In my opinion we shall never completely know ourselves  if we don't strive to know God.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila.  The Interior Castle - chapter 1 : 2 : 9

On a certain occasion, the Lord said to me, "I am more deeply wounded by the small imperfections of chosen souls than by the sins of those living in the world".

It made me very sad that chosen souls make Jesus suffer, and Jesus told me, "These little imperfections are not all. I will reveal to you a secret of My Heart: what I suffer from chosen souls. Ingratitude in return for so many graces is My Heart's constant food, on the part of a chosen soul. Their love is lukewarm, and My Heart cannot bear it; these souls force Me to reject them. Others distrust My goodness and have no desire to experience that sweet intimacy in their own hearts, but go in search of Me, off in the distance, and do not find Me. This distrust of My goodness hurts Me very much. If My death has not convinced you of My love, what will? Often a soul wounds Me mortally, and then no one can comfort Me. They use My graces to offend Me. There are souls who despise My graces as well as all the proofs of My love. They do not wish to hear My call, but proceed into the abyss of hell. The loss of these souls plunges Me into deadly sorrow. God though I am, I cannot help such a soul because it scorns Me; having a free will, it can spurn Me or love Me. You, who are the dispenser of My mercy, tell all the world about My goodness, and thus you will comfort My Heart".   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA.  (Diary No.580)

"We should strive to keep our hearts open to the sufferings  of other people, and pray continually that God may grant us that spirit of compassion which is truly the spirit of God."   --Saint Vincent de Paul

“Remember that God is in us when we are in the state of grace and outside of us, so to speak, when we are in a state of sin; but his angel never abandons us. He is our most sincere and faithful friend when we do not make the mistake of saddening him with our wicked conduct.”  St. Pio of Pietrelcina.  ( G. Del Ton – Il Buon Pastore, 205 )

The devil writes down our sins - our Guardian Angels all our merits. Labor that the Guardian Angel's book may be full, and the devil's empty.   - St. John Vianney

"O sinner, be not discouraged, but have recourse to Mary in all your necessities. Call her to your assistance, for such is the divine Will that she should help in every kind of necessity."   -Saint Basil the Great

You know well enough that Our Lord does not look so much at the greatness of our actions, nor even at their difficulty, but at the love with which we do them.     St. Theresa of Lisieux

“The major difference between human beings is not in what happens to them, but in how they react to what happens.  Blindness makes some bitter; other, like Helen Keller, it makes apostles of inspiration.”  Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Thoughts for Daily Living)

“ Alas, daughter, how few there are who truthfully love me, I would reveal to them my secrets. Do you know what it is to love Me truthfully ? It is to understand that everything that is to displeasing to me is a lie.”   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila    The Book of Her Life - chapter 40 : 1

“No man is delivered or preserved from the worldwide snares of Satan save through Mary; and God grants His graces to no one except through her alone.”    - St. Germanus

“It is a great grace to be able to serve this good God when youth renders one susceptible to everything. Oh how this offering, by which one offers the first fruits of the tree, is appreciated. And what can restrain you from making a total offering of your entire self to the good God, by deciding, once and for all, to give the world, the devil and the flesh a kick, as our god-parents did for us in a determined manner when they held us at Baptism? Perhaps the Lord does not deserve this further sacrifice from you?”  St. Pio of Pietrelcina.  ( Letters III, p.422 )

Write: before I come as a just Judge, I first open wide the door of My mercy. He who refuses to pass through the door of My mercy must pass through the door of My justice...    WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA   (Diary 1146).

“God speaks in the silence of the heart, and we listen. And then we speak to God from the fullness of our heart, and God listens. And this listening and this speaking is what prayer is meant to be…”
Saint Teresa  of Calcutta

"What happiness do we not feel in the Presence of God, when we are alone at His feet before the Sacred Tabernacle!....Redouble your fervour; you are alone to adore your God; His eyes rest on you alone" - St John Vianney.

Pope St. Damasus, “Decree of Damasus”, 382 A.D.: “It has been said: We must first treat of the sevenfold Spirit, which reposes in Christ, the Spirit of wisdom:Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God[1 Cor. 1:24]. The Spirit of understanding: I will give thee understanding, and I will instruct thee in this way, in which thou shalt go[Ps. 31:8]. The Spirit of counsel:And his name shall be called angel of great counsel[ Is. 9:6: LXX]. The Spirit of power (as above):The power of God and the wisdom of God [1 Cor. 1:24]. The Spirit of knowledge: on account of the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus the apostle[Eph. 3:19]. The Spirit of truth:I am the way and the life and the truth[ John 14:6]. The Spirit of fear [of God]:The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom[Ps. 110:10] . . . [ there follows an explanation of the various names of Christ:Lord, Word, Flesh, Shepherd, etc.] . . . For the Holy Spirit is not only the Spirit of the Father or not only the Spirit of the Son, but the Spirit of the Father and of the Son. For it is written:If anyone love the world, the Spirit of the Father is not in him[1 John 2:15; Rom. 8:9]. Likewise it is written:Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his [Rom. 8:9]. When the Father and the Son are mentioned in this way, the Holy Spirit is understood, of whom the Son himself says in the Gospel, that the Holy Spirit proceedeth from the Father[John 15:26], andhe shall rec eive of mine and shall announce it to you[ John 16:14.]” (from the acts of the Roman Synod, in the year 382)

"Happiness can only be achieved by looking inward & learning to enjoy whatever life has and this requires transforming greed into gratitude." St. John Chrysostom (347-407)

“I wish you a new heart and an entirely new love for Him who loves us unceasingly and as tenderly as if He were just beginning to love us: all the delights of God are ever new and full of sweetness because He never changes.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

“Much remains to be done to support those whose lives are wounded and to restore hope to those who are afraid of life. Courage is needed to resist pressures and false slogans, to proclaim the supreme dignity of all life, and to demand that society itself give it its protection. A distinguished American, Thomas Jefferson, once stated: ‘The care of human life and happiness and not their destruction is the just and only legitimate object of good government’ -March 31, 1809. I wish therefore to praise all the members of the Catholic Church and other Christian Churches, all men and women of the Judeo-Christian heritage, as well as all people of good will who unite in common dedication for the defense of life in its fullness and for the promotion of all human rights.” (Pope St. John Paul II, Homily in Washington, D.C., October 7, 1979)

"Without special help from ME, you are not even capable of accepting My graces. You know who you are."   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA.  (Diary 738)

We must pray without tiring, for the salvation of mankind does not depend on material success; nor on sciences that cloud the intellect. Neither does it depend on arms and human industries, but on Jesus alone. St. Frances Xavier Cabrini

Let us run to Mary and as her little children cast ourselves into her arms with perfect confidence – St. Francis de Sales

“There is no reason to marvel at God's granting such sublime and strange gifts to souls He decides to favor. If we consider that He is God and that He bestows them as God, with infinite love and goodness, it does not seem unreasonable. For He declared that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit would take up their abode in those who love him by making them live the life of God and dwell in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit”.  -St John of the Cross - “The Living Flame of Love” - Prologue, Section 2

Death is an affirmation of the purpose of life in an otherwise meaningless existence.  The world could carry on its God-less plan if there were no death. What death is to an individual that catastrophe is to civilization – the end of its wickedness. This is a source of anguish to the modern mind, for not only must human beings die, but the world must die. Death is a negative testimony to God’s power in a meaningless world for by it God brings meaningless existence to naught. Because God exists, evil cannot carry on its wickedness indefinitely. If there were no catastrophe, such as the Apocalypse reveals, at the end of the world the universe would then be the triumph of chaos. Death proves also that life has meaning because it reveals that the virtues and goodness practiced within time do not find their completion except in eternity. Archbishop Fulton Sheen (The Power of Love)

“If a priest is determined not to lose his soul,” he exclaimed, “so soon as any disorder arises in the parish, he must trample underfoot all human considerations as well as the fear of the contempt and hatred of his people. He must not allow anything to bar his way in the discharge of duty, even were he certain of being murdered on coming down from the pulpit. A pastor who wants to do his duty must keep his sword in hand at all times. Did not St. Paul himself write to the faithful of Corinth: ‘I most gladly will spend and be spent myself for your souls, although loving you more, I be loved less.'” - St John Vianney.

