese's signature. Countless millions have been touched by her intercession and imitate her "little way." She has been acclaimed "the greatest saint of modern times." In 1997, Pope John Paul II declared St. Therese a Doctor of the Church - the only Doctor of his pontificate - in tribute to the powerful way her spirituality has influenced people all over the world.

The message of St. Therese is beautiful, inspiring, and simple. Please visit the areas in this section of the Web site to learn more about this wonderful Saint.

Novena to St. Francis of Assisi

NINE DAYS OF PRAYER IN ANY NECESSITY PETITIONING THE AID OF SAINT FRANCIS Prepared by the Franciscan Friars, T.O.R. A PRAYER FOR PEACE (To be said after every day's Novena)

Lord,
make me an instrument of peace
Where there is hatred,
Let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master grant that I may
Not so much seek to be consoled
As to console;
To be understood,
As to understand;
For it is in giving that we
Receive, it is in pardoning that
We are pardoned.
And it is in Dying that we are
Born to Eternal life.

DAY 1

O God, come to my assistance.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You know all things and nothing is hidden from You. In Your mercy and kindness, and through the intercession of Saint Francis, come to my aid in my present distress and grant my humble petition (mention your request). Amen.

Your offering today: Show your humility by doing a good deed for someone today.

Conclude with the Prayer for Peace (top of page)

DAY 2

Hear me O Lord, and have pity on me.

Prayer: Father in heaven, Your love for us never falters in spite of our transgressions and failures. Please show Your mercy for me in my difficulty (mention your request). Through the intercession of St. Francis and for the sake of Christ, Our Savior, have pity on me. Amen.

Your offering today: See the suffering Christ in someone around you.

Conclude with the Prayer for Peace (top of page)

DAY 3

Lord, be not far from me.

Prayer: Loving Father, You are not far from any of us since in You we live, move and have our being. Increase my awareness of Your presence and through the intercession of Saint Francis take care of my pressing need (mention your request). Amen.

Your offering today: Throughout the day, give your cares to the Lord.

Conclude with the Prayer for Peace (top of page)

DAY 4

Make Your ways known to me, O Lord.

Prayer: Father Almighty, Your ways and purpose are often hidden from us. Guide me now and through the intercession of Saint Francis of Assisi, I beg You, in my sorrow, and by Your power, to let me know Your will regarding my special need (mention your request). Amen.

Your offering today: Consider today how you can do God's will.

Conclude with the Prayer for Peace (top of page)

DAY 5

O Lord grant safety to those who long for it.

Prayer: In You Heavenly Father, I confidently place my trust. In your hands, I leave all my anxieties with faith in Your care for me. From You, and through the intercession of Saint Francis of Assisi, I await relief from my present distress (mention your request). Amen.

Your offering today: For God's sake, help some person whom you may not like.

Conclude with the Prayer for Peace (top of page)

DAY 6

O Lord, do not chastise me with Your anger.

Prayer: Merciful Father, You know my weakness and disobedience. Yet, You are ever ready to forgive and be gracious to me in my trouble. In Christ's name and through the intercession of Saint Francis of Assisi quickly come to help me (mention your request). Amen.

Your offering today: Banish from your mind and tongue unkind words and thoughts today.

Conclude with the Prayer for Peace (top of page)

DAY 7

The Lord is a stronghold in times of distress.

Prayer: Father in Heaven, You never reject those who seek Your help and are ever ready to comfort the sorrowful. Through the intercession of Saint Francis and in Christ's name, I emplore You to have pity on me in my needs (mention your request), and to rescue me from all afflictions. Amen.

Your offering today: In imitation of Christ and St. Francis, do good to those who may dislike you.

Conclude with the Prayer for Peace (top of page)

DAY 8

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.

Prayer: Your goodness, Heavenly Father, responds speedily to our sorrow. In my distress I call upon You to hear and answer my prayers (mention your request). In You, O God, I will continue to trust despite everything. I ask this request in Christ's name and through the intercession of Saint Francis of Assisi. Amen.

Your offering today: Help someone you know who is in need of your friendship and support.

Conclude with the Prayer for Peace (top of page)

DAY 9

The Lord will set me free and rescue me because He loves me.

Prayer: Gracious Father, I will thank You each day for Your merciful goodness to me. With Your help I will ever praise Your kindness in my trouble. Please assist me now as I faithfully follow Christ, my Savior, and call upon the friendship and intercession of Saint Francis of Assisi, by granting my petition (mention your request). Amen.

Your offering today: In gratitude, be good to others today.

