“Our Lord is a perpetual Communion to those who are united to His will.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

The Name of Mary is second in blessings only to the Most Sacred Name of Jesus. There is no other name in heaven or on earth that brings such grace, and hope, and sweetness to the devout.   —St. Alphonsus Liguori

"He remains among us until the end of the world."   - St. Maximilian Kolbe

Ruth, whose name means “seeing and hastening,” was a figure of Mary. For Mary, seeing our miseries, mercifully hastens to help us!   —St. Bonaventure

Be exercising yourselves in these little trials, you will come to be able  to suffer other greater ones.      St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Way of Perfection - chapter 26 : 8

Jesus said, "I desire that you know more profoundly the love that burns in My Heart for souls, and you will understand this when you meditate upon My Passion...When you say this prayer, with a contrite heart and with faith on behalf of some sinner, I will give him the grace of conversion. This is the prayer:

O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus, as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in You."    WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA   (Diary 186-187)

“In these sad times when faith is dead and wickedness is triumphant; when we are surrounded by those who have perpetual hatred in their hearts and blasphemy on their lips, the surest way of remaining immune from the pestiferous disease which surrounds us is to strengthen ourselves with Eucharistic food. This cannot be achieved by those who, month after month, live without satiating themselves with the Immaculate Flesh of the Divine Lamb.”   St. Pio of Pietrelcina

“It seems unbelievable that a man should perish in whose favor Christ said to His Mother: ‘Behold thy son,’ provided that he has not turned a deaf ear to the words, which Christ addressed to him: ‘Behold thy Mother.’”   - St. Robert Bellarmine

Through the Rosary the faithful receive abundant grace, as though from the very hands of the Mother of the Redeemer.  Pope St. John Paul II

“It is not easy to explain why God permits evil; but it is impossible for an atheist to explain the existence of goodness.  How could a spiritless, soul-less, cross-less, Godless universe become the center of faith, purity, sacrifice, and martyrdom? How can decency be the decent thing if there is no God? Since God is love, why should we be surprised that want of it should end in pain, hate, broken hearts, and war?” Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Wartime Prayer Book)

Since the Redeemer preexisted, there had to be someone to be saved so that He would not come in vain. As a consequence, we find Mary, the obedient Virgin, saying: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” —St. Irenaeus

“Let us work to become very humble, very patient, very mortified, and very charitable. That is the only way to be highly esteemed.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

“The Virgin Mary… being obedient to His word, received from an angel the glad tidings that she would bear God.”    (Saint Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons; Against Heresies, 5:19:1; A.D. 180)

"May a profound silence grow in the soul of my Guite, an echo of that being the sung in the Trinity. May her prayer never cease, since she possesses what will one day be its Vision, its Beatitude!" -- St Elizabeth of the Trinity to her sister, June 15,1903 (Letter 166)

Pray and learn to pray! Deepen your knowledge of the Word of the Living God by reading and meditating on the Scriptures.   Pope St. John Paul II

I want you to understand that it is good for you, if you are to recite the “Our Father” well, to remain at the side of the Master.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Way of Perfection - chapter 24 : 5

“In these sad times when faith is dead and wickedness is triumphant; when we are surrounded by those who have perpetual hatred in their hearts and blasphemy on their lips, the surest way of remaining immune from the pestiferous disease which surrounds us is to strengthen ourselves with Eucharistic food. This cannot be achieved by those who, month after month, live without satiating themselves with the Immaculate Flesh of the Divine Lamb”   St. Pio of Pietrelcina

June 4. Today is the Feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. During Holy Mass, I was given the knowledge of the Heart of Jesus and of the nature of the fire of love with which He burns for us and of how He is an Ocean of Mercy. Then I heard a voice: Apostle of My mercy, proclaim to the whole world My unfathomable mercy. Do not be discouraged by the difficulties you encounter in proclaiming My mercy. These difficulties that affect you so painfully are needed for your sanctification and as evidence that this work is Mine. My daughter, be diligent in writing down every sentence I tell you concerning My mercy, because this is meant for a great number of souls who will profit from it.   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA.    (Diary, 1142)

"Only after the Last Judgment will Mary get any rest; from now until then, she is much too busy with her children."   - St. John Vianney

"The affection a human heart bears for another lessens as it multiplies the objects of its love, just as a river loses its fullness the more it divides itself into little streams. But with God there is no decrease of love with the increase of objects loved, any more than a voice loses its strength because a thousand ears hear it. Each human heart can break His Sacred Heart all over again; each soul has within itself the potentiality of another crucifixion. No one can love as much as Our Lord; no one therefore can suffer as much." Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen  (Justice and Charity)

Around the world, we can see the results of exploitation which destroys much without taking future generations into account. Today, all men have a duty to show themselves worthy of the mission given them by the Creator by ensuring the safekeeping of that creation.   Pope St. John Paul II

“We should spend at least as much time in thanking God for His favors as we have in asking them.”   - St. Vincent de Paul

“To continue my spiritual prescription: grind all your sufferings in the mill of patience and silence; knead them with the balm of Our Saviour's Passion into a little pill; swallow it with faith and love, and let the heat of charity digest it.”   -  St. Paul of the Cross (1694-1775)

“Let us remember that love lives through sacrifice and is nourished by giving. Without sacrifice, there is no love.”    - St. Maximilian Kolbe

4. It is better to be burdened and in company with the strong than to be unburdened and with the weak. When you are burdened you are close to God, your strength, who abides with the afflicted. When you are relieved of the burden you are close to yourself, your own weakness; for virtue and strength of soul grow and are confirmed in the trials of patience.    --St John of the Cross, Sayings of Light and Love

The Mother of God contained the infinite God under her Heart, the God Whom no space can contain. Through her, the Trinity is adored, demons are vanquished, Satan is cast out of heaven, and our fallen nature is assumed into heaven. —St. Cyril of Alexandria

Even though we do not hear Him, He speaks well to the heart when we beseech Him from the heart.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Way of Perfection - chapter24 : 5

“Each holy Mass heard with devotion, produces marvellous effects in our souls, spiritual and material graces, that we ourselves do not know. For such purposes do not spend your money uselessly, make a sacrifice of it and come here to hear holy Mass. It would be easier for the earth to exist without the sun than without the holy sacrifice of the Mass.”.  St. Pio Of Pietrelcina

Proclaim that mercy is the greatest attribute of God. All the works of My hands are crowned with mercy.   WORDS OF JESUS OF ST. FAUSTINA   (Diary 301)

“Jesus is the Mediator of Justice; Mary obtains for us grace; for… it is the will of God to dispense through the hands of Mary whatever graces He is pleased to bestow upon us. With God, the prayers of the saints are the prayers of His friends, but the prayers of Mary are the prayers of His Mother."   - St. Alphonsus Liguori

“It is impossible for me to explain how helpful the Holy Hour has been in preserving my vocation. Scripture gives considerable evidence to prove that a priest begins to fail his priesthood when he fails in his love of the Eucharist. Too often it is assumed that Judas fell because he loved money. Avarice is very rarely the beginning of the lapse and the fall of the ambassador. The history of the Church proves there are many with money who stayed in it. The beginning of the fall of Judas and the end of Judas both revolved around the Eucharist. The first mention that Our Lord knew who it was who would betray him is at the end of the sixth chapter of John, which is the announcement of the Eucharist. The fall of Judas came the night Our Lord gave the Eucharist, the night of the Last Supper.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Treasure in Clay)

“Gently and imperceptibly, the angels inspire us to do good and then leave us perfectly free to do it or not.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