God's mercy makes me feel safe.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila.  The Book of Her Life - chapter 38 : 7

"Unless souls are saved, nothing is saved; there can be no world peace unless there is soul peace. World wars are only projections of the conflicts waged inside the souls of men and women, for nothing happens in the external world that has not first happened within a soul."

- Fulton Sheen, Peace of Soul

 While I was feeling really desolate, the Lord said to me, “Don't you know that I am mighty ? What do you fear ?”   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila.  The Book of Her Life - chapter 36 : 16

“We must become accustomed to the sufferings which Jesus will be pleased to send us. Jesus, who cannot bear to keep you in a state of affliction at length, will come to help and comfort you, by instilling new courage in your spirit.”  St. Pio of Pietrelcina  ( A. del Fante – Per la storia, 561 )

Mary remains ever the path that leads to Christ.  - Blessed Pope Paul VI

“Sacrifice yourselves for sinners and say many times, especially when you make some sacrifice: ‘O Jesus, it is for Thy love, for the conversion of sinners and in reparation for sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.”   - Our Lady of Fatima

What prayer could be more true before God the Father than that which the Son, who is Truth, uttered with His own lips? St JohnChrysostom

"We must always choose the most perfect. Two good works present themselves to be done, one in favour of a person we love, the other in favour of a person who has done us some harm. Well, we must give preference to the latter." - St. John Vianney.

They who really love You, my God, walk safely on a broad and royal road. They are far from the precipice. Hardly have they begun to stumble when You, Lord, give them Your hand.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila    The Book of Her Life - chapter 35 : 14

"The conflict with Hell cannot be maintained by men, even the most clever. The Immaculata (Mother Mary) alone has from God the promise of victory over Satan" St. Maximillian Kolbe (1894-1941)

At three o'clock, implore My mercy, especially for sinners; and, if only for a brief moment, immerse yourself in My Passion, particularly in My abandonment at the moment of agony. This is the hour of great mercy for the whole world. I will allow you to enter into My mortal sorrow. In this hour, I will refuse nothing to the soul that makes a request of Me in virtue of My Passion....WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA.   (Notebook-VI-1320)

Pope St. Sylvester I: “Now could it possibly happen that the sun be smote or sliced, which otherwise encompasses the axe and the tree? So therefore in Christ, his body indeed is the tree, the axe His passion, the sun is His Godhead. Christ suffered [endured His Passion], without His Divinity suffering any diminution on account of his Passion. [Latin: Num fieri potest ut sol feriatur aut caedatur, qui caeteroquin securim et arborem prorsus circumambit? Sic igitur in Christo, corpus quidem est arbor, securis passio, sol est divinitas. Passus est Christus, quin divinitas diminutionem ullam propter passionem perpessa est.]” (Fragment quoted by Migne, PL.)

"If you have too much to do, with God's help you will find time to do it all" St. Peter Canisius (1521—1597)

If I want my interior city to have some similarity and likeness to that “of the King of eternal ages” and to receive this great illumination from God, I must extinguish every other light and, as in the holy city, the Lamb must be “its only light.”   -St. Elizabeth of the Trinity   Last Retreat, Fourth Day

“O name of Mary! Joy in the heart, honey in the mouth, melody to the ear of Her devout clients!”    - St. Anthony of Padua

“There are such sublime joys and such deep sufferings that words cannot express them. Silence is the last resort of the soul in ineffable joy as in extreme oppression.”   St. Pio of Pietrelcina ( A. Serritelli, Notizie su P. Pio,43 )

God is waiting for us, like a father in the parable, with open arms, even though we don't deserve it.   St. Josemaria Escriva

”If devotion to the Blessed Virgin is necessary for all men simply to work out their salvation, it is even more necessary for those who are called to a special perfection. I do not believe that anyone can acquire intimate union with our Lord and perfect fidelity to the Holy Spirit without a very close union with the most Blessed Virgin and an absolute dependence on her support.”   Saint Louis Marie de Montfort. True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary

“It was said of St. Catherine Labouré that some sort of electric current [existed] between Catherine and humble people, between her and children. Those who were puzzled or embarrassed went to her as if she were a beloved granny, a staunch member of the household – but would later leave the ‘old lady’ when they had learnt to fly with their own wings.”   - St. Vincent de Paul

I know well that the greater and more beautiful the work is, the more terrible will be the storms that rage against it. -St. Faustina

“Jesus had said in one of His parables: ‘The Kingdom of Heaven may be compared to a king who gave a marriage feast for his son’ (Mt 22:2). The Eucharist is the sacramental anticipation and, in a certain sense, a ‘foretaste’ of that royal feast which the Book of Revelation calls ‘the marriage supper of the Lamb’ (cf. Rev 19:9). The bridegroom who is at the center of that marriage feast and of its Eucharistic foreshadowing and anticipation is the Lamb who ‘took away the sins of the world,’ the Redeemer.” — Pope St. John Paul II

"...So, you will ask me, who then are the people most tempted? They are these, my friends; note them carefully. The people most tempted are those who are ready, with the grace of God, to sacrifice everything for the salvation of their poor souls, who renounce all those things which most people eagerly seek. It is not one devil only who tempts them, but millions seek to entrap them...." - St John Vianney.

“He who made his mother is born of his mother.  He who made all flesh is born of flesh.  The bird that built the nest is hatched therein.  Maker of the sun, under the sun; molder of the earth, on this earth; ineffably wise, a little infant; filling the world, lying in a manger; ruling the stars, suckling a breast; the mirth of heaven weeps; God becomes man; Creator, a creature.  Rich becomes poor; Divinity, incarnate; Majesty, subjugated; Liberty, captive; Eternity, time; Master, a servant; Truth, accused; Judge, judged; Justice, condemned; Lord scourged; Power, bound with ropes; King, crowned with thorns; Salvation wounded; Life, dead. And thought we shall live on through eternity, eternity will not be long enough for us to understand the mystery of that Child Who was a Father and of the mother who was a child.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Divine Romance)

May it please His Majesty not to let me out of His hand lest I fall again, for I have alreadyseen where I would end up.  St Teresa of Jesus of Avila    The Book of Her Life - chapter 32: 7

"I do not reward for good results but for the patience and hardship undergone for My sake. It is not for the success of a work, but for the suffering that I give reward”  WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA.  (Diary 86, 90)

“The Lord points out and calls, but we do not want to see and answer because we prefer our own interests. It also sometimes happens that because the voice is always audible, we no longer hear it; but the Lord enlightens and calls. It is man who puts himself in the position of no longer being able to hear.”  St. Pio of Pietrelcina ( P. Pio Archives )

Those who sincerely say "Jesus, I trust in You" will find comfort in all their fears and anxieties   Pope St. John Paul

“Out of gratitude and love for him we should desire to be reckoned fools.” (St. Ignatius of Loyola, Priest)

“I beg of you not to rush that affair, but let Divine Providence act.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

Do good while you still have time.  - St. Josemaria Escriva

“Everyone who can speak the Truth, yet speaks it not, will be judged by God.”  — St. Justin Martyr

“The Church will be punished because the majority of her members, high and low, will become so perverted. The Church will sink deeper and deeper until she will at last seem to be extinguished, and the succession of Peter and the other Apostles to have expired. But, after this, she will be victoriously exalted in the sight of all doubters.”   -St Nicholas of Clue.  15th Century

Fortitude is the disposition of soul which enables us to despise all inconveniences and the loss of things not in our power. –St. Augustine

“None of us are judged for what we do not know, and no one is called blessed because he has education and knowledge. Instead, each person will be judged according to whether they have kept the faith and truly observed the commandments.” — St. Anthony the Great

"When we want to obtain anything of the good God, let us, after Holy Communion, offer Him His well-beloved Son, with all the merits of His Death and Passion; He will be able to refuse us nothing." - St John Vianney.