Conclude with the Prayer for Peace (top of page)

I believe in Angels

Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they were defeated and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world -- he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

-- Revelation 12:7-9 [RSV]

Collect:
God our Father,
in a wonderful way you guide the work of angels and men.
May those who serve you constantly in heaven
keep our lives safe from all harm on earth.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

First Reading: Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14
As I looked, thrones were placed and one that was ancient of days took his seat; his raiment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames, its wheels were burning fire. A stream of fire issued and came forth from before him; a thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened.

I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

Or: Revelation 12:7-12ab
Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they were defeated and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world--he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. Rejoice then, O heaven and you that dwell therein!

Gospel Reading: John 1:47-51
Jesus saw Nathana-el coming to him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!" Nathana-el said to him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." Nathana-el answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" Jesus answered him, "Because I said to you, I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You shall see greater things than these." And he said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man."

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Angels are not like the other saints on the Church's calendar who were all human beings. Angels are celestial beings created on a higher order than man. They are completely spiritual beings; they have intelligence and will; they are personal and immortal creatures. Angels are the servants and messengers of God -- in fact, this is what the word "angel" means. Several different kinds (or ranks) of angels are mentioned in the Bible: angels, archangels, cherubim, seraphim, thrones, choirs, dominions, principalities, and powers.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (328-336) summarizes the Church's teaching on the nature and office of angels in the hierarchy of God's creation.

The feast of Saint Michael, one of the seven archangels of Scripture, originated in the sixth century. It was known, in English, as "Michaelmas", and this name lives on in a wildflower, a white aster with many small star-like flowers, that blooms in late September, known as the Michaelmas daisy.

Recently two other of the archangels named in scripture, Gabriel and Raphael, are also honored on this day.

Michael the archangel, whose name in Hebrew means "Who is like God?", is revered as the leader of the angelic army who will conquer Satan and his armies of demons, and is considered the defender of the Church. Michael is more often represented in art thank any other angelic being. He is often shown wearing armor, in the act of slaying the great Dragon of the Apocalypse [Satan] in Revelation 12:7-9.

The archangel Gabriel, whose name in Hebrew means "Strength of God", announced the birth of John the Baptist to Zachariah, and soon after, announced to Mary that she was to become the mother of Our Lord. His address to her, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee" (the "angelic salutation") is familiar to all who say the Rosary.

The archangel Raphael, whose name means medic or ointment of God, is mentioned by name in the Old Testament book of Tobit (Tobias), whom the angel aided by healing him of blindness and guiding him on his travels.

The angels that appear in Scripture are never described as having wings. In fact, in several passages, the people who are visited by angels do not realize these messengers from On High are not ordinary men until it is revealed later.

In the Book of Revelation, winged beings who otherwise look like men are described as surrounding the throne of God. Thus, in early paintings angels are shown with wings -- sometimes very colorfully feathered. In medieval paintings, angels are often shown wearing liturgical vestments of deacons. The idea that angels wear white robes comes from the white albs worn by deacons that appear in these paintings. In some paintings, especially of the Nativity of Christ, the angels who adore the infant are clad in elaborate liturgical vestments, including embroidered copes (large capes). But the worshipping angels are never dressed as priests -- Christ alone is the High Priest. The infant Jesus in these paintings is shown with no clothing at all: he is "clothed in his own flesh".

Prayers to the Archangels and a classic child's prayer to a Guardian Angel appear below (The prayer to Saint Michael is given in English, Latin and Spanish).

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Holy Angels - excerpt from the Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy

213. With the clear and sober language of catechesis, the Church teaches that "the existence of the spiritual, non-corporeal beings that Sacred Scripture usually calls 'angels' is a truth of faith. The witness of Scripture is as clear as the unanimity of Tradition"(280).

Tradition regards the angels as messengers of God, "potent executives of his commands, and ready at the sound of his words" (Ps 103, 20. They serve his salvific plan, and are "sent to serve those who will inherit salvation" (Hb 1, 14).

214. The faithful are well aware of the numerous interventions of angels in the New and Old Covenants. They closed the gates of the earthly paradise (cf. Gen 3,24), they saved Hagar and her child Ishmael (cf. Gen 21, 17), they stayed the hand of Abraham as he was about to sacrifice Isaac (cf. gen 22, 7), they announce prodigious births (cf. Jud 13, 3-7), they protect the footsteps of the just (cf. Ps 91, 11), they praise God unceasingly (cf. Is 6, 1-4), and they present the prayer of the Saints to God (cf. Ap 8, 34). The faithful are also aware of the angel's coming to help Elijah, an exhausted fugitive (cf. 1 Kings 19, 4-8), of Azariah and his companions in the fiery furnace (cf. Dan 3, 49-50), and are familiar with the story of Tobias in which Raphael, "one of the seven Angels who stand ever ready to enter the presence of the glory of God" (cf. Tb 12, 15), who renders many services to Tobit, his son Tobias and his wife Sarah.