Come, let us throw ourselves at the feet of this good Mother. Let us cling to them and not leave them, until she blesses us and takes us for her children. —St. Bernard

Jesus teaches that it be recited in solitude. This is what He always did when He prayed, and not out of any need of His own but for our instruction.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Way of Perfection - chapter 24 : 4

“Dear Lord! To win my heart, from heaven Thou didst come; for me Thy blood didst shed, O King adored! and on our altars makest Thy home. So, if I may not here behold Thy Face, or catch the heavenly music of Thy Voice, I still can live, each moment, by Thy grace, and in Thy Sacred Heart I can rest.”   St. Therese of Lisieux (1873.-1897)

“An evil thought is preceded by passion. The passion is caused by the senses, but the misuse of the senses is clearly the fault of the intellect.”    St. Thalassios the Libyan

“The good Lord has granted us the privilege of sharing in this, the greatest, most divine and chief of all names, so that, honoured by the name of Christ, we are called ‘Christians.’ So then we must ensure that in us are seen all the meanings of the name of Christ, so that our title is not false and meaningless but is borne out by our lives.” (St. Gregory of Nyssa, Bishop, A Treatise on Christian Perfection)

"...love is like a fire which always rises upwards as though longing to be engulfed in its center."    --St. John of the Cross

Even if the forces of darkness appear to prevail, those who believe in God know that evil and death do not have the final say.   Pope  St. John Paul II

“The Heart of our divine Master has no law more lovable than that of gentleness, humility and charity.”   St. Pio of Pietrelcina

"Entrust yourself completely to My will saying, "Not as I want, but according to Your will, O God, let it be done unto me." These words, spoken form the depths of one's heart, can raise a soul to the summit of sanctity in a short time. In such a soul I delight."   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA    (Diary,1487)

“Neither theological knowledge nor social action alone is enough to keep us in love with Christ unless both are preceded by a personal encounter with Him.  Theological insights are gained not only from between two covers of a book, but from two bent knees before an altar. The Holy Hour becomes like an oxygen tank to revive the breath of the Holy Spirit in the midst of the foul and fetid atmosphere of the world.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen

A man shows himself a true disciple of Christ by carrying the cross in his turn every day in the activity that he is called to perform.   Pope St. John Paul II

Nothing is sweeter after having received Jesus than to give and spread everywhere the fragrance of his virtues.    ~ St. Francis de Sales.

“The more a person loves God, the more reason he has to hope in Him. This hope produces in the Saints an unutterable peace, which they preserve even in adversity, because as they love God, and know how beautiful He is to those who love Him, they place all their confidence and find all their repose in Him alone.”    - Saint Alphonsus Maria de’ Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

“A charitable word is all that is sometimes necessary to convert an obdurate heart. In like manner one bitter word is capable of afflicting a soul and plunging it into a sadness that may be most injurious.”– St. Vincent de Paul.

You need have no fear. Just the raising of our eyes in remembrance of Him will have its reward.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Way of Perfection - chapter 23 : 3

What treasure is superior to the Divine Love that animated the Heart of Mary? It is from this Heart, as from a furnace of Divine Love, that the Blessed Virgin drew forth words of a most ardent love. —St. Bernardine of Siena

“During Adoration, I heard a voice in my soul: ‘These efforts of yours, My daughter, are pleasing to Me; they are the delight of My Heart. I see every movement of your heart with which you worship Me.’”   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA   (Diary, 1176)

“My children, we can never prepare ourselves too much for Holy Communion.”   St. Pio of  Pietrelcina

"O Mary of the Rosary, keep me recollected when I say these prayers of yours; bind me forever, with your Rosary, to Jesus of the Blessed Sacrament. Blessed be Jesus, my love; Blessed be the Immaculate Virgin Mary."   - Pope St. John XXlll

“Eternity is without succession, a simultaneous possession of all joys.  To those who live toward eternity, it really is not something at the end, it is that which influences every moment of the now.”  Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Footprints in a Darkened Forest)

“When God allows you to be praised, do not become boastful on account of this divine providence, lest you then fall into dishonor.”   St. Mark the Ascetic (5th c.)

“Kindness has converted more people than zeal, science, or eloquence.”   - St.Teresa of Calcutta; No Greater Love

Little things done out of love are those that charm the heart of Christ.   - St. Therese of Lisieux

Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist St. Iranæus, Fragments, #47: “The birth of John [the Baptist] brought the dumbness of Zacharias to an end. For he did not burden his father, when the voice issued forth from silence; but as when not believed it rendered him tongue-tied, so did the voice sounding out clearly set his father free, to whom he had both been announced and born. Now the voice and the burning light (John 5:35) were a precursor of the Word and the Light

“You see a great deal of distress that you are unable to relieve. God sees it also. Bear the pains of the poor together with them, doing all you can to give them whatever help they need, and remain in peace.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

“Go to the Madonna. Love her! Always say the Rosary. Say it well. Say it as often as you can! Be souls of prayer. Never tire of praying, it is what is essential. Prayer shakes the Heart of God, it obtains necessary graces!”    -  St. Pio of Pietrelcina

Who can say that it is wrong, when we begin to recite the Hours or the Rosary, to consider whom we are going to speak with, and who we are, so as to know how to speak with Him ?   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Way of Perfection - chapter 22 : 3

"My Daughter, Look At My Merciful Heart."   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST FAUSTINA   (Diary 177)

"Prayer is powerful beyond limits when we turn to the Immaculata who is queen even of God's heart."   - St. Maximilian Kolbe

"When John the Baptist saw Our Blessed Lord approaching, he said: "I must decrease; He must increase". Herein lies the secret of mental and spiritual stability. It is only by making ourselves little that we become great; it is only by creating an emptiness that Heaven has a place to fill." Archbishop Fulton Sheen

The Eucharist is a priceless treasure: by not only celebrating it but also by praying before it outside of Mass we are enabled to make contact with the very wellspring of grace.    Pope. St. John Paul II

"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

“God has preserved you as the apple of His eye.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

Try to preserve a pure conscience, humility, and contempt for all worldly things; believe firmly what Holy Mother Church holds, and you can be sure you will be walking along good path.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Way of Perfection - chapter 21 : 10

The nine choirs of Angels offer Mary millions of times each day the Angelic Salutation: Hail Mary! In doing so, they ask her to honor them with one of her commands. —St. Louis Grignion de Montfort

“I am about to speak of the creation of heaven and earth, which was not spontaneous, as some have imagined, but drew its origin from God... Those who were too ignorant to rise to a knowledge of a God, could not allow that an intelligent cause presided at the birth of the Universe; a primary error that involved them in sad consequences. Some had recourse to material principles and attributed the origin of the Universe to the elements of the world. Others imagined ... atoms reuniting or separating, produce births and deaths and the most durable bodies only owe their consistency to the strength of their mutual adhesion... You will finally discover that the world was not conceived by chance and without reason, but for an useful end and for the great advantage of all beings, since it is really the school where reasonable souls exercise themselves, the training ground where they learn to know God; since by the sight of visible and sensible things the mind is led, as by a hand, to the contemplation of invisible things.”—St. Basil the Great, Hexaemeron, Homliy I

“When we appeal to the throne of grace we do so through Mary, honoring God by honoring His Mother, imitating Him by exalting her, touching the most responsive chord in the sacred heart of Christ with the sweet name of Mary.”    St. Robert Bellarmine, Bishop and Doctor

“Even if you had committed all the sins of the world, Jesus says to you: "Many sins have been forgiven you, because you have loved much."    St. Pio of Pietrelcina