“Even when the will is perverse – even when a creature is enthralled and captivated by one great sinful adhesion, which makes one’s days a flight from God toward lust or power – even then some few good and commendable acts contradict one’s general attitude.  These isolated acts of virtue are like a clean handle on a dirty bucket; with them, God can lift a soul to His peace.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Lift Up Your Heart)

"Whenever anything displeasing happens to you, remember Christ crucified and be silent."  --St. John of Cross

"Jesus, help me to simplify my life by learning what you want me to be - and becoming that person." - Saint Therese of Lisieux

It is a dangerous thing to be satisfied with ourselves, nor should the soul that falls at every step into mortal sin be at rest or content. But for the love of God we should avoid the occasions.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Book of Her Life - chapter 302: 7

"Remove from me, O my God, everything that leads me away from You; give me everything that will bring me nearer to You. Enrapture me, so that I will live wholly and always for You”    -St. Nicholas of Flue

"What does Jesus Christ represent, dear brethren, when He is carried around the church in the procession?  He is like a good and gracious king in the midst of His subjects, a kind father surrounded by His children, and a good shepherd gathering His sheep."   St. John Vianney

“Remember the past with Gratitude. Live the present with Enthusiasm. Look forward to the future with Confidence.”  -St. John Paul II

"It is better to say one Our Father fervently and devoutly than a thousand with no devotion and full of distraction" St. Edmund the Martyr (841. - 869.)

“We should be satisfied with the state in which we have been placed by the designs of Providence, and in which God blesses us.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

“Even when the will is perverse – even when a creature is enthralled and captivated by one great sinful adhesion, which makes one’s days a flight from God toward lust or power – even then some few good and commendable acts contradict one’s general attitude.  These isolated acts of virtue are like a clean handle on a dirty bucket; with them, God can lift a soul to His peace.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Lift Up Your Heart)

St Joan of Arc to her English judges who would later burn her alive at the stake: “You say that you are my judge. I do not know if you are! But I tell you that you must take good care not to judge me wrongly, because you will put yourself in great danger. I warn you, so that if God punishes you for it, I would have done my duty by telling you!”

The musicians played, and Cecilia sang unto the Lord,  saying: Let my heart be undefiled, that I be not ashamed.  St. Cecilia

His Majesty gives value to little things like these that are done for Him, and He gives the help for doing greater things.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila.  The Book of Her Life - chapter 31 : 24

“If one dream should fall and break into a thousand pieces, never be afraid to pick one of those pieces up and begin again.”  St.Bernadette

When you see the storm coming, if you seek safety in that firm refuge which is Mary, there will be no danger of your wavering or going down.  - St. Josemaria Escriva

"Cast yourself into the arms of God and be very sure that if he wants anything of you, He will fit you for the work and give you strength." St. Phillip Neri  (1515-1595)

“‘Great’ holiness consists in carrying out the ‘little’ duties of each moment.” (St. Josemaría Escrivá; The Way)

Jesus said, "Secretary of My most profound mystery, know that yours is an exclusive intimacy with Me. Your task is to write down everything that I make known to you about My mercy, for the benefit of those who by reading these things will be comforted in their souls and will have the courage to approach Me".   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA  (Diary No.1693)

“Why is there evil in the world? Listen carefully. There is a mother who is embroidering. Her son sitting on a low stool sees her work, but upside down. He sees the knots of the embroidery; the tangled threads, and says: ” Mother, what are you doing? Your work is not at all clear?” Then the mother lowers the embroidery frame and shows the right side of her work. Each color is in its place and the variety of threads form a harmonious design. So, we are seeing the reverse side of the embroidery. We are sitting on the low stool.”   St. Pio of Pietrelcina  ( G. Gigliozzi – I monili dello Sposo, 106 )

“If God really is, then it is absurd to say that He is one thing in the fifteenth century and another in the twentieth.  This is equivalent to saying that a thing is true at three o’clock but false at half, past four and that two apples plus two apples make four apples on Monday but not on Friday.  That all this should be called progress is a mystery, as if there could be progress without a fixed term.”  Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Religion Without God)

“Evenness of temper is a particular virtue, a state which supposes an aggregate of all the virtues, an external manifestation of the peace and beauty of the interior.”  – St. Vincent de Paul

  We are striving to be joined with God through union, and we seek to follow His counsels coming from Christ.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila    The Book of Her Life - chapter 31 : 22

“Is it to be expected that all the world approve our every proceeding and we never have occasion to find fault with the deportment of others? In that case, God would have to change human nature.”  – St. Vincent de Paul

"If you cannot give alms yourself you can pray that God will inspire someone else to do so." - St John Vianney.

Love our Lady. And she will obtain abundant grace to help you conquer in your daily struggle.   - St. Josemaria Escriva

"Some psychologists and sociologists like to rap their knuckles at the door of truth about mankind, but they would run away if the door ever opened, showing man's contingency on God. The only people who ever arrive at a knowledge of God are those who, when the door is opened, accept that Truth and shoulder the responsibilities it brings. Archbishop Fulton Sheen

“Give me an army saying the Rosary and I will conquer the world.”   - Pope St. Pius X

"He rightly reads the Scripture when he turns the Word into deeds" St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090.-1153.)

“Give thanks to Almighty God who resists the proud and gives grace to the humble, and offer Him all the glory that this Maiden accorded to His majesty by her practice of the richest humility during her childhood and throughout the rest of her life.” (St. John Eudes)

"Life with Christ is a Wonderful adventure." Pope St. John Paul II.

However small the point of honor may be, .......this concern is something that does damage to the soul in all areas, but in this path of prayer it is a pestilence.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila.  The Book of Her Life - chapter 31 : 21

"God is closer to us than water is to a fish" St. Catherine of Siena (1347-1380)

“What seems to me white, I will believe black if the hierarchical Church so defines.” St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491.-1556.)