The faithful are also conscious of the roles played by the Angels in the life of Jesus: the Angel Gabriel declared to Mary that she would conceive and give birth to the Son of the Most High (cf. Lk 1, 26-38), and that an Angel revealed to Joseph the supernatural origin of Mary's conception (cf. Mt 1, 18-25); the Angels appear to the shepherds in Bethlehem with the news of great joy of the Saviour's birth (cf. Lk 2, 8-24); "the Angel of the Lord" protected the infant Jesus when he was threatened by Herod (cf. Mt 2, 13-20); the Angels ministered to Jesus in the desert (cf. Mt 4, 11) and comforted him in his agony (Lk 22, 43), and to the women gathered at the tomb, they announced that he had risen (cf. Mk 16, 1-8), they appear again at the Ascension, revealing its meaning to the disciples and announcing that "Jesus ...will come back in the same way as you have seen him go" (Acts 1, 11).

The faithful will have well grasped the significance of Jesus' admonition not to despise the least of those who believe in him for "their Angels in heaven are continually in the presence of my Father in heaven" (Mt 10, 10), and the consolation of his assurance that "there is rejoicing among the Angels of God over one repentant sinner" (Lk 15, 10). The faithful also realize that "the Son of man will come in his glory with all his Angels" (mt 25, 31) to judge the living and the dead, and bring history to a close.

215. The Church, which at its outset was saved and protected by the ministry of Angels, and which constantly experiences their "mysterious and powerful assistance"(281), venerates these heavenly spirts and has recourse to their prompt intercession.

During the liturgical year, the Church celebrates the role played by the Holy Angels, in the events of salvation(282) and commemorates them on specific days: 29 September (feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael), 2 October (the Guardian Angels). The Church has a votive Mass dedicated to the Holy Angels whose preface proclaims that "the glory of God is reflected in his Angels"(283). In the celebration of the sacred mysteries, the Church associates herself with the angelic hymn and proclaims the thrice holy God (cf. Isaiah 6, 3)(284) invoking their assistance so that the Eucharistic sacrifice "may be taken [to your] altar in heaven, in the presence of [...] divine majesty"(285). The office of lauds is celebrated in their presence (cf. Ps 137, 1)(286). The Church entrusts to the ministry of the Holy Angels (cf. Aps 5, 8; 8, 3) the prayers of the faithful, the contrition of penitents(287), and the protection of the innocent from the assaults of the Malign One(288). The Church implores God to send his Angels at the end of the day to protect the faithful as they sleep(289), prays that the celestial spirits come to the assistance of the faithful in their last agony(290), and in the rite of obsequies, invokes God to send his Angels to accompany the souls of just into paradise(291) and to watch over their graves.

216. Down through the centuries, the faithful have translated into various devotional exercises the teaching of the faith in relation to the ministry of Angels: the Holy Angels have been adopted as patrons of cities and corporations; great shrines in their honour have developed such as Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy, San Michele della Chiusa in Piemonte and San Michele Gargano in Apulia, each appointed with specific feast days; hymns and devotions to the Holy Angels have also been composed.

Popular piety encompasses many forms of devotion to the Guardian Angels. St. Basil Great (+378) taught that "each and every member of the faithful has a Guardian Angel to protect, guard and guide them through life"(292). This ancient teaching was consolidated by biblical and patristic sources and lies behind many forms of piety. St. Bernard of Clarivaux (+1153) was a great master and a notable promoter of devotion to the Guardian Angels. For him, they were a proof "that heaven denies us nothing that assists us", and hence, "these celestial spirits have been placed at our sides to protect us, instruct us and to guide us"(293).

Devotion to the Holy Angels gives rise to a certain form of the Christian life which is characterized by:

• devout gratitude to God for having placed these heavenly spirits of great sanctity and dignity at the service of man;
  
• an attitude of devotion deriving from the knowledge of living constantly in the presence of the Holy Angels of God;- serenity and confidence in facing difficult situations, since the Lord guides and protects the faithful in the way of justice through the ministry of His Holy Angels.Among the prayers to the Guardian Angels the Angele Dei(294) is especially popular, and is often recited by families at morning and evening prayers, or at the recitation of the Angelus.

