Young pilgrims, Christ needs you to enlighten the world and to show it the “path to life” ( Psalm 16 ) The challenge is to make the Church’s “yes” to Life concrete and effective. The struggle will be long, and it needs each one of you. Place your intelligence, your talents, your enthusiasm, your compassion and your fortitude at the service of life !
At this stage of history, the liberating message of the Gospel of Life has been put into your hands. And the mission of proclaiming it to the ends of the earth is now passing to your generation.
The Church needs your energies, your enthusiasm, your youthful ideals, in order to make the Gospel of Life penetrate the fabric of society, transforming people’s hearts and the structures of society in order to create a civilization of true justice and love.
You young people .. know that the Truth is more powerful than darkness; that Love is stronger than death. I would like to invite each of you to listen careful to God’s voice in your heart. Listen to his voice. Do not be afraid.
Let nothing Disturb you, Let nothing frighten you, All things are passing. God does not change. Patience wins all things. For God alone suffices.
Accustom yourself continually to make many acts of love for they enkindle and melt the soul.
May today bring you inner peace. May you be content knowing you are a child of God. Let God’s presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us.
Trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that, we to whom the Incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an Angel, may by His Passion and Cross, be brought to the glory of His Resurrection. Through the same Christ our Lord.
In 1992, Jesuit Father John Hardon gave a series of exceptional talks on Columbus for the 500th anniversary of the Catholic discovery of America. He brought to light many vital facts overlooked or ignored by secular historians.
“The underlying motive of Columbus’ historic voyage was the conversion of those who did not know Christ as the living Son of God and son of Mary,” stressed Father Hardon. “Throughout the log, Columbus makes it clear he and his men are sailing across the Atlantic to spread the good news of salvation and convert the natives to Christianity.”
Columbus was deeply devoted to Our Lady. His writings disclose childlike dependence on her. He named his flagship the Santa Maria — Holy Mary. A favorite prayer was “May Jesus with Mary be with us on the way.” For safety in a storm he promised his first act of thanksgiving on returning home would be a pilgrimage to the shrine of Santa María de Guadalupe in southern Spain.
“I will not allow myself to be so absorbed in the whirlwind of work as to forget about God.I will spend all my free moments at the feet of the Master hidden in the Blessed Sacrament.”
“Suffering is a great grace; through suffering the soul becomes like the Savior; in suffering love becomes crystallized;
“He who knows how to forgive prepares for himself many graces from God. As often as I look upon the cross, so often will I forgive with all my heart.”
“’My daughter, have fear of nothing; I am always with you. All your adversaries will harm you only to the degree that I permit them to do so. You are my dwelling place and my constant repose. For your sake I will withhold the hand which punishes; for your sake I bless the earth.’”
It was through his archangel, Saint Gabriel, that the Father above made known to the holy and glorious Virgin Mary that the worthy, holy and glorious Word of the Father would come from heaven and take from her womb the real flesh of our human frailty. Though he was wealthy beyond reckoning, he still willingly chose to be poor with his blessed mother. And shortly before his passion he celebrated the Passover with his disciples. Then he prayed to his Father saying: Father, if it be possible, let this cup be taken from me.
Let us produce worthy fruits of penance. Let us also love our neighbors as ourselves. Let us have charity and humility. Let us give alms because these cleanse our souls from the stains of sin. Men lose all the material things they leave behind them in this world, but they carry with them the reward of their charity and the alms they give. For these they will receive from the Lord the reward and recompense they deserve.
We must not be wise and prudent according to the flesh. Rather we must be simple, humble and pure. We should never desire to be over others. Instead, we ought to be servants who are submissive to every human being for God’s sake. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on all who live in this way and persevere in it to the end. He will permanently dwell in them. They will be the Father’s children who do his work. They are the spouses, brothers and mothers of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Saint Francis
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the Saint and his Friars
Personal Poverty: Francis emphasized radical poverty, humility, and simplicity, and he respected the official sacramental and liturgical practices of the Catholic Church.
St. Francis of Assisi viewed the sacred liturgy—especially the Eucharist and the Divine Office—as the central source of spiritual life, radical devotion, and apostolic action.
Franciscan Order: Modern and historical Franciscans note that incense symbolizes prayers rising to God (Psalm 141), a tradition embraced by Franciscan friars in liturgical worship.
Reverence for the Eucharist: Francis held an intense, personal awe for Christ’s real presence. He urged priests and brothers to treat chalices, altars, corporals, and the consecrated host with utmost cleanliness and precious care
Holiness consists simply in doing God’s will and being just what God wants us to be.
If I did not simply live from one moment to another, it would be impossible for me to be patient; but I only look at the present, I forget the past, and I take good care not to forestall the future.
I learned from experience that joy does not reside in the things about us but in the very depths of the soul.
Miss no single opportunity of making some small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, there by a kindly word; always doing the smallest right and doing it all for love.
“Let us affectionately love His angels as counselors and defenders appointed by the Father and placed over us. They are faithful; they are prudent; they are powerful; Let us only follow them, let us remain close to them, andin the protection of the God of heaven let us abide.”
~ St Bernard of Clairvaux
The only true riches are those that make us rich in virtue. Therefore, if you want to be rich, beloved, love true riches. If you aspire to the heights of real honor, strive to reach the kingdom of Heaven. If you value rank and renown, hasten to be enrolled in the heavenly court of the Angels.
~ St Gregory the Great
Invisibly, through the ministry of angels, the Spirit of God, whom even the mind’s eye cannot see, baptizes into himself both our souls and bodies, giving us a new birth.
~ Didymus of Alexandria
“I am Rafael, one of the seven angels who stand and serve before the Glory of the Lord … A king’s secret should be kept secret, but one must declare the works of God and give thanks with due honor. Do good, and evil will not overtake you.”