It may come to your mind that you have not enough intelligence to conduct so large and difficult a house. To this I shall reply that there will be two of you to do it: Our Lord and yourself, and with him, all is possible.”– St. Vincent de Paul

"Just one minute of intense prayer is enough." Someone who never prayed used to say that. Would someone in love think it enough to contemplate intensely the person they love for just a minute?  - St. Josemaria Escriva

 “Let the greatest sinners place their trust in My mercy. They have the right before others to trust in the abyss of My mercy. My daughter, write about My mercy towards tormented souls. Souls that make an appeal to My mercy delight Me. To such souls I grant even more graces than they ask. I cannot punish even the greatest sinner if he makes an appeal to My compassion, but on the contrary, I justify him in My unfathomable and inscrutable mercy. Write: before I come as a just judge, I first open wide the door of My mercy. He who refuses to pass through the door of My mercy must pass through the door of My justice…”. WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA   (Diary, 1146)

“Let the mouth fast from disgraceful and abusive words, because, what gain is there when, on the one hand we avoid eating chicken and fish and, on the other, we chew-up and consume our brothers?” — St. John Chrysostom

May God’s blessing accompany, sustain and guide you! Form a Christian family if you want a little bit of peace in this life. May the Lord give you children and then the grace to direct them on the way to Heaven.  St. Padre Pio (P. Pio Archives )

"If anyone does not wish to have Mary Immaculate for his Mother, he will not have Christ for his Brother."  - St. Maximilian Kolbe

“It is never true to say that we have no time to meditate; the less one thinks of God, the less time there will always be for God. The time we have for anything depends of how much we value it. Thinking determines the uses of time; time does not rule over thinking.  The problem of spirituality is never, then, a question of time; it is a problem of thought.  For it does not require much time to make us saints; it requires only much love.” Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen (God Love You)

When the Lord begins to give a virtue, it should be highly esteemed; and we should in no way place ourselves in the danger of losing it.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila. The Book of Her Life - chapter 31 : 20

"Grieve over the contempt cast upon Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, and try to make amends for it by a greater and more ardent love." - St John Vianney.

“But the power of Mary over all the devils will especially shine forth in the latter times, when Satan will lay his snares against her heel: that is to say, her humble slaves and her poor children, whom she will raise up to make war against him. They shall be little and poor in the world’s esteem, and abased before all like the heel, trodden underfoot and persecuted as the heel is by the other members of the body. But in return for this they shall be rich in the grace of God, which Mary shall distribute to them abundantly. They shall be great and exalted before God in sanctity, superior to all other creatures by their lively zeal, and so well sustained with God’s assistance that, with the humility of their heel, in union with Mary, they shall crush the head of the devil and cause Jesus Christ to triumph.”   - St. Louis Marie de Montfort

“It is never true to say that we have no time to meditate; the less one thinks of God, the less time there will always be for God. The time we have for anything depends of how much we value it. Thinking determines the uses of time; time does not rule over thinking.  The problem of spirituality is never, then, a question of time; it is a problem of thought.  For it does not require much time to make us saints; it requires only much love.” Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen (God Love You)

Virtues are supernatural goods, or against our natural inclination.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila    The Book of Her Life - chapter 31 : 18

““You have a thousand reasons for rejoicing in God and for hoping for everything from him through Our Lord who dwells within you.”  – St. Vincent de Paul

“Why is it that any time we speak of temptation we always speak of temptation as something that inclines us to wrong.  We have more temptations to become good than we do to become bad.”  Archbishop Fulton Sheen

“The actions performed by the priest in Mass are not ridiculous gestures, since they are done so as to represent something else. The priest in extending his arms signifies the outstretching of Christ’s arms upon the cross. He also lifts up his hands as he prays, to point out that his prayer is directed to God for the people, according to Lamentations 3:41: ‘Let us lift up our hearts with our hands to the Lord in the heavens’: and Exodus 17:11: ‘And when Moses lifted up his hands Israel overcame.’ That at times he joins his hands, and bows down, praying earnestly and humbly, denotes the humility and obedience of Christ, out of which He suffered. He closes his fingers, i.e. the thumb and first finger, after the consecration, because, with them, he had touched the consecrated body of Christ; so that if any particle cling to the fingers, it may not be scattered: and this belongs to the reverence for this sacrament.” — St. Thomas Aquinas

“God gave me my poor sister, and God has taken her away. Blessed be his holy name. In this resignation and exclamation I find the strength to avoid giving way to sorrow. I exhort you, too, to resign yourselves to the divine will, and you will find, like me, relief for your sorrow.”   St. Pio of Pietrelcina   ( Letters IV, p.904 )

'' My Heart overflows with great mercy for souls, and especially poor sinners.''   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA.  (Diary 1537)

"When there is no room for the poor, there is no room for me" St. Candida Maria of Jesus (1845 – 1912)

“Blessed are those who commune each day! They will be purified of all defilement of soul and body. If you think it is impossible to partake daily of the awesome mysteries with tears, what ignorance! What insensitivity!” — St. Symeon the New Theologian

"Let the whole of mankind tremble, the whole world shake and the heavens exult when Christ, the Son of the living God, is on the altar in the hands of a priest."    -Saint Francis of Assisi

For perfection is not attained quickly, unless the Lord wants to  grant someone this favor by a special privilage.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Book of Her Life - privilage31 : 17

“Pray, pray to the Lord with me, because the whole world needs prayer. And every day, when your heart especially feels the loneliness of life, pray. Pray to the Lord because even God needs our prayers.”   St. Pio of Pietrecina

If you truly want to help the soul of your neighbor, you should approach God first with all your heart. Ask him simply to fill you with charity, the greatest of all virtues; with it you can accomplish what you desire. - St. Vincent Ferrer

"I want adoration to take place… for the intention of imploring mercy for the world."   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA   (Diary 1070).

The Holy Rosary is a powerful weapon. Use it with confidence and you'll be amazed at the results.   St. Josemaria Escriva

"Urges can become abnormal.  Food can become gluttony, sex can become adultery and knowing can become pride hence the necessity of temperance, to prevent us from having too little or too much.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen

For a soul surrendered into God's hands doesn't care whether they say good or evil about it.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila.  The Book of Her Life - chapter 31 : 16

"As soon as she [Mary] had the use of reason, that is, from the first moment of her immaculate conception in the womb of St. Anne, from that time she began with all her powers to love her God; and thus she continued to do, ever advancing more in perfection and love through her whole life. All her thoughts, her desires, her affections, were wholly given to God; not a word, not a motion, not a glance of the eye, not a breath of hers that was not for God and for his glory, never departing one step, nor separating herself for one moment from the divine love."   - St. Alphonsus Maria de Ligouri

“The principal self-denial with takes place in the home.”  St. Pio of Pietrelcina.  ( F. Morcaldi, 167)

"Do you realize that Jesus is there in the tabernacle expressly for you - for you alone? He burns with the desire to come into your heart...don't listen to the demon, laugh at him, and go without fear to receive the Jesus of peace and love...
"Receive Communion often, very often...there you have the sole remedy, if you want to be cured. Jesus has not put this attraction in your heart for nothing..."
"The guest of our soul knows our misery; He comes to find an empty tent within us - that is all He asks."   -  St. Therese of Lisieux

"During prayer, I heard these words: My daughter, let your heart be filled with joy. I, the Lord, am with you. Fear nothing. You are in My heart. At that moment, I knew the great majesty of God, and I understood that nothing could be compared with one single perception of God. Outward greatness dwindles like a speck of dust before one act of a deeper knowledge of God."   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA.  (Diary 1133)

“All ships are exposed to storms but are not thereby doomed to perish. May Our Lord be your Strength, your Protector, your Sanctifier.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

You always leave the rosary for later, and you end up not saying it at all because you are sleepy.    - St. Josemaria Escriva

"Tears were consecrated and made sacred when Christ, the God-man, wept three times; once over death, in the case of Lazarus; once over the decay of civilization, when He wept over Jerusalem; and once for the sins of men as He crimsoned the olive roots of Gethsemane with tears of blood. In contrast to this compassionate love for the ills and woes of men which sin had brought, the ancient poet could fix no worse epithet on Pluto than: "He was a person who could not weep." Archbishop Fulton Sheen

In the evening, I saw the Lord Jesus upon the cross. From His hands, feet, and side the Most Sacred Blood was flowing. After some time, Jesus said to me, All this is for the salvation of souls. Consider well, My daughter, what you are doing for their salvation. I answered, “Jesus, when I look at Your suffering, I see that I am doing next to nothing for the salvation of souls.” And the Lord said to me, Know, My daughter, that your silent day-to-day martyrdom in complete submission to My will ushers many souls into heaven. And when it seems to you that your suffering exceeds your strength, contemplate My wounds, and you will rise above human scorn and judgment. Meditation on My Passion will help you rise above all things WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA.  (Diary, 1184).