217. Popular devotion to the Holy Angels, which is legitimate and good, can, however, also give rise to possible deviations:

• when, as sometimes can happen, the faithful are taken by the idea that the world is subject to demiurgical struggles, or an incessant battle between good and evil spirits, or Angels and daemons, in which man is left at the mercy of superior forces and over which he is helpless; such cosmologies bear little relation to the true Gospel vision of the struggle to overcome the Devil, which requires moral commitment, a fundamental option for the Gospel, humility and prayer;
  
• when the daily events of life, which have nothing or little to do with our progressive maturing on the journey towards Christ are read schematically or simplistically, indeed childishly, so as to ascribe all setbacks to the Devil and all success to the Guardian Angels. The practice of assigning names to the Holy Angels should be discouraged, except in the cases of Gabriel, Raphael and Michael whose names are contained in Holy Scripture.

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Pope John Paul II urges revival of the Prayer to Saint Michael

The Prayer to the Archangel Michael was composed by Pope Leo XIII (d. 1903) after he had a vision of the battle between the "Woman clothed with the sun" and the great dragon who tried to devour her child at birth, in the Book of Revelation, chapter 12. In 1886, the pope decreed that this prayer be said at the end of "low" Mass (not "high", or sung Masses) thoughout the universal Church, along with the Salve Regina (Hail, Holy Queen); and the practice of the congregation praying these prayers at the end of Mass continued until aout 1970.

In 1994, during the International Year of the Family, Pope John Paul II asked all Catholics to pray this prayer daily. He warned that the fate of humanity was in great peril (in particular because of the U.N. Population Conference to be held in Cairo that year). Though he did not order that the prayer be said after Mass, he urged Catholics to pray together to overcome the forces of darkness and evil in the world.

In his Angelus message given in St. Peter's Square, Sunday, April 24 1994, shortly before the United Nations Conference in Cairo, the pope spoke of "the Woman clothed with the sun", who appeared in Saint John's apocalyptic vision, with the dragon about to devour her newborn child (Rev 12:1-4). The Holy Father said that in our time "all the accumulated threats to life" are placed before woman, and we must "address the Woman clothed with the sun" to overcome these snares. In this message he encouraged the revival of the prayer to Saint Michael:

"May prayer strengthen us for the spiritual battle of which we are told in the Letter to the Ephesians: 'Draw strength from the Lord and from His mighty power' (Ephesians 6:10). It is this same battle to which The Book of Revelation [Apocalypse] refers, recalling before our eyes the image of Saint Michael the Archangel (cf. Revelation 12:7). Pope Leo XIII certainly had a very vivid vision of this scene when, at the end of the last century, he introduced a special prayer to Saint Michael throughout the Church. Even if this prayer is no longer recited at the end of every Mass, I ask everyone to remember it and to recite it to obtain help in the battle against forces of darkness and against the spirit of this world."

A Prayer to Saint Michael
Saint Michael, Archangel, defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness
and snares of the Devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
And do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host,
by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all the other evil spirits who prowl about the world
seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

-- Pope Leo XIII
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Saint Gabriel
Blessed Saint Gabriel, Archangel
We beseech thee to intercede for us at the throne of divine mercy:
As thou didst announce to Mary the mystery of the Incarnation,
so through thy prayers may we receive strength of faith and
courage of spirit, and thus find favor with God and redemption through Christ Our Lord.
May we sing the praise of God our Savior with the angels and saints in heaven
forever and ever. Amen.

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Saint Raphael
Blessed Saint Raphael, Archangel,
We beseech thee to help us in all our needs and trials of this life,
as thou, through the power of God, didst restore sight and give guidance to young Tobit.
We humbly seek thine aid and intercession,
that our souls may be healed,
our bodies protected from all ills,
and that through divine grace we may be made fit
to dwell in the eternal Glory of God in heaven. Amen.

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Child's Prayer to Guardian Angel
[link to: Guardian Angels - October 2]

Angel of God, my guardian dear,
To whom His love commits me here,
Ever this day be at my side,
To light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen

A Sermon of Pope Saint Gregory
From the Third Nocturn of Matins of the feast of Saint Michael the Archangel

We speak of nine orders of Angels, because we know, by the testimony of Holy Scripture, that there are the following: Angels, Archangels, Virtues, Powers, Principalities, Dominations, Thrones, Cherubim and Seraphim. It must be realized that "Angel" is the name of their office, not of their nature. For the holy Spirits of the heavenly homeland are always Spirits, but they cannot always be called Angels; they are Angels only when they are announcing something. Those who announce less important things are called Angels, and those who announce the highest things are called Archangels. And so not any Angel but the Archangel Gabriel was sent to Mary; for this ministry, it was fitting to have the highest Angel, since he was to announce the greatest news of all. These Archangels are also given special names to describe their particular virtue. For Michael means "Who is like to God?" Gabriel means "Strength of God," and Raphael "Medicine of God."