"Be not afraid of your Saviour, O sinful soul. I make the first move to come to you, for I know that by yourself you are unable to lift yourself to me. Child, do not run away from your Father; be willing to talk openly with your God of mercy who wants to speak words of pardon and lavish his graces on you. How dear your soul is to Me! I have inscribed your name upon My hand; you are engraved as a deep wound in My Heart"   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA    (Diary 1485)

"What makes a thing bad? A pencil is a good pencil because it does what it was made to do. It writes. Is it a good can opener? It certainly is not! Suppose I use the pencil as a can opener. what happens? First of all, I do not open the can. Second, I destroy the pencil. Now if I decide to do certain things with my body which I ought not do, I do not attain the purpose for which I was created. For example, becoming an alcoholic does not make me happy. I destroy myself just as I destroyed the pencil in using it to open a can. When I disobey God, I do not make myself very happy on the inside, and I certainly destroy any peace of soul that I ought to have." Archbishop Fulton Sheen

“O Jesus, my Love, may my heart be consumed in loving Thee; make me humble and holy; give me childlike simplicity; transform me into thy holy love. O Jesus, life of my life, joy of my soul, God of my heart, accept my heart as an altar, on which I will sacrifice to Thee the gold of ardent charity, the incense of continual, humble and fervent prayer, and the myrrh of constant sacrifices! Amen.”   - St. Paul of the Cross

Without love, deeds, even the most brilliant, count as nothing. ~ St. Therese of Lisieux

“Don’t worry about me no matter what happens in this world. Nothing can happen to me that God doesn’t want. And all that He wants, no matter how bad it may appear to us, is really for the best.” (St. Thomas More, Martyr)

We must have frequent recourse to the Mother of God for she is the Mother of the supernatural life and the Mother of grace. The Lord desires that we receive all graces through her, and this depends on our approaching her. —St. Maximilian Kolbe

“I hope that God in his goodness will draw strength from these weaknesses and His glory from our miseries.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

“O Jesus, I would rather die a thousand deaths than be unfaithful to you!”   St. Bernadette Soubirous (1844 - 1879)

Confidently open your most intimate aspirations to the Love of Christ who waits for you in the Eucharist. You will receive the answer to all your worries and you will see with joy that the consistency of your life which He asks of you is the door to fulfill the noblest dreams of your youth.   Pope St. John Paul II

“But if you live the time that no man will give you good counsel, nor no man will give you good example, when you shall see virtue punished and vice rewarded, if you will then stand fast and firmly stick to God, upon pain of my life, though you be but half good, God will allow you for whole good.”   —Saint Thomas More

“You will be surprised to find in Paradise souls you never expected to be there.”    St Pio of Pietrelcina

Behold, these are not the times to believe everyone; believe only those who you see are walking in conformity with Christ's life.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Way of Perfection - chapter 21 : 10

Jesus: My daughter, do you think you have written enough about My mercy? What you have written is but a drop compared to the ocean. I am Love and Mercy Itself. There is no misery that could be a match for My mercy, neither will misery exhaust it, because as it is being granted – it increases. The soul that trusts in My mercy is most fortunate, because I Myself take care of it.   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA   (Diary, 1273)

“Whoever you are that perceive yourself during this mortal existence to be rather drifting in treacherous waters, at the mercy of the winds and the waves, than walking on firm ground, turn not away your eyes from the splendor of this guiding star, unless thou wish to be submerged by the storm. ... Look at the star, call upon Mary. ... With her for guide, you shall not go astray, while invoking her, you shall never lose heart ... if she walks before you, you shall not grow weary; if she shows you favor, you shall reach the goal.”   - St. Bernard of  Clairvaux

“In vain will the world seek for equality until it has seen men through the eyes of faith.  Faith teaches that all men, however poor, or ignorant, or crippled, however maimed, ugly, or degraded they may be, all bear within themselves the image of God, and have been bought by the precious blood of Jesus Christ.  As this truth is forgotten, men are valued only because of what they can do, not because of what they are.”  Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Preface to Religion)

“Free your mind of anything that troubles you; God will take care of it.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

O holy Mary, into your safe keeping I entrust my soul and body, this day, every day, and on the day of my death. Through your holy intercession, may all my actions be ordered according to your will and that of your Divine Son. —St. Aloysius Gonzaga

"In dangers, in doubts, in difficulties,
think of Mary, call upon Mary.
Let not her name depart from your lips,
never suffer it to leave your heart.
And that you may obtain the assistance of her prayer,
neglect not to walk in her footsteps.
With her for guide, you shall never go astray;
while invoking her, you shall never lose heart;
so long as she is in your mind,
you are safe from deception;
while she holds your hand, you cannot fall;
under her protection you have nothing to fear;
if she walks before you, you shall not grow weary;
if she shows you favor, you shall reach the goal."
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Father and Doctor of the Church

“We must fear God out of love, not love Him out of fear.” (St. Francis de Sales, Bishop and Doctor of the Church)

“Willingness to hear the word of God is a sign of predestination. Just like the exile, who awaits and gladly hears news from his homeland, shows that he loves his country, so too the Christian who listens attentively to Him who speaks of the heavenly fatherland may say that his heart is directed towards heaven.”    — St. Anthony of Padua 

Confidently open your most intimate aspirations to the Love of Christ who waits for you in the Eucharist. You will receive the answer to all your worries and you will see with joy that the consistency of your life which He asks of you is the door to fulfill the noblest dreams of your youth.  Pope St. John Paul II

  Today the Lord said to me, "I have need of your sufferings to rescue souls". O my Jesus, do with me as You please. I did not have the courage to ask the Lord Jesus for greater sufferings, because I had suffered so much the night before that I would not have been able to bear a drop more than what Jesus Himself gave me.   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA.  (Diary, 1612)

“May your heart always be a temple of the Holy Spirit.  May Jesus always be the helmsman of your little spiritual ship. May Mary be the star which shines on your path and may she show you the safe way to reach the Heavenly Father. Amen.”   St. Pio of  Pietrelcina

I have always been fond of the words of the Gospels and found more recollection in them than in very cleverly written books.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Way of Perfection - chapter 21 : 4

"The Virgin Mary, being obedient to His word, received from an angel the glad tidings that she would bear God."   - St. Irenaeus

“Why God permits crosses: He permits mental crosses, like worries, fear, anxieties, to make us feel His absence.  If our love of goodness does not draw us to Him, at least our weariness will throw us back to Him.  He permits physical crosses like sufferings to make us feel His Presence.  Sickness forcibly draws us away from the world and its pleasures, and makes us realize that His scarred Hands cannot touch us without leaving wounds.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen (About Crosses)

"Better to pray one psalm with devotion and compunction than a hundred with distraction."   - St. Romuald

“Our time is short.”   - St. John Climacus (525 – 606)

"Fly from bad companions as from the bite of a poisonous snake."   -Saint John Bosco

It is the nature of Jesus Christ to lead us surely to the Father. In the same way, it is the nature of the Blessed Virgin to lead us surely to Jesus. —St. Louis Grignion de Montfort

“The Holy Eucharist very often invigorates and strengthens even the body. O infinite mercy of our sovereign Good! this marvellous effect proceeds from the great vigor which the bread of angels communicates to the soul, and which reacts on the body.”   St. Paul of the Cross (1694-1775)

“God be praised that you are ready to do His Will in all things and everywhere and to go to live and die wherever He chooses to call you.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

"The soul which loves God seeks and looks for no other reward of its services than to love God perfectly."  St. John of the Cross    (Spiritual Canticle 9,7)

To live in love is to sail forever, spreading seeds of joy and peace in hearts. -St. Therese of Lisieux

The Eucharist is a priceless treasure: by not only celebrating it but also by praying before it outside of Mass we are enabled to make contact with the very wellspring of grace.  Pope St. John Paul II

I suddenly saw the Lord Jesus, who said to me with great kindness, My daughter, look at My merciful Heart. As I fixed my gaze on the Most Sacred Heart, the same rays of light, as are represented in the image as blood and water, came forth from it, and I understood how great is the Lord’s mercy. And again Jesus said to me with kindness, My daughter, speak to priests about this inconceivable mercy of Mine. The flames of mercy are burning Me – clamoring to be spent; I want to keep pouring them out upon souls; souls just don’t want to believe in My goodness. Suddenly Jesus disappeared. But throughout that whole day my spirit remained immersed in God’s tangible presence, despite the buzz and chatter that usually follow a retreat.   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA   (Diary, 177)

“My Jesus, my sweetness, how can I love without You? Come always, my Jesus, come; You alone take possession of my heart.”    St. Pio of Pietrelcina

For the love of God I beg you that your conversation always be directed towards bringing some good to the other；with whom you are speaking, for your prayer must be for the benefit of souls.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Way of Perfection - chapter 20 : 3

"That one woman is both mother and virgin, not in spirit only, but even in body. In spirit she is mother, not of our head, who is our Savior himself—of whom all, even she herself, are rightly called children of the bridegroom—but plainly she is the mother of us who are his members, because by love she has cooperated so that the faithful, who are the members of that head, might be born in the Church. In body, indeed, she is the Mother of that very head."   -  Saint Augustine

“Why is it that the world has confessed its inability to inculcate virtue in the young?  Very simply because it has not correlated morality to any love nobler than self-love.  Things fulfill their proper role only when integrated into a larger whole.  Most lives are like doors without hinges, or sleeves without coats, or bows without violins; that is, unrelated to wholes or purposes which give them meaning.”  Archbishop Fulton Sheen (The Seven Virtues)

“Good work, sooner or later speak a much more favorable language than anything done for one’s own ostentation and show.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

“Wherefore, O you sons of men, how long will you be dull of heart? (Ps 4,3). Why do you not recognize the truth and believe in the Son of God (Jo 9,35)? Behold: daily he humbles himself (Phil 2,8) as when from heaven’s royal throne (Wisd 18,15) he came down into the womb of the Virgin. Daily he himself comes to us with like humility; daily he descends from the bosom of the Father ( Jo 1,18; 6,38) upon the altar in the hands of the priest.” (St. Francis of Assisi, Deacon and Confessor, The Body of the Lord)

Use those gifts that you have received, & pass on the love that has been given to you.   -St Therese of Lisieux

Mary is not only called the Mother of Mercy. She is the Mother of Mercy. And she proved that she is by the loving tenderness with which she helps us all    —St. Alphonsus Liguori

Each man, in his suffering, can also become a sharer in the redemptive suffering of Christ.   Pope St. John Paul II

Oh! how happy I would be if my Master also wanted me to pour out my blood for Him! But what I ask of Him especially is that martyrdom of love that consumed my holy Mother Teresa, whom the Church proclaims a “victim of charity”; and since the Truth has said that the greatest proof of love is to give one’s life for one’s beloved, I am giving Him mine; it has been His for a long time, so He can do with it whatever He wishes, and if I am not a martyr by blood, I want to be one by love!   St. Elizabeth of the Trinity   Letter 287 to her mother, 19 June 1906

See, I have left My heavenly throne to become united with you. What you see is just a tiny part and already your soul swoons with love. How amazed will your heart be when you see Me in all My glory.   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA   (Diary, 1810)

“During the rioting of the passions and adverse events, keep in mind the dear hope of his unlimited mercy. Let us run with confidence to the tribunal of penance, where he waits for you at all times with the anxiety of a father; and although we are conscience of our debt towards Him, let us not doubt the solemn pardon of our sins. Let us bury them as our Lord has done.”   St. Pio of Pietrelcina

Certainly, this prayer “Our Father” contained so many deep secrets; for now you have seen the entire spiritual way.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Way of Perfection - chapter42 : 5

“It is easy to find truth; it is hard to face it and still harder to follow it. 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.  It requires more courage than brains to learn to know God.  God is the most obvious fact of human experience, but accepting him is one of the most arduous.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Lift Up Your Heart)

"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

“We can say that this war will be the cause of the damnation of many persons but that God will also make use of it for the grace, the justification, and the glory of many persons.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

“Materiality in the case of a house consists of furnishings and food. Materiality in the case of the intellect is self-esteem and sensual pleasure.”   St. Mark the Ascetic (5th c.)

“I know I wouldn’t be able to work one week if it were not for the continual force coming from Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. In our society we begin our day with...”   - St. Teresa of Calcutta

Do you wish to know the most intimate perfections of Jesus and the most hidden attractions of His love? Then seek them in the Heart of Mary! —St. Peter EymardF

The state of inequality between individuals and between nations not only still exists; it is increasing. It still happens that side by side with those who are wealthy and living in plenty there exist those who are living in want, suffering misery and often actually dying of hunger; and their number reaches tens, even hundreds of millions.  Pope St John Paul II

"Yes, even if I had on my conscience every possible crime I should lose none of my confidence. My heart breaking with sorry, I should go and throw myself into the arms of my savior."   -St. Therese of Lisieux

Here you see, friends, what it means to pray vocally with perfection. It means that you be aware of and understand whom you are asking, who it is that is asking, and what you are asking for.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Way of Perfection - chapter 42 : 4

“I approve of your work for gaining souls for Jesus. By all means receive Holy Communion for the Holy Father's intentions.”   St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Letters III, p. 463)

"Once the Lord said to me, Act like a beggar who does not back away when he gets more alms [than he asked for], but offers thanks the more fervently. You too, should not back away and say that you are not worthy of receiving greater graces when I give them to you. I know you are unworthy, but rejoice all the more and take as many treasures from My Heart as you can carry, for then you will please Me more. And I will tell you one more thing — take these graces not only for yourself, but also for others; that is, encourage the souls with whom you come in contact to trust in My infinite mercy. Oh, how I love those souls who have complete confidence in Me — I will do everything for them."   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA   (Diary 294)

"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

“One in essence, distinction of persons, such is the mystery of the Trinity, such is the inner life of God.  The three angles of a triangle do not make three triangles but one; as the heat, power, and light of the sun do not make three suns but one; as water, air, and steam are all manifestations of the one substance; as the form, color, and perfume of the rose do not make three roses, but one; as our soul, our intellect, and our will do not make three substances, but one; as one times one times one times one does not equal three, but one, so too in some much more mysterious way, there are three Persons in God and yet only one God.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen (The Divine Romance)

"Oh, my Lord! How true it is that whoever works for you is paid in troubles! And what a precious price to those who love you if we understand its value."   -St. Teresa of Avila

“Human rights are not a privelige conferred by government. They are every human being’s entitlement by virtue of his humanity. The right to life does not depend, and must not be declared to be contingent, on the pleasure of anyone else, not even a parent or a sovereign.” (Blessed Teresa of Calcutta)

"Sin makes man a coward; but a life in the Truth of Christ makes him bold."    St. John Chrysostom.

“St. Bernard teaches that many souls are lost through want of fortitude. Take courage, then, and trust in the power and goodness of God: strong resolutions overcome all difficulties.”   St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)

“Where there is charity and wisdom, there is neither fear nor ignorance. Where there is patience and humility, there is neither anger nor vexation. Where there is poverty and joy, there is neither greed nor avarice. Where there is peace and meditation, there is neither anxiety nor doubt.” (St. Francis of Assisi, Deacon and Confessor)

“God’s Divine Goodness asks that we never do good in any place to make ourselves look important.”   -  St. Vincent de Paul

“Charity is no substitute for justice withheld.”  (St. Augustine of Hippo)

The family, as the fundamental and essential educating community, is the privileged means for transmitting the religious and cultural values which help the person to acquire his or her own identity. Founded on love and open to the gift of life, the family contains in itself the very future of society; its most special task is to contribute effectively to a future of peace.   Pope St. John Paul II

“May Jesus be your guide, your support and your life, always and in everything.!”    St. Pio of Pietrelcina

This prayer is something supernatural, something we cannot procure through our own efforts. In it the soul enters into peace or, better, the Lord puts it at peace by His presence.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Way of Perfection - chapter 31 : 2

. My daughter, encourage souls to say the chaplet which I have given to you. It pleases Me to grant everything they ask of Me by saying the chaplet. When hardened sinners say it, I will fill their souls with peace, and the hour of their death will be a happy one.

Write this for the benefit of distressed souls; when a soul sees and realized the gravity of its sins, when the whole abyss of the misery into which it immersed itself is displayed before its eyes, let it not despair, but with trust let it throw itself into the arms of My mercy, as a child into the arms of its beloved mother. These souls have a right of priority to My compassionate Heart, they have first access to My mercy. Tell them that no soul that has called upon My mercy has been disappointed or brought to shame. I delight particularly in a soul which has placed its trust in My goodness. Write that when they say this chaplet in the presence of the dying, I will stand between My Father and the dying person, not as the just Judge but as the merciful Savior.   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTNA    (Diary, 1541)

"You know how unwilling we are to deny ourselves, how unwilling to be reproved and contradicted, how a trifling thing will make us sad, how we delight to be commended while, with a sort of natural cruelty we see blame and faults in others which we are scarcely willing to excuse."    - St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.

“Love is never monotonous in the uniformity of its expression. The mind is infinitely variable in its language, but the heart is not. The heart of a man, in the face of the woman he loves, is too poor to translate the infinity of his affection into a different word. So the heart takes one expression, "I love you," and in saying it over and over again, it never repeats. It is the only real news in the universe. That is what we do when we say the Rosary, we are saying to God, the Trinity, to the Incarnate Savior, to the Blessed Mother: "I love you, I love you, I love you." Each time it means something different because, at each decade, our mind is moving to a new demonstration of the Savior's love.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Praying the Rosary)

“God always blesses humble beginnings more than those who make a big stir!”   – St. Vincent de Paul

“What punishment will not that servant bring upon himself who knows the will of his Master and does not do it?”    St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690)

“We should not serve the poor like they were Jesus. We should serve the poor because they are Jesus.”   -  St. Teresa of Calcutta

"One word or a pleasing smile is enough to raise up a saddened and wounded soul."   --St. Therese of Lisieux

“Jesus, I love you very much; it is useless to repeat it to You. My Love, my Love Only You! Praise be to You alone.”    St. Pio of Pietrelcina

Suddenly, I saw the Lord Jesus, who said to me, ‘Be at peace, My child. See, you are not alone. My Heart watches over you.’ Jesus filled me with strength concerning a certain person. I feel strength within my soul.”    WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA   (Diary, 799)

"Let us patiently bear the contradictions and repugnance we encounter in the discharge of duty, since our actions are thereby rendered more agreeable to God."    - St. Louise de Marillac. 

Experience perpetual peace and a wonderful inner satisfaction that comes from seeing that everyone hallows and praises the Lord.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila  The Way of Perfection - chapter 30 : 5

“It is the mystery of the Trinity which gives the answer to the quest for our happiness and the meaning of Heaven.  Heaven is not a place where there is the mere vocal repetition of alleluias or the monotonous fingering of harps.  Heaven is a place where we find the fullness of all the fine things we enjoy on this earth.  Heaven is a place where we find in its plenitude those things which slake the thirst of hearts, satisfy the hunger of starving minds, and give rest to unrequited love.  Heaven is the communion with perfect Life, perfect Truth, and perfect Love.”  Archbishop Fulton Sheen (The Divine Romance)

"Love and fear...Love will make us quicken our steps, while fear will make us look where we are setting our feet so that we shall not fall."   - Saint Gaspar Bertoni

Be assured that mortification of the senses is far more profitable than wearing even sharp chains or hair shirts.   – St. Francis de Sales

“Where there is charity and wisdom, there is neither fear nor ignorance. Where there is patience and humility, there is neither anger nor vexation. Where there is poverty and joy, there is neither greed nor avarice. Where there is peace and meditation, there is neither anxiety nor doubt.” (St. Francis of Assisi, Deacon and Confessor)

“Gently and imperceptibly, the angels inspire us to do good and then leave us perfectly free to do it or not.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

It is a powerful lesson for raising one's desires to pure faith.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Book of Her Life - chapter 38 : 18

"Before I come as the just Judge, I am coming first as the King of Mercy. Before the day of justice arrives, there will be given to people a sign in the heavens of this sort: All light in the heavens will be extinguished, and there will be great darkness over the whole earth. Then the sign of the cross will be seen in the sky, and from the openings where the hands and the feet of the Savior were nailed will come forth great lights which will light up the earth for a period of time. This will take place shortly before the last day."    WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA   (Diary 83)

America you are beautiful . . . and blessed . . . . The ultimate test of your greatness is the way you treat every human being, but especially the weakest and most defenseless. If you want equal justice for all and true freedom and lasting peace, then America, defend life.   Pope St. John Paul II

“I do not love suffering, itself; I ask it of God because I desire its fruits: it gives glory to God, saves my brothers in exile, and frees souls from the fires of purgatory. What more can I ask?”   St. Pio of Pietrelcina

"The world being unworthy to receive the Son of God directly from the hands of the Father, He gave his Son to Mary for the world to receive Him from her."   -  Saint Augustine

“If you are disgusted with yourself, remember that you can come to God even by a succession of disgusts.  That is one of the ways God makes you feel hunger for the Divine.  Do you not crave food most when you are hungry?  Do you not want water most when you are thirsty?  Your own disgust, if you knew it, is the distant call of Mercy.  Only when God ceases to be infinitely merciful and only when you begin to be infinitely evil, will there be reason for despair; and that will be NEVER!”  Archbishop Fulton Sheen (The Seven Virtues)

God accepts the undertakings of one who presents things frankly just as they are.”    - St. Vincent de Paul

"Have faith! Everything will be alright! Faith! Faith!"   -St. Leopold Mandic

“Perseverance in the face of adversity dissolves evil, while unremitting patience destroys it utterly. “    St. Thalassios the Libyan

"Do everything calmly and peacefully. Do as much as you can as well as you can. Strive to see God in all things without exception, and consent to His will joyously. Do everything for God, uniting yourself to him in word and deed. Walk very simply with the Cross of the Lord and be at peace with yourself."   - St. Francis de Sales

“[Souls who love Me dearly] will be a marvel to Angels and men. Their number is very small. They are a defense for the world before the justice of the Heavenly Father and a means of obtaining mercy for the world. The love and sacrifice of these souls sustain the world in existence. The infidelity of a soul specially chosen by Me wounds My Heart most painfully. Such infidelities are swords which pierce My Heart.”    WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA   (Diary, 367e)

“Charity is the measure by which out Lord judges all things.”    St. Pio of Pietrelcina

Merely to look toward heaven recollects the soul.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Way of Perfection - chapter 38 : 6

“O Virgin Mary, change my heart into a beautiful pure corporal, to receive that white Host in which our sweet Lamb hides Himself.”
- St. Thérèse of Lisieux

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

www.MiraculousMedal.org

Mary is both the Mother of the Shepherd and the Mother of the Lamb. That is why she is all our confidence and all our hope! —St. Germanus

“The search for peace within the self is always doomed to fail; the two loneliest places in the world are a strange city and one’s own ego.  When a man is alone with his thoughts, in false independence of the Love Who made him, he keeps bad company. No amount of psychoanalysis can heal the uneasiness that results, for its basis is metaphysical, its source the tension between the finite and infinite.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Lift Up Your Heart)

"But what should give us strength and consolation is the thought that we may have recourse to our dear Father in heaven, who will never allow us to be tempted beyond our strength, and who will always help those to victory who come to Him with confidence and prayer.  Watch and pray, therefore, and you will conquer.  Amen."  St. John Vianney, Sermon on The Enemies Of Our Salvation

“All those things are nothing but exercises for your purgation, illumination, and perfection, and so that you can sympathize with those whom you see in similar dispositions. It is God’s plan that those who are to help others spiritually fall into the temptation of mind and body by which others can be tormented.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

"Actions speak louder than words; let your words teach and your actions speak."    - St. Anthony of Padua

"Happy the man whose words issue from the Holy Spirit and not from himself!" - St. Anthony of Padua

“So the souls in purgatory, being beloved by God, and confirmed in grace, have absolutely no impediment to prevent them from praying for us. . .we may piously believe that God makes our prayers known to them; and then they, full of charity as they are, most assuredly do not omit to pray for us. St. Catharine of Bologna, whenever she desire any favor, had recourse to the souls in purgatory, and was immediately heard. She even testified that by the intercession of the souls in purgatory she had obtained many graces which she had not been able to obtain by the intercession of the saints...”—St. Alphonsus Liguori

Blessed are those who cherish your Name, O Mary. Your favor will sustain them in the midst of trials, and they will bring forth fruits of salvation. —St. Anthony of Padua

I think, in coming to know our true country and realizing that we are pilgrims here below; it is a wonderful thing to see what is there and know where we shall live.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Book of Her Life - chapter 38 : 6

"You are not living for yourself but for souls, and other souls will profit from your sufferings. Your prolonged suffering will give them the light and strength to accept My will."    WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA   (Diary, 67)

“May Jesus be your guide, your support and your life, always and in everything!”    St. Pio of Pietrelcina

“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.”   - Saint Therese of Lisieux

“It is well for us in America to recall this basic distinction between the principle and the method of democracy, for too many of us believe that the principle of democracy began with the foundation of America, and that if America ever ceased to exist, democracy would pass out of the world. It would be well to recall that the Church was preaching the dignity of man over 1700 years before our government came into being.”  Archbishop Fulton Sheen

“When I utter the name of Jesus, I see before me a man of meekness, humility, kindness, and mercy, Who at the same time is the Almighty God, who heals and strengthens me.”    -St. Bernard of Clairvaux, In Cant. s. 15.

“Acts of irreverence in churches are sins which greatly displease God; they horrify the angels, and do great harm to the soul.”   St. Benedict Joseph Labre (1748 – 1783)

“All our trust must be in God and we must rest assured that nothing will happen to us that God does not allow.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

“Let thy first rule be to flee the conversation of every human being, in so far as it is simply conversation, except as deeds of charity may demand; but to love people very much, and talk with few of them. And know how to talk in moderation even with those whom thou lovest with spiritual love. . .”   St. Catherine of Siena (1347-1380)

 Today, in the course of a long conversation, the Lord said to me, How very much I desire the salvation of souls! My dearest secretary, write that I want to pour out My divine life into human souls and sanctify them, if only they were willing to accept My grace. The greatest sinners would achieve great sanctity, if only they would trust in My mercy. The very inner depths of My being are filled to overflowing with mercy, and it is being poured out upon all I have created. My delight is to act in a human soul and to fill it with My mercy and to justify it. My kingdom on earth is My life in the human soul. Write, My secretary, that I Myself am the spiritual guide of souls – and I guide them indirectly through the priest, and lead each one to sanctity by a road known to Me alone.   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA.   (Diary, 1784)

“Do you desire to study to your advantage? Let devotion accompany all your studies and study less to make yourself learned than to become a saint.”    St. Vincent Ferrer (1350. - 1419.)

“Jesus, I love You very much; it is useless to repeat it to You, I love You. My Love, my Love. Only You! Praise be to You alone.”    St. Pio of Pietrelcina

“The person who in his actions shows that he prefers his body to his soul, and the world to God, is a pathetic creature.”   St. Thalassios the Libyan

“Think of what the Saints have done for their neighbor because they loved God. But what Saint's love for God can match Mary's? She loved Him more in the first moment of her existence than all the Saints and angels ever loved Him or will love Him. Our Lady herself revealed to Sister Mary Crucified that the fire of her love was most extreme. If Heaven and earth were placed in it, they would be instantly consumed. And the ardors of the seraphim, compared with it, are like cool breezes. Just as there is not one among all the Blessed who loves God as Mary does, so there is no one, after God, who loves us as much as this most loving Mother does. Furthermore, if we heaped together all the love that mothers have for their children, all the love of husbands and wives, all the love of all the angels and Saints for their clients, it could never equal Mary's love for even a single soul.”   - Saint Alphonsus Ligouri

It is right for anyone who cares about heaven to have a continual solicitude about pleasung God and despising the world.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Book of Her Life - chapter 37: 10

"The only answer to the mystery of death would be for someone to break the death barrier. Someone must pierce the mystery from within and when that Death was preceded by poverty, hunger, thirst, hatred, miscarriage of justice, intellectual barbarisms, and scourging, and the seeming abandonment of heaven, then I know that nothing that happens to me or anyone else can be worse and that it is eventually to be swallowed up in joy and peace. Christ answers, "Can you not see that everything that touched you first touched me. I am in the midst of your sorrows; your tears run down my cheeks; your thirst is but an echo of my parched cry of the Cross. I died the very death that I conquered." Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Footprints in a Darkened Forest)

“Among the great billows of the sea of life, here and there whipped up by wild winds... one thing alone is dear to me, my only treasure, comfort and oblivion in my struggle, the light of the Blessed Trinity.” — St. Gregory of Nazianzus

“Talk to the Three Persons, to God the Father, to God the Son, to God the Holy Spirit. And so as to reach the Blessed Trinity, go through Mary.” (St. Josemaría Escrivá, The Forge, # 543)

I promise that the soul that will venerate this image will not perish. I also promise victory over [its] enemies already here on earth, especially at the hour of death. I Myself will defend it as My own glory.   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA.   (Diary, 48)

The Motherly Heart of Mary has a great desire to give us grace. This desire is even greater than our desire to receive grace! —St. Alphonsus Liguori

“Roses are not gathered except in the midst of thorns, and heroic acts of virtue are accomplished only in weakness.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

Why should we defend ourselves when we are misunderstood and misjudged? Let us leave that aside. Let us not say anything. It is so sweet to let others judge us in any way they like. O blessed silence, which gives so much peace to the soul!   - St. Therese of Lisieux

"When we were little, we kept close to our mother in a dark alley or if dogs barked at us. Now, when we feel temptations of the flesh, we should run to the side of our Mother in heaven, by realizing how she is to us, and by means of aspirations. She will defend us and lead us to the light." — St. Josemaria Escriva

I hope that your example attracts many souls to the adoration of Jesus Christ who is present on the altar to be of comfort and hope to those who confide in him with faith and love; they look on him as the Emmanuel, God with us, who wished to dwell amongst us: his heart in our heart.    - Pope St. John Paul II

"Through perseverance in its spiritual exercises without consolation or satisfaction, the soul practices the love of God."   - St. John of the Cross

"Mary seeks for those who approach her devoutly and with reverence, for such she loves, nourishes, and adopts as her children."   - St. Bonaventure

“Let us love Jesus for his divine greatness, for his power in Heaven and on earth, for his infinite merits, but also and above all out of gratitude. Had He not been so good towards us but more severe, how much less we would have sinned! But when sin is followed with profound sorrow, with an honest resolution of never sinning again, an intense understanding of the great pain we have given to the mercy of God; when having rent the hardest fibres of our hearts we manage to shed scalding tears of repentance and love then, my son, the sin itself becomes a stepping-stone which brings us closer, which raises us up, which leads us to Him more securely.”   St. Pio of Pietrelcina

When, my God, will I finally see my soul joined together in Your praise, so that all its faculties may enjoy You ?   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila    The Book of Her Life - chapter 30: 16

“One in essence, distinction of persons, such is the mystery of the Trinity, such is the inner life of God.  The three angles of a triangle do not make three triangles but one; as the heat, power, and light of the sun do not make three suns but one; as water, air, and steam are all manifestations of the one substance; as the form, color, and perfume of the rose do not make three roses, but one; as our soul, our intellect, and our will do not make three substances, but one; as one times one times one times one does not equal three, but one, so too in some much more mysterious way, there are three Persons in God and yet only one God.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen (The Divine Romance)

“Grace has its moments. Let us abandon ourselves to the providence of God and be very careful not to run ahead of it.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

"Our hearts were made for You, O Lord, and they are restless until they rest in you."   - St. Augustine of Hippo

Everything that the Son asks of the Father is granted. Likewise, everything that the Mother asks of her Son is also granted. —St. John Vianney

“To know who to avoid is a great means of saving our souls.”    - St. Thomas Acquinas

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)

“Oh, if I had an infinite number of hearts, all the hearts in Heaven and earth, your Mother's heart, Jesus, I would offer them all, every one of them to You!”   St. Pio of Pietrelcina

In order to be right, let us leave the giving to His will since we have alreadyvgiven Him our own. His name be forever hallowed in heaven and on earth, and may His will be always done in me.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila    The Way of Perfection -bchapter 42 : 4

“Have you ever noticed, in the Creed, how quickly we pass over the life of our Lord?  “Born”, what’s the next thing? “Suffered under Pontius Pilate.”  Suffered.  Nothing about the Beatitudes, nothing about His miracles, nothing about His conflicts with the fundamentalists and modernists of His time, just “born” – “suffered”.  Why does the Creed pass over His Earthly life?  Because there’s only one thing to be told about a human life: do we or do we not do the Father’s will?  The tiny little details, whether it’s the office of a priest, of a nun, a mother, a secretary, a doctor, a lawyer, it makes no difference.  The details we can skip!  Everything can be said about life if we did the Father’s will.  He did it, therefore, omit the details.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen

"Consuming Fire, Spirit of Love, 'come upon me', and create in my soul a kind of incarnation of the Word"    - St Elisabeth of the Trinity

In the same way that a powerful medicine cures an illness, so illness itself is a medicine to cure passion. And there is much profit of soul in bearing illness quietly and giving thanks to God.
St. Syncletica of Alexandria

“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)

“Even if the whole world should rise up to destroy us, nothing will happen except what God, in whom we have put our hope, will allow.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

“In vain will our sacred discourses strike the external ear, unless God by a spiritual gift opens the hearing of the interior man.”   - St. Fulgentius of Ruspe (468 - 533)

The incomparable Mother of God is the purest golden censer. In her our prayers are offered to the Eternal God. —St. Ephrem

“Let us remember that the Heart of Jesus has called us not only our own sanctification, but also for that of other souls. He wants to be helped in the salvation of souls.”     St. Pio of Pietrelcina

When I was receiving Holy Communion today, I noticed in the cup a Living Host, which the priest gave to me. When I returned to my place I asked the Lord, "Why was one Host alive, since You are equally alive under each of the species?" The Lord answered me,"That is so. I am the same under each of the species, but not every soul receives Me with the same living faith as you do, My daughter, and therefore I cannot act in their souls as I do in yours".   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA    (Diary 1407)

"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."   - St. John Vianney

He wants us to desire sublime and great things; we, here below, desire base and earthly things. He would want us to desire only what is secure; we, here below, love the dubious.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila    The Way of Perfection - chapter 42 : 4

"The Apostles were the nucleus of the new ecclesia or body. Through them and their successors, Christ would still continue to teach, govern and sanctify. Up until the day of Pentecost, they were like chemicals in a laboratory. We know up to 100 percent the chemicals which enter into the constitution of a human body, but we cannot make one, because we cannot create the vivifying, unifying principle - the soul.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Bishop Sheen Writes)

“Has the tender love of a father or the liberality of a king toward his subjects ever reached as far as the love of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist!? ...O, the good fortune of the Christian, how little it is appreciated! No, dear brethren, His love could have done no more than to give Himself to us; for when we receive Him we receive Him with all His riches!"     St. John Vianney.

“Be watchful that nothing in your use be damaged or spoiled.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

“The crown of victory is promised only to those who engage in the struggle.” (St. Augustine; The Spiritual Combat)

“If you are sinful, repent so that you can communicate often. If you are imperfect, go often to Communion that you may amend your faults.”    St. Claude de la Colombiere (1641 - 1682)

"May I give you some advice for you to put into practice daily? When your heart makes you feel those low cravings, say slowly to the Immaculate Virgin: Look on me with compassion. Don't abandon me. Don't abandon me, my Mother! – And recommend this prayer to others."     St. Josemaría Escrivá

Deepen you knowledge of Jesus which ends loneliness, overcomes sadness and uncertainty, gives real meaning to life, curbs passions, exalts ideals, expands energies in charity, brings light into decisive choices. Let Christ be for you the Way, the Truth, and the Life.   Pope St. John Paul II

“Do not be at all surprised at your weakness, but acknowledge what you are, and blush at your infidelity towards God, then confide in Him and abandon yourself tranquilly in the arms of the heavenly Father, like a child in the arms of its mother.”    St. Pio of Pietrelcina

Finally, the chapel was opened. I found it difficult to pray because I was already feeling very exhausted, and immediately after Holy Communion I returned to my room. Then I saw the Lord, who said to me, "Know, My daughter, that the ardour of your heart is pleasing to Me. And just as you desire ardently to become united with Me in Holy Communion, so too do I desire to give Myself wholly to you; and as a reward for your zeal, rest on My Heart". At that moment, my spirit was immersed in His Being, like a drop in a bottomless ocean. I drowned myself in Him as in my sole treasure. Thus I came to recognise that the Lord allows certain difficulties for His greater glory   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA    (Diary, 826)

He wants us to desire the eternal : we, here below, lean towards what comes to an end.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Way of Perfection - chapter 42 : 4

"Most people are followers not leaders. In fact, the more rapid the methods of communication the more numerous will be the imitators. As Tovnbee has said, the great masses are generally uncreative. Marxism uses them as means of exploitation to put their leaders in power. The great inspirations of society come from the creative minority; it has been so since Pentecost when there were only 120 followers ready to receive the Spirit of redemption." Archbishop Fulton Sheen

“A talkative, over-curious, and restless person is like an oven which is open and exposed on all sides, and which keeps no heat; you will never enjoy the sweetness of a quiet prayer unless you shut your mind to all worldly desires and temporal affairs.” (St. Norbert, Bishop and Founder of the Norbertines)

“God desires from you the least degree of purity of conscience more than all the works you can perform.”     St. John of the Cross (1542-1591)

“Let us establish ourselves in total dependence on God, trusting that in so doing whatever men say or do against us will turn to the good.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

Everyone loves Him there, and the soul itself doesn't think about anything else than loving Him; nor can it cease loving Him, because it knows Him.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Way of Perfection - chapter 30 : 5

Mary is the sure way to go to Jesus and to find Him perfectly. It is through her that holy souls, who are to radiate holiness, must find Jesus!    —St. Louis Grignion de Montfort

"A glance of love cast towards Jesus and the knowledge of our profound misery makes reparation for everything."   - St. Therese of Lisieux

"Lovers cannot be satisfied if they fail to feel that they love as much as they are loved."   -St. John of the Cross

“Let us look with profound gratitude at that sublime mystery which attracted the Heart of Jesus to his creatures with such force; let us look at the great condescension with which He put on our own flesh to live the miserable life of this earth in our midst; let us muster up all the forces of our intellect to consider worthily the tenacious fervor and hardship of his apostolate, to recall the horrors of his passion and martyrdom and adore his Blood...royally offered to the last drop for the redemption of mankind; then with humble faith and the same ardent love with which He surrounds and pursues our souls, let us bow our impure foreheads at his feet.”    St. Pio of Pietrelcina

 Before confession, I heard these words in my soul, My daughter, tell him everything and reveal your soul to him as you do before Me. Do not fear anything. It is to keep you in peace that I place this priest between your soul and Myself. The words he will speak to you are My words. Reveal to him your soul’s greatest secrets, I will give him light to know your soul.   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA.   (Diary, 232)

"If you ever feel distressed during your day — call upon our Lady — just say this simple prayer: 'Mary, Mother of Jesus, please be a mother to me now.' I must admit — this prayer has never failed me."   -  St. Teresa of Calcutta

“When night gives our inner vision scope, the guilty conscience lies awake, fearful of being known in all its ugliness.  There is nothing that so arouses unhealthy fear as a hidden guilt.”  Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Peace of Soul)

But the day will come—and that day is not far off—when all the righteous men and women who firmly believed in Him throughout their lives will see Him. And around Him in the heaven will gather all those who were baptized on earth in His name—not only with water, but also with the Spirit and Fire. And they will enter into His joy, which the Heavenly Father has prepared for all His chosen, and will inherit a joy that they have never known before.   - Saint Nikolai Velimirovic
Sermon on the Ascension of the Lord

YOU HAVE NOT THE TIME - From A Sermon By St John Vianney

We can only find our happiness on earth in loving God, and we can only love Him in prayer to Him. We see that Jesus Christ, to encourage us often to have recourse to Him through prayer, promises never to refuse us anything if we pray for it as we should. But there is no need to go looking for elaborate and roundabout ways of showing you that we should pray often, for you have only to open your catechism and you will see there that the duty of every good Christian is to pray morning and evening and often during the day -- that is to say, always....

Which of us, my dear brethren, could, without tears of compassion, listen to those poor Christians who dare to say that they have not time to pray? You have not the time! Poor blind creatures, which is the more precious action: to strive to please God and to save your soul, or to go out to feed your animals in the stable or to call your children or your servants in order to send them out to till the earth or to tidy up the stable? Dear God! How blind man is! ....

You have not the time! But tell me, ungrateful creatures, if God had called you to die that night, would you have exerted yourselves? If He had sent you three or four months of illness, would you have exerted yourselves? Go away, you miserable creatures; you deserve to have God abandon you in your blindness and leave you thus to perish. We find that it is too much to give Him a few minutes to thank Him for the graces which He is giving us at every instant! ....

You must get on with your work, you say.

That, my dear people, is where you are greatly mistaken. You have no other work to do except to please God and to save your souls. All the rest is not your work. If you do not do it, others will, but if you lose your soul, who will save it?

“Afflictions bring blessing to man; self-esteem and sensual pleasure, evil.”   -  St. Mark the Ascetic (5th c.)

“I hope Our Lord will give you a share in the patience He practiced, not only in enduring fatigue but in seeing Himself abandoned by many who began to follow Him, even by the apostles, through no fault of His but because of their heedlessness.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

"The more we are afflicted in this world, the greater is our assurance in the next; the more we sorrow in the present, the greater will be our joy in the future"     - St. Isidore of Seville

"The love of our Lord’s Heart was in no way diminished by the treason of Judas, the flight of the apostles, and the persecution of his enemies. Jesus was only grieved at the harm they did themselves; his sufferings helped to assuage his grief because he saw in them a remedy for the sins committed by his enemies. The Sacred Heart was full of most tender love: there was no bitterness in it; no cruelty and injustice that he received moved it to feelings other than those of compassion and affection."    - St. Claude La Colombiere

“The field of battle between God and Satan is the human soul. This is where it takes place every moment of our lives. The soul must give free access to our Lord and be completely fortified by Him with every kind of weapon. His light must illuminate it to fight the darkness of error. He must put on Jesus Christ, His truth and justice, the shield of faith, the word of God to overcome such powerful enemies. To put on Jesus Christ we must die to ourselves.”    St. Pio of Pietrelcina

“Oh, how painful it is to Me that souls so seldom unite themselves to Me in Holy Communion. I wait for souls, and they are indifferent toward Me. I love them tenderly and sincerely, and they distrust Me. I want to lavish My graces on them, and they do not want to accept them. They treat Me as a dead object, whereas My Heart is full of love and mercy.”    WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA    (Diary, 1447a)

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

The great good that it seems to me there will be in the kingdom of heaven, among many other blessings, is that one will no longer take any account of earthly things, but have a calmness and glory within, rejoice in the fact that all are rejoicing.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Way of Perfection - chapter 30 : 5

“What is confession? Unity of the soul, stripping ourselves of all false excuses and shams and pretenses.   Did you know as we give up examination of conscience and confession that physical nudity increases in the world.  In our modern world we are bringing back nudity.  Trying to get back in the Garden of Eden without walking up the hill of Calvary, and it cannot be done.  What is confession?  Ethical nudity where we say this is who I am.  I am a miserable sinner.  When we make that confession what happens is the recycling of human garbage.  Your sins are forgiven by the Blood of Christ through the Priest.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen

"I do not know your gods. Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, is my God. If you take my answer as an offense, cut off my tongue. Every part of my body is ready to suffer when God calls for this sacrifice."   -St. Theodore Tiro

“Let us be neither dogs that do not bark nor silent onlookers nor paid servants who run away before the wolf. Instead let us be careful shepherds watching over Christ’s flock. Let us preach the whole of God’s plan to the powerful and to the humble, to rich and to poor, to men of every rank and age, as far as God gives us the strength, in season and out of season.” (St. Boniface, Bishop and Martyr)

"Seek refuge in Mary because she is the city of refuge. We know that Moses set up three cities of refuge for anyone who inadvertently killed his neighbor. Now the Lord has established a refuge of mercy, Mary, even for those who deliberately commit evil. Mary provides shelter and strength for the sinner."  -  Saint Anthony of Padua