All these little fears and pains and this appearance of humility came from serious imperfection and from not being mortified.    St Teresa of Jesus of Avila.  The Book of Her Life - chapter 31 : 16

“Throw melted wax into melted wax, and the one interpenetrates the other perfectly. In the same way, when the body and blood of Christ are received, the union is such that Christ is in the recipient and he in Christ.” — St. Cyril of Jerusalem

“Even while living in this world, the heart of Mary was so filled with tenderness and compassion for men, that no one ever suffered so much for his own pains as Mary suffered for the pains of others.”   -Saint Jerome

"Because Mary was free from original sin, she found no obstacle in obeying God; she was like a wheel, which was easily turned by every inspiration of the Holy Spirit."    -St. Bonaventure

"Do you really want to be a saint? Carry out the little duty of each moment: do what you ought and concentrate on what you are doing" St. Josemaria Escriva (1902.-1975.)

I remind you, My daughter, that as often as you hear the clock strike the third hour, immerse yourself completely in My mercy, adoring and glorifying it; invoke its omnipotence for the whole world, and particularly for poor sinners; for at that moment mercy was opened wide for every soul. In this hour you can obtain everything for yourself and for others for the asking; it was the hour of grace for the whole world-mercy triumphed over justice.

My daughter, try your best to make the Stations of the Cross in this hour, provided that your duties permit it; and if you are not able to make the Stations of the Cross, then at least step into the chapel for a moment and adore, in the Blessed Sacrament, My Heart, which is full of mercy; and should you be unable to step into the chapel, immerse yourself in prayer there where you happen to be, if only for a very brief instant. I claim veneration for My mercy from every creature, but above all from you, since it is to you that I have given the most profound understanding of this mystery.   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA.   (Diary,1572)

"The perfection of brotherly love lies in the love of one's enemies. We can find no greater inspiration for this than grateful remembrance of the wonderful patience of Christ. He who is more fair than all the sons of men offered his fair face to be spat upon by sinful men; he allowed
those eyes that rule the universe to be blindfolded by wicked men; he bared his back to the scourges; he submitted that head which strikes terror in principalities and powers to the sharpness of the thorns; he gave himself up to be mocked and reviled, and at the end endured the cross, the nails, the lance, the gall, the vinegar, remaining always gentle, meek and full of peace.

"In short, he was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb before the shearers he kept silent, and did not open his mouth. "Who could listen to that wonderful prayer, so full of warmth, of love, of unshakeable serenity - Father, forgive them - and hesitate to embrace his enemies with overflowing love? Father, he says, forgive them. Is any gentleness, any love, lacking in this prayer?

"Yet he put into it something more. It was not enough to pray for them: he wanted also to make excuses for them. Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. They are great sinners, yes, but they have little judgement; therefore, Father, forgive them. They are nailing me to the cross, but they do not know who it is that they are nailing to the cross: if they had known, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory; therefore, Father, forgive them. They think it is a lawbreaker, an impostor claiming to be God, a seducer of the people. I have hidden my face from them, and they do not recognise my glory; therefore, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.

"If someone wishes to love himself he must not allow himself to be corrupted by indulging his sinful nature. If he wishes to resist the promptings of his sinful nature he must enlarge the whole horizon of his love to contemplate the loving gentleness of the humanity of the Lord. Further, if he wishes to savour the joy of brotherly love with greater perfection and delight, he must extend even to his enemies the embrace of true love.

"But if he wishes to prevent this fire of divine love from growing cold because of injuries received, let him keep the eyes of his soul always fixed on the serene patience of his beloved Lord and Saviour."   - St. Aelred, Abbot ( Spiritual Friendship:)

“In family life have strong convictions, smile in the face of self-denial and in the constant sacrifice of your whole self.”   St. Pio of Pietrecina  ( A. Serritelli – Notizie su P. Pio,43)

“As “pride is the beginning of all sin, so humility is the foundation of all virtue.”    Saint Bonaventure

“Many contradictory things happen to us: unfavorable opinions about ourselves, our works, our intentions. These contradictions have the advantage of preventing vain-glory, of obliging us to throw ourselves more confidently into the arms of God.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

Writing on the Lord’s gift of the Eucharist… “He could not have commanded anything more beneficial, for this Sacrament is the fruit of the tree of life. Anyone who receives this Sacrament with the devotion of sincere faith will never taste death. It is a tree of life for those who grasp it, and blessed is he who holds it fast. The man who feeds on Me shall live on account of Me.” (St. Albert the Great, Bishop, Confessor and Doctor of the Church)

Don't lose heart. Today's defeat is training for the final victory. - St. Josemaria Escriva

Decisions and resolutions taken during an enthusiastic moment mean little unless tested by time and by waiting. The immediate request for places on the right and left side of the kingdom by James and John he ordered tested by the ability to bear sacrifice and to drink the cup of His Passion and Crucifixion. When after multiplying the bread, the multitude wished to make him a bread king, Our Lord fled into the mountains alone. It is always a good policy never to choose the most enthusiastic person in a gathering as a leader. Wait to see how much wood there is for the flame.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Guide to Contentment)

Sometimes I experienced that it seemed to be virtue and humility but now I see plainly it was a temptation.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila    The Book of Her Life - chapter 31 : 12

“Love is the most necessary of all virtues. Love in the person who preaches the word of God is like fire in a musket. If a person were to throw a bullet with his hands, he would hardly make a dent in anything; but if the person takes the same bullet and ignites some gunpowder behind it, it can kill. It is much the same with the word of God. If it is spoken by someone who is filled with the fire of charity- the fire of love of God and neighbor- it will work wonders.” -St. Anthony Mary Claret

"Let us not imagine that we obscure the glory of the Son by the great praise we lavish on the Mother; for the more she is honored, the greater is the glory of her Son. There can be no doubt that whatever we say in praise of the Mother gives equal praise to the Son."    St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Father and Doctor of the Church

“If two friends ask you to judge a dispute, don’t accept, because you will lose one friend; on the other hand, if two strangers come with the same request, accept because you will gain one friend.” — St. Augustine of Hippo

“May the Lord bless you and render the family yoke less heavy for you. Always be good. Remember that there are difficult duties in wedlock that only divine grace can facilitate. Always be worthy of this grace and the Lord will preserve you unto the third and fourth generation.”  St. Pio of Pietrelcina (A.da S. Marco in Lamis,169)

"As in the natural life a child must have a father and a mother, so in the supernatural life of grace a true child of the Church must have God for his Father and Mary for his mother. If he prides himself on having God for his Father but does not give to Mary the tender affection of a true child, he is an impostor and his father is the devil."   - St. Louis Marie de Montfort

“The first deep-seated yearning then, in the human heart, is the yearning for life. Of all our treasures it is that which we surrender last, and with the greatest reluctance. Titles, joys, and wealth, power, ambition, honor — all of these we will let go provided we can hold on to that precious, palpitating, vibrating thing called life. The very instinct, which impels a man to put out his hand when he walks in the dark, proves that he is willing to sacrifice a part of his body rather than to endanger that which he holds most precious — his life. Not even the sad fact of suicide disproves the reality of this yearning, for in every suicide there is an illusion and a sentiment. The illusion is that suicide is total destruction. The sentiment is the desire for repose, the will to shake off the worries of life. Suicide is not so much the desire that one wants to be annihilated, but rather that one wants to be at ease, which is just another way of saying one wants to have a different life." Archbishop Fulton Sheen (The Divine Romance)