Whenever something is to be done needing great power, Michael is sent forth so that from his action and his name we may understand that no one can do what God can do. Hence that old enemy who through pride desired to be like God is shown at the end of the world, left to his own strength and about to undergo the final punishment, as destined to fight with Michael the Archangel, as John says, "There was a battle with Michael the Archangel." Similarly, Gabriel was sent to Mary; he who is called "Strength of God" came to announce Him who deigned to appear in humility to conquer the powers of the air. And Raphael is interpreted, as we said, "Medicine of God," for when he touched the eyes of Tobias to do the work of healing, he dispelled the "night of his blindness."

Thoughts from St. John Marie Vianney

Thoughts from St. John Marie Vianney

ON THE HOLY MASS:

All Good Works together are not of equal value with the sacrifice of the Mass, because they are the works of men, and the holy Mass is the work of God. Martyrdom is nothing in comparison; it is the sacrifice that man makes of his life to God; the Mass is the sacrifice that God makes to man of His Body and of His Blood. Oh, how great is a priest! if he understood himself he would die. . . . God obeys him; he speaks two words, and Our Lord comes down from Heaven at his voice, and shuts Himself up in a little Host. God looks upon the altar. “That is My well-beloved Son, ” He says, “in whom I am well-pleased. ” He can refuse nothing to the merits of the offering of this Victim. If we had faith, we should see God hidden in the priest like a light behind a glass, like wine mingled with water.

If someone said to us, “At such an hour a dead person is to be raised to life, ” we should run very quickly to see it. But is not the Consecration, which changes bread and wine into the Body and Blood of God, a much greater miracle than to raise a dead person to life? We ought always to devote at least a quarter of an hour to preparing ourselves to hear Mass well; we ought to annihilate ourselves before God, after the example of His profound annihilation in the Sacrament of the Eucharist; and we should make our examination of conscience, for we must be in a state of grace to be able to assist properly at Mass. If we knew the value of the holy Sacrifice of the Mass, or rather if we had faith, we should be much more zealous to assist at it.

ON THE BLESSED SACRAMENT: (St. John Vianney was known to sometimes in the pulpit, wishing to preach on the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, get so choked up that he could hardly speak and would, with tears, point to the tabernacle and say: “There He is!” and that is all he could say. )

We should consider those moments spent before the Blessed Sacrament as the happiest of our lives. Our Lord is hidden there, waiting for us to come and visit Him, and make our request to Him. See how good He is! He accommodates Himself to our weakness. In Heaven, where we shall be glorious and triumphant, we shall see him in all His glory. If He had presented Himself before us in that glory now, we should not have dared to approach Him; but He hides Himself, like a person in a prison, who might say to us, “You do not see me, but that is no matter; ask of me all you wish and I will grant it. “

He is there in the Sacrament of His love, sighing and interceding incessantly with His Father for sinners. To what outrages does He not expose Himself, that He may remain in the midst of us! He is there to console us; and therefore we ought often to visit Him. How pleasing to Him is the short quarter of an hour that we steal from our occupations, from something of no use, to come and pray to Him, to visit Him, to console Him for all the outrages He receives! When He sees pure souls coming eagerly to Him, He smiles upon them. They come with that simplicity which pleases Him so much, to ask His pardon for all sinners, for the outrages of so many ungrateful men.

What happiness do we not feel in the presence of God, when we find ourselves alone at His feet before the holy tabernacles! “Come, my soul, redouble thy fervour; thou art alone adoring thy God. His eyes rest upon thee alone. ” This good Saviour is so full of love for us that He seeks us out everywhere.

ON THE PRIESTHOOD:

The priest is not a priest for himself; he does not give himself absolution he does not administer the Sacraments to himself. He is not for himself, he is for you. After God, the priest is everything. Leave a parish twenty years without priests; they will worship beasts. If the missionary Father and I were to go away, you would say, “What can we do in this church? there is no Mass; Our Lord is no longer there: we may as well pray at home. ” When people wish to destroy religion, they begin by attacking the priest, because where there is no longer any priest there is no sacrifice, and where there is no longer any sacrifice there is no religion. If I were to meet a priest and an angel, I should salute the priest before I saluted the angel. The latter is the friend of God; but the priest holds His place.

ON OUR LADY:

The heart of this good Mother is all love and mercy; she desires only to see us happy. We have only to turn to her to be heard. The Son has His justice, the Mother has nothing but her love. God has loved us so much as to die for us; but in the heart of Our Lord there is justice, which is an attribute of God; in that of the most Holy Virgin there is nothing but mercy. Her Son being ready to punish a sinner, Mary interposes, checks the sword, implores pardon for the poor criminal. “Mother, ” Our Lord says to her, “I can refuse you nothing.”

The Ave Maria is a prayer that is never wearisome. The devotion to the Holy Virgin is delicious, sweet, nourishing. When we talk on earthly subjects or politics, we grow weary; but when we talk of the Holy Virgin, it is always new. All the saints have a great devotion to Our Lady; no grace comes from Heaven without passing through her hands. We cannot go into a house without speaking to the porter; well, the Holy Virgin is the portress of Heaven.

When we have to offer anything to a great personage, we get it presented by the person he likes best, in order that the homage may be agreeable to him. So our prayers have quite a different sort of merit when they are presented by the Blessed Virgin, because she is the only creature who has never offended God. The Blessed Virgin alone has fulfilled the first Commandment–to adore God only, and love Him perfectly. She fulfilled it completely.

ON CONFESSION:

My children, we cannot comprehend the goodness of God towards us in instituting this great Sacrament of Penance. If we had had a favour to ask of Our Lord, we should never have thought of asking Him that. But He foresaw our frailty and our inconstancy in well-doing, and His love induced Him to do what we should not have dared to ask. If one said to those poor lost souls that have been so long in Hell, “We are going to place a priest at the gate of Hell: all those who wish to confess have only to go out, ” do you think, my children, that a single one would remain? The most guilty would not be afraid of telling their sins, nor even of telling them before all the world. Oh, how soon Hell would be a desert, and how Heaven would be peopled!

ON PRAYER:

See my children; the treasure of a Christian is not on the earth, it is in Heaven. Well, our thoughts ought to be where our treasure is. Man has a beautiful office, that of praying and loving. You pray, you love–that is the happiness of man upon the earth. Prayer is nothing else than union with God. When our heart is pure and united to God, we feel within ourselves a joy, a sweetness that inebriates, a light that dazzles us. In this intimate union God and the soul are like two pieces of wax melted together; they cannot be separated. This union of God with His little creature is a most beautiful thing. It is a happiness that we cannot understand.

Quotes from St. John Vianney

Ave Maria Meditations

I love You, O my God! And my only desire is to love You until the last breath of my life. I love You, O my infinitely loveable
God and I would rather die loving you than live without loving You.

I love You, Lord, and the only grace I ask is to love You eternally…my God, if my tongue cannot say in every moment that I love You, I want my heart to repeat it to you as often as I draw breath.

Saint John Marie Vianney Quotes on The Blessed Virgin Mary

• “To serve the Queen of Heaven is already to reign there, and to live under her commands is more than to govern.”
• “Only after the Last Judgment will Mary get any rest; from now until then, she is much too busy with her children.”
• “Christian wife! Follow in the footsteps of the ideal of all womanhood, the Blessed Mother of God; in joy and in sorrow, she will be your advocate at the throne of her Son.”
• “Jesus Christ, after having given us all he could give, that is to say, the merit of his toils, his sufferings, and bitter death; after having given us his adorable body and blood to be the food of our souls, willed also to give us the most precious thing he had let, which was his holy Mother,”
• “When our hands have touched spices, they give fragrance to all they handle. Let us make our prayers pass through the hands of the Blessed Virgin. She will make them fragrant.”
  

Saint John Marie Vianney Quotes on The Blessed Sacrament

“We should consider those moments spent before the Blessed Sacrament as the happiest of our lives.”