Action is worth nothing without prayer: prayer grows in value with sacrifice.  - St. Josemaria Escriva

We should know that each time we pay no attention to devils, they are weakened, and the soul gains much more mastery.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila    The Book of Her Life - chapter 31 : 10

“In that first ‘fusion’ with Jesus (holy communion), it was my Heavenly Mother again who accompanied me to the altar, for it was she herself who placed her Jesus into my soul.”   - St. Thérèse of Lisieux

“Open your minds and hearts to the beauty of all that God has made and to His special, personal love for each one of you.” -Pope St. John Paul II

"Humble yourself, then, when you hear the song of praise, and refer all to the glory of God. Thus you will render yourself not unworthy of what He bestows upon you. For it is incontestable that the respect men pay you, and the good for which they honor you, are due to God. You rob Him, therefore, of all the merit which you appropriate to yourself. Can any servant be more unfaithful than one who steals his master's glory?"From the Sinner's Guide    Ven Louis of Granada

Sanctify yourself and you will sanctify society.  St Francis of Assisi

“The knot of Eve’s disobedience was loosened by Mary’s obedience. The bonds fastened by the virgin Eve through disbelief were untied by the virgin Mary through faith.” — St. Irenaeus of Lyon

“Be totally resigned in the hands of our Lord, giving Him your remaining years, and begging Him always, to fill them with preparations for a life which is pleasing to Him. Don’t worry about useless promise of tranquillity, enjoyment or merits, but present your hearts to your divine Spouse, totally emptying it of all other affections, except his chaste love. And beseech Him to fill it purely and simply with actions, desires and a will which pertain to his love, so that your hearts, like mother of pearl, do not conceive anything, except with the dew of Heaven, and not with the water of  the world.”   St. Pio of Pietrelcina ( Letters III, pp.572-573)

“May the good pleasure of God be forever the peace and calm of your afflicted hearts.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

“I will go anywhere and do anything in order to communicate the love of Jesus to those who do not know Him or have forgotten Him.” (St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin and Foundress)

“All of you who have lain crucified on beds of pain, remember that an hour will come when you will be taken down from your cross, and the Savior shall look upon your hands and feet and sides and find there the imprint of His wounds, which will be your passport to Eternal Joy.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen

Persevere in prayer. Persevere, even when your efforts seem barren. Prayer is always fruitful.  - St. Josemaria Escriva

May the Lord be praised for everything, for the prayer of those who serve Him can do much.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila    The Book of Her Life - chapter 31 : 8

Mankind will not have peace until it turns with trust to My Mercy.   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA.   (Diary 300)

"Pride scourges Jesus Christ; humility scourges the devil."   -St Madeleine Sophie Barat

Teach us to give and not count the cost. -St. Ignatius de Loyola

“There is nothing more dangerous to the spiritual life than to wish to rule ourselves after our own way of thinking.” — St. Philip Neri

I beseech you. for the love of God, do not fear God, because  He doesn’t want to do you any harm at all. Love Him a great deal because He wants to do you a great deal of good. Walk simply, with certainty in your resolutions, and reject the reflections of spirit concerning your suffering, treating them as cruel temptations. St. Pio of Pietrelcina.   (Letters III, p. 573)

Prayer gives us strength for great ideals, for keeping up our faith, charity, purity, generosity; prayer gives us strength to rise up from indifference and guilt, if we have had the misfortune to give in to temptation and weakness. Prayer gives us light by which to see and to judge from God's perspective and from eternity. That is why you must not give up on praying!   Pope St.  John Paul II

"With the fighting forces no group equally large is so revered. It is their high calling to the defense of justice and freedom that makes them loved. It was a soldier who first uttered the words recalled by the Church at Communion: 'Lord I am not worthy to have Thee come under my roof but only say the word, and my servant will be healed.' (Matt 8:8)" Archbishop Fulton Sheen

Don't neglect your spiritual reading. - Reading has made many saints.  - St. Josemaria Escriva

If His Majesty be served by my doing so He might give me patience.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila.  The Book of Her Life - chapter 31 : 3

God is love, and all His operations proceed from love.  - St. Lawrence of Brindisi

“If a man thinks he knows it all, then he thinks there is nothing left for him to know, not even what God might tell him. If the soul is filled to the brim with the ego, there is no place left for God. If a vessel is filled with water it cannot also be filled with oil. So it is with the soul.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Victory over Vice)

Souls to whom God through His goodness gives abundantly this fire of His love suffer no small trial in lacking bodily strength to do something for Him. It is truly a great suffering ......This is a terrible torment, although it is a delightful one.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila.  The Book of Her Life - chapter 30 : 20

"Jesus, Your ineffable image is the star which guides my steps. Ah, You know, Your sweet Face is for me Heaven on earth. My love discovers the charms of Your Face adorned with tears. I smile through my won tears when I  contemplate Yours Sorrows." St. Therese of Lisieux

Do not practice long, drawn-out devotions, but give yourself to prayer at intervals, as you would to food.    -St. Comghall

“Rejoice, O Virgin Mary! Rejoice a thousand times!”   St. Louis Marie de Montfort

It is Jesus who stirs in you the desire to do something great with your lives, the will to follow an ideal, the refusal to allow yourselves to be ground down by mediocrity, the courage to commit yourselves humbly and patiently to improving yourselves and society, making the world more human and more fraternal.   Pope St. John Paul II

“Not only do I find nothing wrong in your acquaintances, but I consider it to be an absolute duty. Mercy is useful in all situations and is adaptable to everything in accordance with the circumstances, except when it involves sin. By all means return the visits and you will also have the reward of obedience and the Lord’s blessing.”  St. Pio of Pietrelcina. ( Letters III, p. 431)

“Be a Catholic: When you kneel before an altar, do it in such a way that others may be able to recognize that you know before whom you kneel.” — St. Maximilian Kolbe

No one heals himself by wounding another.   St. Ambrose

“The passing of time wears out bodies, but nothing can make a soul vanish or can diminish its eternal value.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Three to Get Married)

A community needs a soul if it is to become a true home for human beings. You.. the people must give it this soul.   Pope St. John Paul II

"Consider seriously how quickly people change, and how little trust is to be had in them; and hold fast to God, Who does not change."--St. Teresa of Avila~

“The Rosary is the most beautiful and richest of all prayers to the Mediatrix of all grace; it is the prayer that touches most the heart of the Mother of God. Say it each day.”   -Pope Saint Pius X

No one, however weak, is denied a share in the victory of the Cross. No one is beyond the help of the prayer of Christ.  - St. Leo the Great

“Make Christian use of your money and savings and then so much misery will disappear and so many suffering bodies and afflicted beings will find relief and comfort.”   St. Pio of Pietrelcina  ( Consigli – Esortazioni di P. Pio, 61

“Faith is to believe what you do not yet see; the reward for this faith is to see what you believe.” — St. Augustine of Hippo

Love is always stirring and thinking about what it will do. It cannot contain itself, just as that water doesn't seem to fit in the earth, but the earth casts it out of itself.  St Teresa of Jesus of Avila    The Book of Her Life - chapter 30 : 19

The most powerful weapon to conquer the devil is humility. For, as he does not know at all how to employ it, neither does he know how to defend himself from it. -Saint Vincent de Paul

"What a weakness it is to love Jesus Christ only when He caresses us, and to be cold immediately once He afflicts us. This is not true love. Those who love thus, love themselves too much to love God with all their heart."   - St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

"Our poor human heart is flawed: it is like a cake without the frosting: the first two acts of the theatre without the climax. Even its design is marred for a small piece is missing out of the side. That is why it remains so unsatisfied: it wants life and it gets death: it wants Truth and it has to settle for an education; it craves love and gets only intermittent euphoria’s with satieties. Samples, reflections and fractions are only tastes, not mouthfuls. A divine trick has been played on the human heart as if a violin teacher gave his pupil an instrument with one string missing. God kept a part of man's heart in Heaven, so that discontent would drive him back again to Him Who is Eternal Life, All-Knowing Truth and the Abiding Ecstasy of Love." Archbishop Fulton Sheen

This is the experience of those to whom God gives the great impulses of love. These impulse are like some little springs flowing; they never cease to move the sand upward.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila    The Book of Her Life - chapter 30 : 19

I perform works of mercy in every soul. The greater the sinner, the greater the right he has to My mercy. My mercy is confirmed in every work of My hands. He who trusts in My mercy will not perish, for all his affairs are Mine, and his enemies will be shattered at the base of My footstool   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA.  (Diary 723).

“Five times does the priest turn round towards the people [in the Traditional Latin Mass], to denote that our Lord manifested Himself five times on the day of His resurrection, as stated above in the treatise on Christ’s resurrection (Q55,A3,OBJ 3). But the priest greets the people seven times, namely, five times, by turning round to the people, and twice without turning round, namely, when he says, ‘The Lord be with you’ before the Preface, and again when he says, ‘May the peace of the Lord be ever with you’: and this is to denote the sevenfold grace of the Holy Ghost. But a bishop, when he celebrates on festival days, in his first greeting says, ‘Peace be to you,’ which was our Lord’s greeting after resurrection, whose person the bishop chiefly represents.”    — St. Thomas Aquinas

“Be like little spiritual bees, bringing nothing into their hives but honey and wax. May your homes be full of sweetness, peace, agreement, humility and piety as regards conversation  St. Pio of Pietrelcina.  (Letters III, p.567)

Jesus Christ, Lord of all things! You see my heart, you know my desires. Possess all that I am - you alone. I am your sheep; make me worthy to overcome the devil. St. Agatha

“He who interrupts the course of his spiritual exercises and prayer is like a man who allows a bird to escape from his hand; he can hardly catch it again.”   St John of the Cross

"I am the mother of all the souls in purgatory; and all the sufferings which they merit for the sins committed in life are every hour, while they remain there, alleviated in some measure by my prayers."   -Our Lady to St Bridget

“You will merit just as much by patiently awaiting the Master’s will as by doing it when it is made known to you, since you are ready for anything — ready to leave, ready to remain.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

"He who possesses the Holy Spirit has the highest Good; he has Divine grace itself.He has God and the Angels for his friends; he has the pledge of eternal salvation. He has the forgiveness of all his sins and all the good he can desire. The Holy Spirit instructs him in holiness, enkindles his heart with Divine love, adorns him with virtues, purifies him from the stain of sin, cares for him like a devoted father, loves him like a tender mother." -St Jean Marie Vianney.

“How can we stop brother rising up against brother and class against class, blurring the very sky with their cross-covered Golgothas? Thy First Word on the Cross gives the answer: We must see in the body of every man who hates, a soul that was made to love. If we are too easily offended by their hate, it is because we have forgotten either the destiny of their souls or our own sins. Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Forgive us for ever having been offended. Then we, like Thee, may find among our executioners another Longinus, who had forgotten there was love in a heart until he opened it with a lance.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen

The soul comes out of the crucible like gold, more refined and purified, so as to see the Lord within itself.    St Teresa of Jesus of Avila.  The Book of Her Life - chapter 30 : 14

I perform works of mercy in every soul. The greater the sinner, the greater the right he has to My mercy. My mercy is confirmed in every work of My hands. He who trusts in My mercy will not perish, for all his affairs are Mine, and his enemies will be shattered at the base of My footstool   WORDS OF JESUS TO . ST FAUSTINA.  (Diary 723).

The Hail Mary well said - is the enemy of the devil which puts him to flight, and the hammer which crushes him.  - St. Louis de Monfort

“You too, doctors, you came to the world as I did with a mission to accomplish. Take note: I speak to you of duties when everyone talks about rights …. You have the mission of curing the sick, but if you do not bring love to the bedside of the patient, I do not think the medicine will be of much use …. Love cannot do without words. How can you express it if not with words that relieve the patient spiritually? Bring God to the patient. He will be worth more than any other cure.“ St. Pio of Pietrelcina ( “La casa” magazine of the “Home for the Relief of Suffering”, 5-V-58,p 28)

It is not the actual physical exertion that counts towards a one's progress, nor the nature of the task, but by the spirit of faith with which it is undertaken. St. Francis Xavier

“He who interrupts the course of his spiritual exercises and prayer is like a man who allows a bird to escape from his hand; he can hardly catch it again.”   St John of the Cross

“I praise God for the zeal with which your workers are laboring and for the other graces He bestows on them and, through them, on the people. I ask His Infinite Goodness to grant them the strength of body and mind needed for such an important and arduous ministry as the Mission. You are their Moses, raising your hands to heaven while they combat God’s enemies, and even their Joshua, since you fight with them by means of the weapons, assistance and encouragement, and talks you give them.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

"....Let us go down into our own souls; let us question our hearts, my children, and see if we do not love some creature more than the good God. We are permitted to love our relations, our possessions, our health, our reputation; but this love must be subordinate to the love we should have for God, so that we may be ready to make the sacrifice of it if He should require it…." - St John Vianney.

“The devil appears as the representative of good.  No one does evil for the mere sake of evil.  Evil is done for the seeming good that is in it.  The devil knows that we are not so depraved that we want to do evil.”  Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Crossways)

This suffering was well repaid, for almost always the favors afterward came in great abundance.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila    The Book of Her Life - chapter 30 : 14

“The holy Rosary is a powerful weapon. Use it with confidence and you’ll be amazed at the results.”   - St. Josemaria Escriva

The Cross is a sure sign that He loves you.  - St. Louis de Monfort

“Revolting books against virtue are termed courageous; those against morality are advertised as daring and forward-looking; and those against God are called progressive and epoch-making.  It has always been the characteristic of a generation in decay to paint the gates of hell with the gold of paradise.”  Archbishop Fulton Sheen (The Moral Universe)

“Reflect on what you write, because the Lord will ask you to account for it. Be careful, journalist! May the Lord grant you the satisfactions you desire in your career.”   St. Pio of Pietrelcina ( C. Trabucco, 177)

"Find happiness in making others happy."   Saint Mary MacKillop

"In trial or difficulty I have recourse to Mother Mary, whose glance alone is enough to dissipate every fear."--St. Therese of Lisieux

You please Me most by suffering. In your physical as well as your mental sufferings, My daughter, do not seek sympathy from creatures. I want the fragrance of your suffering to be pure and unadulterated. I want you to detach yourself, not only from creatures, but also from yourself. (…) The more you will come to love suffering,  My daughter, the purer your love for Me will be.   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST.  FAUSTINA.  (Diary 279)

It is not hard to obey when we love the one whom we obey. -St. Ignatius of Loyola

“There is no better way to experience the good God than to find Him in the perfect sacrifice of the Mass.” -St. John Vianney

"The modern man is no longer a unity, but a confused bundle of complexes and nerves. He is so dissociated, so alienated from himself that he sees himself less as a personality than as a battlefield where a civil war rages between a thousand and one conflicting loyalties. There is no single overall purpose in his life. His soul is comparable to a menagerie in which a number of beasts, each seeking its own prey, turn one upon the other. Or he may be likened to a radio, that is tuned in to several stations; instead of getting any one clearly, it receives only an annoying static."  Venerable Fulton Sheen, Peace of Soul

"Whatever you do, think not of yourself, but of God." St. Vincent Ferrer (1350. - 1419.)

In that other humility caused by the devil, there is no light for anything good.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila.  The Book of Her Life - chapter 30 : 9

“Since you are entrusting yourself entirely to God’s goodness, you must allow God to continue to work through you.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

"My whole life down to its smallest details has been marked out for me in the plan of Divine Providence and has a completely coherent meaning in God's all-seeing eye." St. Benedicta of the Cross

"We must never lose sight of the fact that we are either saints or outcasts, that we must love for Heaven or for Hell; there is no middle path in this." - St John Vianney.

"I have no taste for corruptible food nor for the pleasures of this life. I desire the bread of God, which is the flesh of Jesus Christ, who was of the seed of David; and for drink I desire His blood, which is love incorruptible."   St. Ignatius of Antioch    "Epistle to the Romans" c. 105 A.D

"There are those who seek knowledge for the sake of knowledge; that is curiosity. There are those who seek knowledge to be known by others; that is vanity. There are those who seek knowledge in order to serve; that is Love."   Saint Bernard of Clairvaux

Meditate frequently on the sufferings which I have undergone for your sake, and then nothing of what you suffer for Me will seem great to you. You please Me most when you meditate on My Sorrowful Passion. Join your little sufferings to My Sorrowful Passion, so that they may have infinite value before My Majesty.  WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA.  (Diary 1512)

“Always and in everything let there be more uprightness of intention, more exactitude, more punctuality, more generosity in serving the Lord and then you will be as the Lord wants you.”  St. Pio of Pietrelcina.  (G. Da Baggio, 48)

I am not capable of doing big things, but I want to do everything, even the smallest things, for the greater glory of God. St. Dominic Savio

This pain gives the soul comfort in that the soul sees what a great favor the Lord grants it.  St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Book of Her Life - chapter 30 : 9

"It is better to be the child of God than king of the whole world." St. Aloysius Gonzaga (1568 – 1591)

“Through Eve, the beautiful and desirable glory of men was extinguished; but it has revived through Mary.” (St. Ephrem the Syrian, Deacon and Doctor of the Church)

"Everything, even sweeping, scraping vegetables, weeding a garden and waiting on the sick could be a prayer, if it were offered to God.”    -St Martin de Porres

“Let every knee bend before Thee, O greatness of my God, so supremely humbled in the Sacred Host. May every heart love Thee, every spirit adore Thee and every will be subject to Thee!”    — St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

“To ask something of the Blessed Virgin is not the same as to ask something of God.  She knows well what to do with all my little desires and it is for her to decide whether to ask for them or not.”   - St. Thérèse of Lisieux

True humility consoles and acts in a completely opposite way : quietly, gently, and with light.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila    The Book of Her Life - chapter 30 : 9

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.   Saint John Vianney

“As we enter Heaven we will see them, so many of them coming towards us and thanking us. We will ask, who they are, and they will say a poor soul you prayed for in Purgatory.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen

"Be sure that you first preach by the way you live. If you do not, people will notice that you say one thing, but live otherwise, and your words will bring only cynical laughter and a derisive shake of the head."   -St. Charles Borromeo

"Compassion, my dear Brother, is preferable to cleanliness. Reflect that with a little soap I can easily clean my bed covers, but even with a torrent of tears I would never wash from my soul the stain that my harshness toward the unfortunate would create."(Saint Martin de Porres, Religious)

"Now then, my dear brethren, why should not we imitate these great saints who obtained so many graces from Mary to preserve them from sin? Have we not the same enemies to fight, the same Heaven to hope for? Yes, Mary always has her eyes upon us. Do we suffer temptations? Let us turn our hearts towards Mary and we shall be delivered."    - From "The Service of the Blessed Virgin Mary" -  St John Vianney.

“A saint is one who looks out upon this world as a nursery to the Father’s heavenly mansion and a stepping-stone to that Kingdom of Heaven. A saint is one to whom everything in the world is a sacrament. A saint is one who never complains about the particular duty of his state in life, for he knows full well that “all the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” A saint is one who has learned to spiritualize and sacramentalize and ennoble everything in the world, and make of it a prayer.”  Archbishop Fulton Sheen (The Divine Sense of Humor)

"Be not afraid to be saints of the new Millenium!...The saints ... are the true reformers. Now I want to express this in an even more radical way: only from the saints, only from God does true revolution come, the definitive way to change the world."   - Pope St. John Paul II

“Then we make mention also of those who have already fallen asleep: first, the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, and martyrs, that through their prayers and supplications God would receive our petition; next, we make mention also of the holy fathers and bishops who have already fallen asleep, and, to put it simply, of all among us who have already fallen asleep, for we believe that it will be of very great benefit to the souls of those for whom the petition is carried up, while this holy and most solemn sacrifice is laid out.” (St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop, Confessor and Doctor of the Church, Catechetical Lectures 23:5:9, c 350 A.D.)

"If we wish to have the love of the Divine Heart as our guest, we must empty and detach our heart from its affection for creatures and for ourselves."   Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque

"Happy is he who lives and dies under the protection of the Blessed Virgin.”   -St John Vianney

“From day to day, from moment to moment, she increased so much this twofold plenitude that she attained an immense and inconceivable degree of grace. So much so, that the Almighty made her the sole custodian of his treasures and the sole dispenser of his graces. She can now ennoble, exalt and enrich all she chooses. She can lead them along the narrow path to heaven and guide them through the narrow gate to life. She can give a royal throne, scepter and crown to whom she wishes. Jesus is always and everywhere the fruit and Son of Mary, and Mary is everywhere the genuine tree that bears that Fruit of life, the true Mother who bears that Son.”   - St. Louis Marie de Montfort

All Souls Day,   “ I come on behalf of God. Why am I up in the pulpit today, my dear brethren? What am I going to say to you? Ah! I come on behalf of God Himself. I come on behalf of your poor parents, to awaken in you that love and gratitude which you owe them. I come to bring before your minds again all those kindnesses and all the love which they gave you while they were on earth. I come to tell you that they suffer in Purgatory, that they weep, and that they demand with urgent cries the help of your prayers and your good works. I seem to hear them crying from the depths of those fires which devour them: "Tell our loved ones, tell our children, tell all our relatives how great the evils are which they are making us suffer. We throw ourselves at their feet to implore the help of their prayers. Ah! Tell them that since we have been separated from them, we have been here burning in the flames!" - St John Vianney.

“The will, on the contrary, when it loves anything above it in dignity goes out to meet the demands of whatever it loves. When the will loves anything that is below it in dignity, it degrades itself. Suppose the dominant love of man was money. Man would degrade himself by loving what is less worthy than himself. In loving it, he becomes like gold. If a man loves only lust, carnality, and the pleasure of the flesh above all things, he degrades his spirit to the sole level of sex. We become like that which we love. If we love what is base, we become base; but if we love what is noble, we become noble.”  Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Life is Worth Living)

Not to be grieved but should praise God and be so certain that all was from His Spirit.  St Teresa of Jesus of Avila The Book of Her Life - chapter 30 : 5