• “The soul hungers for God, and nothing but God can satiate it. Therefore He came to dwell on earth and assumed a Body in order that this Body might become the Food of our souls,”
• “When we go before the Blessed Sacrament, let us open our heart; our good God will open His. We shall go to Him; He will come to us; the one to ask, the other to receive. It will be like a breath from one to the other.”
• “The many wonders of creation can only fill us with astonishment and admiration. But when we speak of the most holy Eucharist we can say that here is to be found the miracle of divine love for us…. Has there been, or will there ever be, a nobler or more magnanimous love than that which He has shown us in the sacrament of love?”
• “I throw myself at the foot of the Tabernacle like a dog at the foot of his Master.”
• “If we could comprehend all the good things contained in Holy Communion, nothing more would be wanting to content the heart of man. The miser would run no more after his treasures, or the ambitious after glory; each would shake off the dust of the earth, leave the world, and fly away towards heaven,”
• “All the good works in the world are not equal to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass because they are the works of men; but the Mass is the work of God. Martyrdom is nothing in comparison for it is but the sacrifice of man to God; but the Mass is the sacrifice of God for man.”
• “Without the Holy Eucharist there would be no happiness in this world; life would be insupportable. When we receive Holy Communion, we receive our joy and our happiness. The good God, wishing to give Himself to us in the Sacrament of His Love, gave us a vast and great desire, which He alone can satisfy. In the presence of this beautiful Sacrament, we are like a person dying of thirst by the side of a river — he would only need to bend his head; like a person still remaining poor, close to a great treasure — he need only stretch out his hand. He who communicates loses himself in God like a drop of water in the ocean. They can no more be separated,”
• “Upon receiving Holy Communion, the Adorable Blood of Jesus Christ really flows in our veins and His Flesh is really blended with ours.”
• “What does Jesus Christ do in the Eucharist? It is God who, as our Savior, offers himself each day for us to his Father’s justice. If you are in difficulties and sorrows, he will comfort and relieve you. If you are sick, he will either cure you or give you strength to suffer so as to merit Heaven. If the devil, the world, and the flesh are making war upon you, he will give you the weapons with which to fight, to resist, and to win victory. If you are poor, he will enrich you with all sorts of riches for time and eternity. Let us open the door of his sacred and adorable Heart, and be wrapped about for an instant by the flames of his love, and we shall see what a God who loves us can do. O my God, who shall be able to comprehend?”
• “When we go before the Blessed Sacrament, let us open our heart; our good God will open His. We shall go to Him; He will come to us; the one to ask, the other to receive. It will be like a breath from one to the other.”
• “Our Lord is hidden there, waiting for us to come and visit him and ask him or what we want. He is there, in the Sacrament of his love, sighing and interceding unceasingly for sinners before God his Father. He is thereto console us … See how good he is! He adapts himself to our weakness… In heaven where we shall be triumphant and glorious, we shall see him in all his glory; if he had appeared before us now in glory, we should not have dared to approach him; but he hides himself like one in prison, saying to us, ‘You do not see me, but that does not matter; ask me for all you want, and I will grant it you.’”
• “All the good works in the world are not equal to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass because they are the works of men; but the Mass is the work of God. Martyrdom is nothing in comparison for it is but the sacrifice of man to God; but the Mass is the sacrifice of God for man.”
• “If we could comprehend all the good things contained in Holy Communion, nothing more would be wanting to content the heart of man. The miser would run no more after his treasures, or the ambitious after glory; each would shake off the dust of the earth, leave the world, and fly away towards heaven.”

LITANY FOR ALL PRIESTS

Let us pray for the Holy Father,

Cardinals, Archbishops, and Bishops,

Diocesan priests,

Priests in seminary work,

Priests in hospital work,

Priests who are ill,

Priests in danger,

Priests who are weak,

Priests who are poor,

Priests who are zealous,

Priests who want to love you,

Priests who are sad,

Priests who are worried,

Priests who are old,

Priests who are young,

Priests who are alone,

Missionary priests,

Priest who are preachers,

Priests who direct souls,

Parish priests,

Religious priests,

Priests and religious who have died,

Of all the Church, militant and suffering,

For all priests,

Give them respect for their dignity.

Give them a great love for Mary.

Give them rectitude and justice.

Give them the gift of counsel.

Fill him with your graces, Lord

Give them Your gifts, Lord

Never leave them, Lord

Give them Your wisdom, Lord

Give them constancy, Lord

Heal them, Lord

Deliver them, Lord

Strengthen them, Lord

Relieve them, Lord

Help them, Lord

Enkindle their hearts, Lord

Console them, Lord

Give them peace, Lord

Sustain them, Lord

Impel them for Your glory, Lord

Accompany them, Lord

Protect them, Lord

Enlighten them, Lord

Instruct them, Lord

Give them prudence, Lord

Make them perfect, Lord

Bring them to glory, Lord

Lord, have mercy

For all Priests,

Give them peace in their sufferings.

Give them humility and generosity.

Let them be the light of souls.

Let them be the salt of the earth.

Let them practice sacrifice and self-denial.

Let them enkindle hearts with love of Mary.

Let them be other Christs.

Let them be holy in body and soul.

May they be men of prayer.

May faith shine forth in them.

May they be concerned only for the salvation of souls.

May they be faithful to their priestly vocation.

May their hands know only how to bless.

May they burn with love for you and for Mary.

May all their steps be for the glory of God.

May the Holy Spirit possess them, and give them His gifts and fruits in abundance.

Let us pray:

O God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. You are the soul and life of the Church. Hear the prayers we offer for priests. We ask this through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, their protector and guide. Amen.

The Saint of the Impossible!

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	| Saint Rita | Saint of the Impossible

The Life of Saint Rita

For centuries St. Rita of Cascia (1381-1457) has been one of the most popular saints in the Catholic Church. She is known as the "Saint of the Impossible" because of her amazing answers to prayers, as well as the remarkable events of her own life.

St. Rita wanted to become a nun, but in obedience to her aged parents, she married. Her husband caused her much suffering, but she repaid his cruelty with prayer and kindness. In time he was converted, becoming considerate and God-fearing. But St. Rita was to undergo another great sorrow when her husband was murdered.

St. Rita then found that her two sons were entertaining thoughts of avenging their father's murder. She feared they would put their desires into effect in accord with the evil custom of the Vendetta. With heroic love for their souls, she begged God to take them from this life rather than allow them to commit this great sin. Not long afterward they both died, after preparing themselves to meet God.

Bereft of spouse and children, St. Rita devoted herself to prayer, penance and works of charity. After a time she applied for admittance to the Augustinian Convent in Cascia. She was refused, but after praying to her three special patron saints – St. John the Baptist, St. Augustine and St. Nicholas of Tolentino – she miraculously entered the convent and was allowed to remain. This took place around the year 1411.

In the convent, St. Rita's life was marked by great charity and severe penances. Her prayers obtained for others remarkable cures, deliverance from the devil and other special favors from God.

So that she might share in the pain of His Crown of Thorns, Our Lord gave St. Rita a thorn wound in her forehead. It was very painful and gave off a disagreeable odor, yet she considered it a very great grace. She prayed, "O loving Jesus, increase my patience according as my sufferings increase." The wound lasted the rest of her life.

St. Rita died on May 22, 1457 at the age of 76. People flocked to the convent to pay their last respects. Innumerable miracles took place through her intercession, and devotion to her spread far and wide.

St. Rita's body was preserved perfectly in corrupt for several centuries, and at times it gave off a sweet fragrance. At the beatification ceremony, the body of the Saint raised itself up and opened its eyes.

God has heard St. Rita's prayers for others on countless occasions, and certainly she will gladly intercede once again, on behalf of those who pray to her now – thus continuing to perceive the truth of her great name:

Prayer to Saint Rita

O HOLY PATRONESS of those in need, St. Rita, whose pleadings before thy Divine Lord are almost irresistible, who for thy lavishness in granting favors hast been called the Advocate of the Hopeless and even of the Impossible; St. Rita, so humble, so pure, so mortified, so patient and of such compassionate love for thy Crucified Jesus that thou could obtain from Him whatsoever thou asked, on account of which all confidently have recourse to thee, expecting, if not always relief, at least comfort; be propitious to our petition, showing thy power with God on behalf of thy suppliant; be lavish to us, as thou hast been in so many wonderful cases, for the greater glory of God, for the spreading of thine own devotion, and for the consolation of those who trust in thee. We promise, if our petition is granted, to glorify, thee by making known thy favor, to bless and sing thy praises forever. Relying then upon thy merits and power before the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we pray thee grant that (here mention your request).

Obtain for us our request

By the singular merits of thy childhood,

Bv thy perfect union with the Divine Will,

By thy heroic sufferings during thy married life,

By the consolation thou didst experience at the conversion of thy husband,

By the sacrifice of thy children rather than see them grievously offend God,

By thy miraculous entrance into the convent,

By thy severe penances and thrice daily bloody scourging,

By the suffering caused by the wound thou didst receive from the thorn of thy Crucified Saviour,

By the divine love which consumed thy heart,

By that remarkable devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, on which alone thou didst exist for four years,

By the happiness with which thou didst part from thy trials to join thy Divine Spouse,

By the perfect example thou gravest to people of every state of life.

Pray for us, O holy St. Rita, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray

O GOD, Who in Thine infinite tenderness hast vouchsafed to regard the prayer of Thy servant, Blessed Rita, and dost grant to her supplication that which is impossible to human foresight, skill and efforts, in reward of her compassionate love and firm reliance on Thy promise, have pity on our adversity and succor us in our calamities, that the unbeliever may know Thou art the recompense of the humble, the defense of the helpless, and the strength of those who trust in Thee, through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen.