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

“We may be tempted to say, ‘Our Lord is enough for me. I have no need of her’. But He needed her, whether we do or not. And, what is more important, our blessed Lord gave us His Mother as our Mother. As with Cana, she knows what we need before we do. She is the link. The mother is not the doctor, and neither is Mary the Savior. But Mary brings us to the Savior.” - Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen

"Patience is the companion of wisdom."   -St. Augustine

“People will never believe in us if we do not show love and compassion to those whom we wish to believe in us.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

Do not be afraid to be holy! Have the courage and humility to present yourselves to the world determined to be holy, since full, true freedom is born from holiness.  Pope St. John Paul II

“Great care must be taken to show forth orthodox truth in such a way that if any heretics happen to be present they may have an example of charity and Christian moderation. No hard words should be used nor any sort of contempt for their errors be shown.”  —Saint Ignatius of Loyola

"The last thing I ask of you — and I ask it in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ — is that you love Him alone, that you trust implicitly in Him and that you encourage one another continually to suffer for the love of Him.”   - St. Mary Magdalen De' Pazzi

When we go to Communion, we experience an extraordinary feeling of comfort which seems to envelop us entirely. What is this but Our Lord communicating Himself to every part of our being, and making us thrill with joy? We are obliged to exclaim like St.  John: "It is the Lord!"    - St. John Vianney

“Strong and generous hearts do not grieve except for strong motives, and even then they do not allow such motives to penetrate too deeply within them.”   St Pio of Pietrelcina

“There is an infinite treasure of knowledge available to us: the Word of God kept safe by the Church, the grace of Christ administered in the sacraments and also the witness and example of those who live by our side and have known how to build with their good lives a road of faithfulness to God.” (St. Josemaría Escrivá, Christ is Passing By, 34)

“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. Therese of Lisieux

At three o’clock [in the afternoon], 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   (Diary, 1320)

Friendship is the source of the greatest pleasures, and without friends even the most agreeable pursuits become tedious. - St. Thomas Aquinas

“When God has appointed a way, we must faithfully follow it and never think of another under pretense that it is more easy and safe. It is one of the Devil’s artifices to set before a soul some state, holy indeed, but impossible to her, or at least different from hers, so that by a love of novelty, she may dislike, or be slack in her present state in which God has placed her and which is best for her. In like manner, he represents to her other acts as more holy and profitable to make her conceive a disgust for her present employment.”   St. Ignatius of Loyola, The Spiritual Exercises

The Blessed Virgin will give you a share of her faith, a faith that will remove all concern with sensible and extraordinary things. This faith will be living and animated by love so that you will act entirely out of love. —St. Louis Grignion de Montfort

If God sends you many sufferings, it is a sign that He has great plans for
you and certainly wants to make you a saint.   - St. Ignatius of Loyola

Look, daughters, His will must be done whether we like this or not, and it will be done in heaven and on earth. Believe me, take my advice, and make a virtue of necessity.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Way of Perfection - chapter 32 : 4

“Many have become so enamored of the gifts the Great Giver of Life has dropped on the roadway of life that they build their cities around the gift, and forget the Giver.  And when the gifts, out of loyalty to their Maker, fail to give them perfect happiness, they rebel against God and become cynical and disillusioned.”  Archbishop Fulton Sheen (You)

“I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.”
St. Teresa of Calcutta

"He who goes about to take the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass from the Church plots no less a calamity than if he tried to snatch the sun from the universe."   - St. John Fisher

“Mary having co-operated in our redemption with so much glory to God and so much love for us, Our Lord ordained that no one shall obtain salvation except through her intercession.”   - St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori

"Through the Chaplet you will obtain everything, if what you ask for is compatible with My will".
"Say unceasingly the Chaplet that I have taught you. Whoever will recite it will receive great mercy at the hour of death. Priests will recommend it to sinners as their last hope of salvation. Even if there were a sinner most hardened, if he were to recite this Chaplet only once, he would receive the grace of My infinite mercy".
"At the hour of their death, I defend every soul that will say this Chaplet as I do My own glory. When this Chaplet is said by the bedside of a dying person, God's anger is placated and His unfathomable mercy envelops the soul"    WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA   (Diary 687, 811 & 1731)

I shouldn't be anxious , that in this life we cannot always be in a stable condition.... but that it should hope in Him and not be afraid.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Book of Her Life - chapter 40 : 18

"The cross will not crush you; if its weight makes you stagger, its power will also sustain you."   - St. Pio of Pietrelcina

I have within me a solitude where He dwells, and nothing can take that away from me.   St Elizabeth of the Trinity

From this moment on, live the Eucharist fully; be persons for whom the Holy Mass, Communion, and Eucharistic adoration are the center and summit of their whole life.   Pope St. John Paul II

“It is easy to go from deficiency to excess of the virtues, from being just to becoming rigid, and from zealous to inconsiderate.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

There is one ONLY THING to do here below: to love Jesus, to win souls for Him so that He may be loved. -St.Therese of Lisieux

"This war has knocked into a cocked hat all those vaporous theorizing of naturalist education which separated education from morality, which understood freedom of speech as freedom from morality; freedom of religion as freedom from worship; freedom from fascism as freedom for communism; freedom from fear as freedom from law; and freedom of thought as free." Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Seven Pillars of Peace)

"If angels could be jealous of men, they would be so for one reason: Holy Communion."   - St. Maximilian Kolbe

"TO announce to Catholic Christians a doctrine other than that which they have received was never permitted, is nowhere permitted, and never will be permitted. It was ever necessary, is everywhere necessary, and ever will be necessary that those who announce a doctrine other than that which was received once and for all be anathema."   - St. Vincent of Lérins: "Commonitoria," 9. (5th cent.)

“Our happiness lies in the cross; even Our Lord did not will to enter his glory except through suffering.”   - St. Vincent de Paul

Fortunately, while being Martha one can remain like Mary Magdalene always near the Master, contemplating Him with a wholly loving look. And that is our life in Carmel, for, although prayer is our principal and even our unique occupation, for the prayer of a Carmelite never ceases, we also have works, external acts. I wish you could see me at the wash, with my habit turned up and splashing around in the water. You doubt my ability in this field, and with good reason, but with Jesus I tackle everything, and I find everything charming, nothing is difficult or boring.   St. Elizabeth of the Trinity

O'let us not waste our time! Let us save souls! Souls are falling into hell innumerable as the flakes of snow on a winter day.    St. Therese of Lisieux

"Real love is demanding. I would fail in my mission if I did not tell you so. Love demands a personal commitment to the will of God."    -Pope St. John Paul the Great

I do not care very much what men say of me, provided that God approves of me.   - St. Thomas More

“Do not let your soul be troubled at the sad spectacle of human injustice; even this has its value in the economy of events. Do not stop in your search for the truth and in the acquisition of the Most High. Be docile to the inspirations of grace.”     St. Pio of Pietrelcina

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)

"Men do not fear a powerful hostile army as the powers of hell fear the name and protection of Mary."   - St Bonaventure

He indicated that anyone who is about to receive a prelacy must be far from desiring or wanting it, or at least from striving after it.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Book of Her Life - chapter 40 : 16

“It is the possibility of saying ‘no’ which gives so much charm to the heart when it says ‘yes.’  A victory may be celebrated only on those fields in which a battle may be lost.  Hence, in the divine order of things, God made a world in which a man and woman would rise to moral heights, not by that blind driving power which makes the sun rise each morning, but rather by the exercise of that freedom in which one may fight the good fight and enjoy the reward of victory – for no one shall be crowned unless he has struggled.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen

"He is like an ineffable space which embraces all. He, the Creator, embraces everything, summoning to existence from nothing, not only from the beginning, but always." - Pope St. John Paul II

Within oneself, very clearly, is the best place to look for God; and it's not nescessary to go to heaven, nor any further than our own self.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Book of Her Life - chapter 40 : 6

"My slightest sighs, my greatest sufferings, my sorrows and my joys, my little sacrifices: my flowers, Jesus, for You."    - St. Therese of Lisieux

“To combat evil… is to fight with love for all men, including those who are less good. It is to put goodness in relief, so as to make it more attractive, rather than to propagate evil by describing it. When the occasion presents itself to call the attention of society, or of authority, to some evil, it must be done with love for the person to blame, and with delicacy. Do not exaggerate; do not go into detail about the evil any more than is necessary to remedy it.”   - St. Maximilian Kolbe

"I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples."   St. Teresa of Calcutta

“Don't refuse in any way or for any reason to act charitably to all without exception. Go out of your way to do this when you get the chance. The Lord desires it and you must make an effort to do it.”    St. Pio of Pietrelcina  (Letters I, p. 1353)

“The wisest persons, surprised by some passion, often say things they later regret.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

“According to the plan of God, marriage is the foundation of the wider community of the family, since the very institution of marriage and conjugal love are ordained to the procreation and education of children, in whom they find their crowning.”  (Pope St. John Paul II, Familiaris consortio #14, Apostolic Exhortation, 22 November 1981)

“When the soul is troubled, lonely and darkened, then it turns easily to the outer comfort and to the empty enjoyments of the world.”    St. Francis of Assisi

“To combat evil… is to fight with love for all men, including those who are less good. It is to put goodness in relief, so as to make it more attractive, rather than to propagate evil by describing it. When the occasion presents itself to call the attention of society, or of authority, to some evil, it must be done with love for the person to blame, and with delicacy. Do not exaggerate; do not go into detail about the evil any more than is necessary to remedy it.”   - St. Maximilian Kolbe

"To give worthy praise to the Lord's mercy, we unite ourselves with Your Immaculate Mother, for then our hymn will be more pleasing to You, because She is chosen from among men and angels. Through Her, as through a pure crystal, Your mercy was passed on to us. Through Her, man became pleasing to God; Through Her, streams of grace flowed down upon us."   - St. Faustina

"There are few souls who contemplate My Passion with true feeling; I give great graces to souls who meditate devoutly on My Passion."    WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA   (Diary, 737)

“And yet at that moment when a tree of his own creation turned against Him and became a cross, when the iron of His earth reacted against Him and became nails, when roses rebelled against Him and became thorns, at that second when a sickle and a hammer combined to cut down the weeds on Calvary’s hill to erect a gallows and drive nails through hands to render impotent the blessings of love incarnate, He, like a tree which bathes in perfume the ax which kills it, lets fall from His lips for the earth’s first hearing the answer to the riddle of hate and anger: “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen (The Seven Riddles of Life)

Mary was the perfect disciple of Christ, mirror of every virtue and embodiment of the evangelical beatitudes proclaimed by Jesus. In her the whole Church attains the most authentic form of the perfect imitation of Christ. —Pope Paul VI

“Zeal is the soul of the virtues.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

The Mother of God is a Model of the Church in the matter of faith, charity, and perfect union with God. Through the gift and role of the Divine Motherhood, Mary is united with her Son and with the Church. —Vatican II: The Church, 63

“There is an infinite treasure of knowledge available to us: the Word of God kept safe by the Church, the grace of Christ administered in the sacraments and also the witness and example of those who live by our side and have known how to build with their good lives a road of faithfulness to God.” (St. Josemaría Escrivá, Christ is Passing By, 34).

How I fail ..... and I could say it a thousand times, to get rid of everything for You !   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Book of Her Life - chapter 39 : 6

During Holy Hour today, I asked the Lord Jesus if He would deign to teach me about the spiritual life, Jesus answered me, My daughter, faithfully live up to the words which I speak to you. Do not value any external thing too highly, even if it were to seem very precious to you. Let go of yourself, and abide with Me continually. Entrust everything to Me and do nothing on your own, and you will always have great freedom of spirit. No circumstances or events will ever be able to upset you. Set little store on what people say. Let everyone judge you as they like. Do not make excuses for yourself, it will do you no harm. Give away everything at the first sign of a demand, even if they were the most necessary things. Do not ask for anything without consulting Me. Allow them to take away even what is due you – respect, your good name – let your spirit rise above all that. And so, set free from everything, rest close to My Heart, not allowing your peace to be disturbed by anything. My pupil, consider the words which I have spoken to you.   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA (Diary, 1685)

“Simplicity is virtue, but up to a point, it must never be without prudence; on the other hand cunning and slyness are diabolical and do a lot of harm.”   St. Pio of Pietrelcina

“The Rosary, though clearly Marian in character, is at heart a Christ-centered prayer.  It has all the depth of the gospel message in its entirety.  It is an echo of the prayer of Mary, her perennial Magnificat for the work of the redemptive Incarnation which began in her virginal womb.”   Pope St. John Paul ll

"Mary, give me your Heart: so beautiful, so pure, so immaculate; your Heart so full of love and humility that I may be able to receive Jesus in the Bread of Life and love Him as you love Him and serve Him in the distressing guise of the poor."    - St. Teresa of Calcutta

“Man is living in fear, but it is different from any fear in the past–first, because man used to fear God with a filial fear, which made him shrink from hurting One Whom he loved.  Later on, man feared not God but his fellowman, as the world shuddered under two world wars in twenty-one years.  Now we have come to the last and most awful of all the fears, in which man trembles before the littlest thing in the universe–the atom!  The atomic bomb has taken our minds off existence and purpose. Yet it is still true today that how one gets out of time is not so important as how one is in eternity. The atomic bomb in the hands of a Francis of Assisi would be less harmful than a pistol in the hand of a thug; what makes the bomb dangerous is not the energy it contains, but the man who uses it.  Therefore, it is modern man who has to be remade. Unless he can stop the explosions inside his own mind, he will probably–armed with the bomb–do harm to the planet itself, as Pius XII has warned.  There is no such thing as the problem of the atomic bomb.  There is, rather, the problem of the man who makes and uses it.  Only men and nations whose personalities were already atomized could join forces with external nature to use an atomic bomb in an attack on human existence.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen (World’s First Love)

Know that the greatest service that man can offer to God is to help convert souls.   - St. Rose of Lima

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

“I hope that you will all live in peace in order to advance in virtue, lighten each other’s burdens, and be a consolation to one another in your heavy labors.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

Most Holy Virgin, accept me as thy servant and shelter me under thy mantle, thou who art the Mother of mercy.   - St Alphonsus Liguori 

'O blissful penance, which has purchased for me so great a reward!' St. Peter of Alcantara, to St. Teresa of Jesus, appearing to her after his death

My God, if my tongue cannot say in every moment that I love You, I want my heart to repeat it to You as often as I draw breath.     - St. John Vianney

“I do not tremble when I see my weakness, for the treasures of a mother belong also to her child, and I am thy child, O dear Mother Mary.” - St. Thérèse of Lisieux

Christ remained in Mary’s womb for nine months. He will dwell in the tabernacle of the faith of the Church until the end of the world. And He will remain in the knowledge and love of the faithful for all eternity. —St. Isaac of Stella

O Wealth of the poor, how admirably You know how to sustain souls ! And without their seeing such great wealth, You show it to them little by little.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Book of Her Life - chapter 38 : 21

"Priests will recommend it to sinners as their last hope of salvation. Even if there were a sinner most hardened, if he were to recite this Chaplet only once, he would receive grace from My infinite mercy…I desire to grant unimaginable graces to those souls who trust in My mercy."   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA   (Diary 687)

“You must always have prudence and love. Prudence has the eyes, love the legs. Love that has the legs would like to run to God, but its impulse to rush towards Him is blind, and might sometimes stumble if it was not guided by prudence which has the eyes. When prudence sees that love should be restrained, it lends its eyes.”   - St. Pio of Pietrelcina

“The deeds you do may be the only sermon some persons will hear today.”   - St. Francis of Assisi

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

“Those who seek applause for their gifts do not really give at all they buy.  They are not surrendering they are purchasing.  They are less impressed with the need of others than they are with the heed that will be given to them.  Their gift is a kind of a speculation.  They made an investment in publicity, and they look for their adequate returns.”  Archbishop Fulton Sheen (On Being Human)

“Openness to God’s will is the source of all virtues and the death of all vices.”   - St. Vincent de Paul

Mary has a great desire to be invoked by us so that she may dispense her favors to us in greater abundance. So true is this that she is offended not only by those who speak ill of her but also by those who neglect to ask for her graces. —St. Bonaventure

To convert somebody go and take them by the hand and guide them.    - St. Thomas Aquinas

Everything I see with my bodily eyes seems to be a dream and a mockery. What I have already seen with the eyes of my soul is what I desire.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Book of Her Life - chapter 38 : 7

Jesus wishes to own your heart completely. - St. Therese of Lisieux

“To believe in Jesus is to accept what he says, even when it runs contrary to what others are saying. It means rejecting the lure of sin, however attractive it may be, in order to set out on the difficult path of the Gospel virtues.” (Pope St. John Paul II; WYD Toronto Welcoming Ceremony; July 25, 2002)

Once, as I was going down the hall to the kitchen, I heard these words in my soul: Say unceasingly the chaplet that I have taught you. Whoever will recite it will receive great mercy at the hour of death. Priests will recommend it to sinners as their last hope of salvation. Even if there were a sinner most hardened, if he were to recite this chaplet only once, he would receive grace from My infinite mercy. I desire that the whole world know My infinite mercy. I desire to grant unimaginable graces to those souls who trust in My mercy.   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST FAUSTINA   (Diary, 687)

To predispose our mind to welcome the Lord who, as we say in the Creed, one day will come to judge the living and the dead, we must learn to recognize him as present in the events of daily life. Therefore, Advent is, so to speak, an intense training that directs us decisively toward him who already came, who will come, and who comes continuously.  Pope St. John Paul II

"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

“In every friendship hearts grow and entwine themselves together, so that the two hearts seem to make only one heart with a single common thought.  That is why separation is so painful; it is not so much two hearts separating, but one being torn asunder.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Seven Capital Sins)

“Pride is a most pernicious vice, and the more to be dreaded as we are strongly inclined to it by nature.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

"When a spiritual person feels a great calmness of mind in asking anything of God, it is a good sign that God either has granted it, or will do so shortly."   -St. Philip

Never let your home be without a crucifix upon its walls.      - St. John Vianney

"If every tiny flower wanted to be a rose, spring would lose its loveliness." -St. Therese of Lisieux

“As it is love alone which procures in us the desire of conformity with our Sovereign Master, we can only attain to this conformity by loving Him supremely.”   St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690)

The death of those who truly love God and despised the things of this life must be more gentle.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Book of Her Life - chapter 38 : 5

“I bless the good God for the holy sentiments his grace gives you. You do well never to begin any task without first having implored divine help. This will obtain for you the grace of holy perseverance.”   St. Pio of Pietrelcina

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

"Devotion to you, O Blessed Virgin, is a means of salvation which God gives to those whom he wishes to save."   - Saint John Damascene

“Both capitalism and socialism are opposite sins against property.  Capitalism emphasizes private rights to property without any social responsibility to the common good; socialism emphasizes the social use of property, to the forgetfulness of personal rights.  The true solution is one in which the rights to property are personal, but the responsibility is social.  A man is free on the inside because he can call his soul his own; he is free on the outside because he can call his property his own.” Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Crisis in History 1952)

"A Saint has told us that one day at Mass he saw Jesus Christ with His hands full of gifts, looking for souls to whom He might give them."    - St. John Vianney

The demons are ever anxious in their pursuit of souls. However, they quickly abandon their prey at the sole Name of Mary. —St. Bridget

“Let us continue to offer one another to God and to love each other in Our Lord, as he has loved us.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

“Know, O beautiful soul, that you are the image of God.”    - St. Ambrose of Milan

“You carry your snare everywhere and spread your nets in all places. You allege that you never invited others to sin. You did not, indeed, by your words, but you have done so by your dress and your deportment. . . When you have made another sin in his heart, how can you be innocent? Tell me, whom does this world condemn? Whom do judges punish? Those who drink poison or those who prepare it and administer the fatal potion?  You have prepared the abominable cup, you have given the death dealing drink, and you are more criminal than are those who poison the body; you murder not the body but the soul.  And it is not to enemies you do this, nor are you urged on by any imaginary necessity, nor provoked by injury, but out of foolish vanity and pride.”   - St. John Chrysostom, Father and Doctor of the Church

“If the devil tempts me by the thought of divine justice, I think of God's mercy; if he tries to fill me with presumption by the thought of His mercy, I think of His justice.”   St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491.-1556.)

"You have not written everything in the notebook about My goodness towards humankind; I desire that you omit nothing; I desire that your heart be firmly grounded in total peace."   WORDS  OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA   (Diary, 459)

“Remember that the cornerstone of perfection is charity; he who lives by charity, lives in God, because God is charity, as the Apostle said.”   St. Pio of Pietrelcina

"Freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought."  - Pope St. John Paul II

I see how basely we are occupied, those of us who are detained by earthly things.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Book of Her Life - chapter 38 : 3

"All the sins of your life seem to be rising up against you. Don't give up hope! On the contrary, call your holy mother, Mary, with the faith and abandonment of a child. She will bring peace to your soul."   - St. Josemaría Escrivá

“It is not true that human relations are matters of instinct and in particular of the sex instinct.  Man is not a creature of instincts like and animal.  Since he is a rational creature, his instincts are to be directed reasonably.  Most men have a hunting instinct, but this does not give them a right to shoot their mothers-in-law.  There are times, too, when an instinct has to be suppressed; a husband must often suppress an instinct for his wife’s sake, and the wife must suppress an instinct for her husband’s sake.”  Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Wit & Wisdom of Bishop Fulton J. Sheen)

“Each of our days is marked with the protection of Mary, who is exceedingly anxious to be our mother, when we desire to be her children.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

“Our Blessed Savior revealed to Mary Magdalene the truth that He was no longer to be seen under the form of time and in the world of sensations, but only by the soul and in the world of eternity….This great truth needs to be stressed strongly on this new Easter Day when human beings no longer speak of eternity, but only of time; when they are more concerned about citizenship in the Kingdom of this world than citizenship in the Kingdom of Heaven; when their interests center more about passing questions of science, politics, economics, wealth, and power, instead of around the Risen Christ who sits eternally at the right hand of God.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Manifestations of Christ)

“The essential act of penance, on the part of the penitent, is contrition, a clear and decisive rejection of the sin committed, together with a resolution not to commit it again, out of love which one has for God and which is reborn with repentance…”     - Pope St. John Paul II

“To work or to suffer is all one to a heart that loves. Let us, then, leave the future to the loving Providence of this divine Heart Which only asks of us fidelity to the present moment.”    St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690)

Whoever understands Him more loves Him and praise Him more.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Book of Her Life - chapter 37 : 2

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. I understood many things I had been unable to comprehend before.   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA   (Diary, 1184)

“Charity is the yardstick with which the Lord will judge us all.”   St. Pio of Pietrelcina

"Your name, O Mary, is a precious ointment, which breathes forth the odor of divine grace. Let this ointment of salvation enter the inmost recesses of our souls."   - St. Ambrose

"Though men failed in this crisis (of Calvary) there is no instance of a single woman failing. In the four trials the voice heard in Christ's defense was that of a woman, Claudia Procul, the wife of Pontius Pilate...On Calvary it is woman who is fearless, for there are several of them at the foot of the Cross. Magdalene, among them as usual, is prostrate. But there is one whose courage and devotion was so remarkable that the Evangelist who was there indicated the detail that she was “standing.” That woman was the mother of the man on the central cross.  Our Blessed Lord willed her presence there. Since he was the second Adam undoing the sin of the first, Mary would be the new Eve proclaiming the new race of the redeemed.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen (The New Virtues)

"Put a good bunch of grapes under the winepress, and a delicious juice will come out. Under the winepress of the cross, our soul produces a juice that feeds and strengthens us. When we haven’t got any crosses, we are dry. If we carry them with resignation, what happiness, what sweetness we feel!" - St John Vianney.

“Let us allow God to act; God bring things to completion when we least expect it.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

“Wretched man is alone, in not being satisfied with his state and condition, whatever it may be: if he is sick, he wants to be made well; if he is well, he wants to be made rich; if rich, wise, and so on.1”    St. Antonino Pierozzi (1389 – 1459)

“Our Lord does not look so much at the greatness of our actions, or even at their difficulty, as at the love with which we do them.”    - St. Thérèse of Lisieux

Eve believed the devil—and the world perished! Mary put her faith in the Angel of God—and the world was saved!    - St. Lawrence of Brindisi

The vision of Christ left upon me an impression His most extraordinary beauty, and the impression remains today; One time is sufficient to make this imprint.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Book of Her Life - chapter 37 : 4

"Let souls who are striving for perfection particularly adore My mercy, because the abundance of graces which I grant them flows from My mercy. I desire that these souls distinguish themselves by boundless trust in My mercy. I myself will attend to the sanctification of such souls. I will provide them with everything they will need to attain sanctity. The graces of My mercy are drawn by means of one vessel only, and that is-trust. The more a soul trusts, the more it will receive. Souls that trust boundlessly are a great comfort to Me, because I pour all the treasures of My graces into them. I rejoice that they ask for much, because it is My desire to give much, very much. On the other hand, I am sad when souls ask for little, when they narrow their hearts."   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA   (Diary 1578)

“The greatest saints, those richest in grace and virtue will be the most assiduous in praying to the most Blessed Virgin, looking up to her as the perfect model to imitate and as a powerful helper to assist them.”   - Saint Louis Marie de Montfort

“Given a freedom which is independent of God, independent of moral law, independent of inalienable rights as the endowment of the Divine Spirit, and America could note itself out of democracy tomorrow. How can we continue to be free unless we keep the traditions, the grounds, and the roots upon which freedom is founded? We could not call our soul our own unless God exists. Why, we would not even have a soul! Democracy has within itself no inherent guarantee of freedom; these guarantees are from without. That is why I say our Declaration of Dependence on God is the condition of a Declaration of Independence of Dictatorship." Archbishop Fulton Sheen

“Fervor is a fire that makes things boil and grow hot, just as fire causes water to boil. It is, properly speaking, charity on fire, and that is what you should have, because a Daughter without Charity is like a body without a soul.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

We can pray perfectly when we are out in the mountains or on a lake and we feel at one with nature. Nature speaks for us or rather speaks to us. We pray perfectly.     - Pope St. John Paul II

“It is better to be a child of God than king of the whole world!”   - St. Aloysius Gonzaga

"Now, have you ever considered, that God lays such stress upon the keeping of His commandments, and that He promises such great benefits in return for their faithful observance?  You will then agree with me, that our whole happiness consists in keeping faithfully the commandments."

"If you wish, dear brethren, to experience the magnitude of the goodness of God, then make it your duty to observe exactly what the commandments order you, and you will see with amazement how God cares for those who strive to please Him. If you wish to see a proof of this, turn to the pages of Holy Scripture, and there you will find full confirmation of this...the prophet Elias hid himself in the woods in order to escape the persecutions of Queen Jezabel.  There, deprived of all human aid, do you think that the Lord allowed him to die of hunger?  No, dear friends, certainly not.  The Lord did not lose sight of His faithful servant.  He sent at once an angel from heaven, to console him, and to bring him everything that was necessary for his maintenance."   - St. John Vianney, Sermon-The First Commandment

“If man remembered that it is written: ‘By your words you will be justified and by your words you will be condemned,’ (Matt 12:37) he would choose to remain silent.”    St. Poemen

"A Carmelite has a soul that has looked upon the crucified God"    St Elizabeth of the Trinity

Mary is living the perfect joy promised to the Church. Her children on earth turn to her who is the Mother of Hope and Mother of Grace. They invoke her as the cause of our joy. —Pope Paul VI

“I have nothing to complain of in particular, except this rather bitter agitation of yours, which prevents you from tasting all the sweetness of the Cross. Correct this, and continue to do what you have been doing so well up to now.” St. Pio of Pietrelcina    ( Letters III, p.451)

After Holy Communion I returned to my room. Then I saw the Lord, who said to me, Know, My daughter, that the ardor 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 recognize that the Lord allows certain difficulties for His greater glory.   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA   (Diary, 826)

I would very eagerly choose all the trials for a little more of rejoicing in the knowledge of God's grandeurs.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila    The Book of Her Life - chapter 37 : 2

“Mary is the sure path to our meeting with Christ. Devotion to the Mother of the Lord, when it is genuine, is always an impetus to a life guided by the spirit and values of the Gospel.”   - Pope St. John Paul II

“Christ’s coming into the world was not like that of a sightseer to a strange city, but rather like that of an artist visiting his own studio or an author paging the books he himself has written, for in becoming incarnate, the divine Word was tabernacling Himself in His own creation.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen (In The Fullness of Time)

"The soul that truly loves God is not slothful in doing all she can to find the Son of God, her Beloved."    -  St. John of the Cross, Spiritual Canticle 3.1

Mary is a Model of all virtues who is more within our reach. When we contemplate her, we do not feel overwhelmed by the splendor of the Divinity. On the contrary, we are attracted by the kinship of a common nature and strive more confidently to imitate her. —Pope Leo XIII

“How true it is that the world is filled with misery! Courage, we must put up with our own and with that of others as long as God pleases.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

“There are some who sin through frailty, or through the force of some violent passion. They desire to break these chains of death; if their prayer is constant they will be heard.”   St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)

God commanded the prophet Elijah to hide himself by the brook Cherith, and to proclaim Him on Mount Carmel the one true God. May He grant you Elijah's spirit of solitary prayer and his zeal for the divine glory.   St. Teresa of Jesus of Avila

Jesus: My child, do you fear the God of mercy? My holiness does not prevent Me from being merciful. Behold, for you I have established a throne of mercy on earth-the tabernacle-and from this throne I desire to enter into your heart. I am not surrounded by a retinue or guards. You can come to me at any moment, at any time; I want to speak to you and desire to grant you grace.   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA   (Diary, 1485)

“Charity is the queen of virtues. As pearls are held together by a string, so are the virtues held by charity. And just as the pearls fall if the string breaks, so are the virtues lost if charity fails.”   St. Pio of Pietrelcina

“If anyone does not believe that Holy Mary is the Mother of God, such a one is a stranger to the Godhead.”   - St. Gregory Nazianzen

Thus to share in the sufferings of Christ is, at the same time, to suffer for the kingdom of God. In the eyes of the just God, before his judgment. Those who share in the sufferings of Christ become worthy of this kingdom.   - Pope St. John Paul II

“We ought to treat our mind exactly how we treat our stomach.  We don’t put garbage into our stomach, so we have pure food laws but our stomach is not as important as our mind.”   Archbishop Fulton Sheen

By becoming the Mother of God, Mary was the means of the salvation of sinners. In the same way, sinners are saved by proclaiming the praises of Mary.   - St. Anselm

“A hypocrite is someone who teaches his neighbor something he makes no effort to do himself.”   St. Poemen (c. 340–450)

“Humility is a virtue which Jesus Christ has exceedingly loved, and which He came to teach to the world. The most powerful weapon to conquer the devil is humility.”    – St. Vincent de Paul

“The cross is the school of love.”    - St. Maximilian Kolbe

"To saints, their very slumber is a prayer."   - St. John of the Cross

"If you put all the love of all the mothers into one heart it still would not equal the love of the Heart of Mary for her children."   St. Louis de Montfort

The Church and the world have a great need of eucharistic worship. Jesus waits for us in this sacrament of love. Let us be generous with our time in going to meet Him in adoration and in contemplation that is full of faith and ready to make reparation for the great faults and crimes of the world. May our adoration never cease.   Pope St. John Paul II

“After you have made a decision that is pleasing to God, Satan may try to make you have second thoughts. Intensify your prayer time, meditation, and good deeds. For if Satan's temptations merely cause you to increase your efforts to grow in holiness, he'll have an incentive to leave you alone.”   St. Ignatius of Loyala

To those who are young He gives fortitude and knowledge so that they are unable to desire anything else.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Book of Her Life - chapter 35 : 12

“I cannot tolerate criticism and speaking ill of our neighbor. It is true, sometimes I enjoy teasing them, but speaking ill of them makes me sick. We have so many defects in ourselves to criticize, why pick on our neighbor? And lacking in charity we damage the roots of the tree of life, with the risk of killing it”   St. Pio of Pietrelcina

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)

“For if we are bidden to honor carnal fathers and mothers, how much more the spiritual? ... If this virtue of charity has been overlooked, a man will lose any fruit of salvation in any good he may do.”
- Pope St. Gregory VII

“Imagine two souls appearing before the sight of God, one in the state of grace, the other in the state of sin….Just as a father recognizes his own son because of likeness of nature, so too Christ recognizes the soul in the state of grace in virtue of resemblance to Him, and says to the soul: “Come ye blessed of My Father: I am the natural Son, you are the adopted son. Come into the Kingdom prepared for you from all eternity.”  God looks into the other soul that is in the state of sin and has not that likeness and says to it “I know you not” – and it is a terrible thing not to be known by God.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen

The Hail Mary said well is the force that puts the devil to flight. It is the sanctification of the soul, the joy of Angels, the melody of the Elect, the canticle of the New Testament, the delight of Mary, and the glory of the Holy Trinity.    - St. Louis Grignion de Montfort

The best way to prepare for death is to spend every day of life as though it was your last    - St. Philip Neri

“It is even strongly to be feared that good accomplished without suffering is not a perfect good.”   – St. Vincent de Paul  

“Let us then cast ourselves at the feet of this good Mother, and embracing them let us not depart until she blesses us, and accepts us for her children.”   - Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Father and Doctor of the Church

“God has no need of your money, but the poor have. You give it to the poor, and God receives it.”
-Saint Augustine

“Endeavor to walk in the presence of God, in the ways I taught you and which you know. Guard yourselves against anxiety and worries, because there is nothing worse in the way of perfection than agitations, worries and anxieties of soul. St. Pio of Pietrelcina

I have opened My Heart as a living fountain of mercy. Let all souls draw life from it. Let them approach this sea of mercy with great trust. Sinners will attain justification, and the just will be confirmed in good    WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA.  (Diary 1520)

It was a great delight for me to see that His Majesty had used me - who am so wreched - as an instrument for such a marvelous work.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Book of Her Life - chapter 36 : 6

Jesus Christ has taken the lead on the way of the cross. He has suffered first. He does not drive us toward suffering but shares it with us, wanting us to have life and to have it in abundance.
Pope St. John Paul II

"You are My Mother, the Mother of Mercy, and the consolation of the souls in Purgatory."   - Saint Bridget to our Lady

“Why do you want Life, Truth, Love unless you were made for them?  How could you enjoy the fractions unless there were a whole?  Where do they come from?  Where is the source of light in the city street at noon?  Not under autos, buses, nor the feet of trampling throngs, because their light is mingled with darkness.  If you are to find the source of light you must go out to something that has no admixture of darkness or shadow; namely, to pure light, which is the sun.  In like manner, if you are to find the source of Life, Truth, and Love, you must go out to a Life that is not mingled with its shadow, death; to a Truth not mingled with its shadow, error; and to a Love not mingled with its shadow, hate.  You go out to something that is Pure Life, Pure Truth, Pure Love, and that is the definition of God.  And the reason you have been disappointed is because you have not yet found Him!” Archbishop Fulton Sheen (You)

You must ask God to give you power to fight against the sin of pride which is your greatest enemy –
the root of all that is evil,  and the failure of all that is good.  For God resists the proud.   -St. Vincent de Paul

"There are several ways to avoid loving God: Deny that you are a sinner. Pretend that religion is for the ignorant and the superstitious but not for the truly learned such as yourself. Insist that the sole purpose of religion is social service. Judge religion by whether or not it is accepted by the important people of the world. Avoid all contemplation, self-examination, and inquiry into the moral state of your soul."    - Archbishop Fulton Sheen

Violence and arms can never resolve the problems of men.    -Pope St. John Paul II

“While you are proclaiming peace with your lips, be careful to have it even more fully in your heart."
Saint Francis of Assisi

The Hail Mary is the most beautiful of all prayers after the Our Father and the most beautiful compliment you can give to Mary. It is by this compliment that you will also win her heart, if you say it as you ought.   - St. Louis Grignion de Montfort

From this moment on, live the Eucharist fully; be persons for whom the Holy Mass, Communion, and Eucharistic adoration are the center and summit of their whole life.   - Pope St. John Paul II

"...how little true Christianity is found in the world and how few among those who live in the world are guided by the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Still, it is this Spirit alone which ought to inspire all our actions, making them holy and agreeable to God."   - St. Jean Baptiste de la Salle

It seemed to me I possessed all the world's riches in resolving to live by the love of God.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Book of Her Life - chapter 35 : 6

"If it happens that you suffer afflictions, whatever kind they may be, be assured that if you truly love God, everything will be turned to the good. Even when you cannot understand how any good could come of it, you can be very certain that it will undoubtedly come....Do not lose heart about any failures, but stir up your confidence and deepest humility. Becoming discouraged or impatient after you slip is the result of a trick of the enemy. It means you are giving up your weapons, giving  yourself up as conquered. You will not do this, though, because the Lord's grace is always at hand to help you."  St.  Pio of Pietrelcina

Do not be afraid to take a chance on Peace, to Teach Peace, to Live Peace…Peace will be the last word of history. ― Pope St. John Paul II.

Tell [all people], My daughter, that I am Love and Mercy itself..   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA   (Diary 1074)

"Whosoever dies wearing this Scapular shall not suffer eternal fire."   - Our Lady of Mount Carmel  (Promise made by the Blessed Virgin to Saint Simon Stock July 16, 1251)

“The Father had a role in the Son’s suffering. We can compare it to a father bringing a son to a dentist. The son has a bad tooth that is infected. That bad tooth causes a toxic condition in the son’s body.  The dentist says, this infection is in the tooth. Your son will experience considerable pain. I may have to remove the tooth; I certainly will have to drill it, and then I shall have to remove that toxic condition.  Now, the human race had a point of infection: our first parents. That sin created a toxic condition in the human race. When the drill is applied by the dentist, does the father say, Do not do that; that hurts my son? Or will the father deliberately allow his son to experience pain? Is there not a cross in the very heart of God?” Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Through the Year with Fulton Sheen)

“In everything, whether it is a thing sensed or a thing known, God Himself is hidden within.” (St. Bonaventure,    Bishop and Seraphic Doctor

“Good is not good if one does not suffer in doing it.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

“From Mary we learn to surrender to God's Will in all things. From Mary we learn to trust even when all hope seems gone. From Mary we learn to love Christ her Son and the Son of God!”
- Pope St. John Paul II

“Faith is like the feet wherewith the soul journeys to God, and love is the guide that directs it.”   - St. John of the Cross

Mary is our “pillar of cloud.” She protects us against the burning rays of the Divine wrath and the fire of temptations.    - St. Bonaventure

"God is as really present in the consecrated Host as He is in the glory of Heaven."   - St. Paschal Baylon

"A nation that kills its own children is a nation without hope." – Pope St. John Paul II

May it please the Lord that all be to His glory and praise and to that of the glorious Virgin Mary, whose habit we wear.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila    The Book of Her Life - chapter 36 : 28

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". I understood many things I had been unable to comprehend before.  WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA   (Diary 1184)

“Where there is no obedience, there is no virtue, where there is no virtue, there is no goodness, no love, and where there is no love, God is not there and without God we do not go to Paradise.
These form a stairway and if one step is missing from the stairway we fall down.”    St. Pio of Pietrelcina

“What is meritorious is not that a man should be poor, but that, being poor, he should love poverty.”   St. Vincent Ferrer (1350. - 1419.)

Are you capable of risking your life for someone? Do it for Christ.
Pope St. John Paul II

“As hosts used in the Mass have a seal upon them (such as a lamb, or a cross) so our Lord was implying that the bread they should seek was the bread affirmed by His Father, therefore Himself.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Life of Christ)

“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.”    St. Vincent de Paul

Allow the light and the healing presence of Christ to shine brightly through your lives. In that way, all those who come in contact with you will discover the loving kindness of God.
Pope St. John Paul II

“Sickness is not an evil which we should fear, but a most efficacious means of sanctifying our souls. To murmur when God sends it is to complain of his having done us good.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

Before Christ ascending into heaven, strengthening some, encouraging others, our companion in the most Blessed Sacrament; it doesn't seem it was in His power to leave us for even a moment.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Book of Her Life - chapter 22 : 6

"True generosity never looks to reciprocity; it gives neither because it expects a gift in return, nor because there is a duty or obligation to give. Charity lies beyond obligation, its essence is the "adorable extra". Its reward is the joy of giving. Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Love one another)

To humanity, which sometimes seems to be lost and dominated by the power of evil, selfishness and fear, the risen Lord gives the gift of His love which forgives, reconciles and reopens the soul to hope.
Pope St. John Paul II

The Virgin Mary is like a “vessel” because of her humility. She is made of “gold” because of her poverty and “embellished with every kind of precious stone” because of her virginity.    - St. Anthony of Padua

When I behold majesty as extraordinary as this concealed in something as small as the host, it happens afterward that I marvel at wisdom so wonderful.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Book of Her Life - chapter 38 : 21

“Do not befoul your intellect by clinging to thoughts filled with anger and sensual desire. Otherwise you will lose your capacity for pure prayer and fall victim to the demon of listlessness.”    St. Maximos the Confessor (c. 580 - 662)

“Remember Jesus, "meek and humble of heart". "Be angry and don't sin" is of the saints. I have never regretted being gentle, but I have had qualms of conscience and had to confess when I was a bit severe. But when I say gentleness I do not mean permissiveness. That no! I mean the gentleness that makes discipline pleasant which must never be neglected.”   St. Pio of Pietrelcina

Tell sinners that no one shall escape My Hand; if they run away from My Merciful Heart, they will fall into My Just Hands.   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA   (Diary 1728)

“If anyone does not believe that Holy Mary is the Mother of God, such a one is a stranger to the Godhead.”   - Saint Gregory Nazianzen

Beneath the light and heat of the sun, plants flourish on earth and bring forth fruit. Beneath the radiant inspirations of the sun that is Mary, good thoughts flourish in souls. —Pope Pius XII

I have opened My Heart as a living fountain of mercy. Let all souls draw life from it. Let them approach this sea of mercy with great trust. Sinners will attain justification, and the just will be confirmed in good    WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA   (Diary 1520)

“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)

"I abyss myself in His magnificence and His wisdom but when I ponder His goodness, my heart can say nothing - I can only Adore."    - St. Teresa of Jesus of the Andes

“Through Mary, we come to her Son more easily.”   - Pope St. John Paul II

All the gifts and graces that we receive from God are dispensed by the hands of Mary. They are given to whom she pleases, when she pleases, and as she pleases. —St Bernardine of Siena

"When you visit Him, He forgets your sins and speaks only of His Joy, His Tenderness and His Love"   -St. Peter Julian Eymard

“Firmly control anger and desire, and you will speedily rid yourself of evil thoughts.”    St. Thalassios the Libyan

“There is no state in the world that has not its bitterness and crosses, and which therefore does not make us desire to embrace some other condition.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

Whoever lives in the presence of Christ can endure all things.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Book of Her Life - chapter 22 : 6

“Your face should be happy, showing gentleness and respect.”—St. Jean Baptiste de la Salle

"Write down everything that occurs to you regarding My goodness. I answered, "What do You mean, Lord, what if I write too much?" And the Lord replied, My daughter, even if you were to speak at one and the same time in all human and angelic tongues, even then you would not have said very much, but on the contrary, you would have sung in only a small measure the praises of My goodness-of My unfathomable mercy."   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA   (Diary,1604)

“Charity, wherever it comes from, is always the daughter of the same mother, that is, Providence.”   St. Pio of Pietrelcina

“Such is the will of God that we should have everything through Mary.”   - Saint Alphonsus Liguori

"Do not be afraid to take a chance on peace, to teach peace, to live peace... Peace will be the last word of history."   - Pope St. John Paul II

“It is also argued that all of our instincts are right, and therefore should be obeyed.  But it must not be forgotten that the instincts in man are subject to reason, and therefore are to be rationally and morally guided.  A man has a hunting instinct just as a fox does, but it is not rational for husbands to hunt mothers-in-law.”  Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Guide to Contentment)

Although I have lived through much darkness, I have seen enough evidence to be unshakably convinced that no difficulty, no fear is so great that it can completely suffocate the hope that springs eternal in the hearts of the young... Do not let that hope die! Stake your lives on it! We are not the sum of our weaknesses and failures; we are the sum of the Father's love for us and our real capacity to become the image of his Son.   Pope St. John Paul II

It was pride that changed angels into devils;  it is humility that makes men as angels.   -Saint Augustine of Hippo

“Our days are numbered and we cannot add a moment of life to the last one God has determined for us.”   -  St. Vincent de Paul

I wanted to keep ever before my eyes a painting of image of Him since I was unable to keep Him as engraved in my soul as I desired.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila    The Book of Her Life - chapter 22 : 4

“The works of penance abound in such delights and joys that once they have been tasted, nothing will ever again root them out of the soul…. Only the first steps are difficult for those who eagerly choose this path.” - St John Vianney.

Write this: Everything that exists is enclosed in the bowels of My mercy, more deeply than an infant in its mother’s womb. How painfully distrust of My goodness wounds Me! Sins of distrust wound Me most painfully.   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA   (Diary, 1076)

“To lack charity is to wound the pupil of God's eye. What is more delicate than the pupil of the eye? To lack charity is like sinning against nature.”   St. Pio of Pietrelcina

There are many graces that we will not obtain if we ask them of God. But if we ask them of Mary, we will obtain them, not because she is more powerful but because God wants to honor her in this way. - - St. Anselm

“Mary is the sure path to our meeting with Christ. Devotion to the Mother of the Lord, when it is genuine, is always an impetus to a life guided by the spirit and values of the Gospel.”   - Pope St. John Paul II

“He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone.  The implication is clear: innocence alone has the right to condemn.  But innocence will always wish to take on the guilt of the other, to atone for his failings as if they were his own.  Love recognizes the sin, but love also dies for it.”  Archbishop Fulton Sheen (On Being Human)

“The life of a Christian is nothing but a perpetual struggle against self; there is no flowering of the soul to the beauty of its perfection except at the price of pain.”    St. Pio of Pietrelcina

“True holiness does not mean a flight from the world; rather, it lies in the effort to incarnate the Gospel in everyday life, in the family, at school and at work, and in social and political involvement.”     Pope St. John Paul II

Mary gave being and life to the Author of all grace. That is why she is called the Mother of Grace.    - - St. Louis Grignion de Montfort

“I do not think it expedient for you to relieve yourself by imparting your little annoyances to this one or that. A good stomach digests everything, while a delicate one ejects what it cannot endure. Oh, how good it is to keep our affairs between God and ourselves!”   – St. Vincent de Paul

“Maybe you will say that a sinner is not interested in hell, or does not even believe in it. All the worse. Do you think that this will stop him from being damned? Indeed no; rather it is an even clearer sign of his fatal condemnation, as the Gospel says: "He who does not believe will be condemned."”   St. Anthony Mary Claret (1807-1870)

In this silence of the white Host, carried in the Monstrance, are all His words; there is His whole life given in offering to the Father for each of us; there is also the glory of the glorified body, which started with the Resurrection, and still continues in Heavenly union.  Pope St. John Paul II

“Remember that true religion is not a matter of words; there must be deeds. Hence, if you find something related worthy of admiration, do not be satisfied with saying: I like that, or that is very good; but rather say: I want to put into practice what I see is praiseworthy in others.”   St. John Bosco

How You desire, Lord, thus to be with us and to be present in the Sacrament.... You would be glad to be with us since You say that Your delight is to be with children of the earth.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Book of Her Life - chapter 14 : 10

“Even when reprimanding one must be courteous and gentle.”   St. Pio of Pietrelcina

"Tell souls not to place within their own hearts obstacles to My mercy, which so greatly wants to act within them. My mercy works in all those hearts which open their doors to it. Both the sinner and the righteous person have need of My mercy. Conversion, as well as perseverance, is a grace of My mercy".    WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA   (Diary 1577)

“Jesus is the mediator of justice; Mary obtains for us grace; for, as St. Bernard, St. Bonaventure, St. Bernardine of Siena, St. Germanus, St. Antoninus, and others say, 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.”   -  Saint Alphonsus Liguori

“Father, into my hands I commend my spirit.  This was the first declaration of independence and under it our own Declaration of Independence was written; only under both can we continue to be free!” Archbishop Fulton Sheen

“The inspirations of God are gentle and peaceful, inclining us lovingly toward the good He desires of us.”  – St. Vincent de Paul

"When harmed, insulted or persecuted by someone, do not think of the present but wait for the future, and you will find he has brought you much good, not only in this life but also in the life to come."    -St. Mark the Ascetic

“In the realm of evil thoughts none induces to sin as much as do thoughts that concern the pleasure of the flesh.”   - Saint Thomas Aquinas

See the confidence that the Church places in Mary. In all public calamities she invariably calls upon the faithful to enlist her protection through novenas, through prayers and processions, and through visits to her churches and shrines.    - St. Alphonsus Liguori

"Now, rest your head on My bosom, on My Heart, and draw from it strength and power for these sufferings because you will find neither relief nor help nor comfort anywhere else."   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA   (Saint Faustina's Diary)

“By all means seek solitude, but do not lack charity with your neighbor.”   St. Pio of Pietrelcina

"Let us hasten with confidence to Christ’s throne of grace, and with prayers and profound contrition, let us beg Him to repeat for every one of us the words He said to His mother, ‘Behold your Son.’ In the same way, as He looks at Mary, may He repeat to every one of us the wonderful invitation: 'Behold your mother.’”   - St. Robert Bellarmine

“Love tends to become like the one loved; in fact, it even wishes to become one with the one loved.  God loved unworthy man.  He willed to become one with him, and that was the Incarnation.”  Archbishop Fulton Sheen (The Divine Romance)

My Lord, You do not leave us empty-handed when we give You everything we can.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Way of Perfection - chapter 32 : 1

“We shall never learn to know ourselves except by endeavoring to know God; for, beholding His greatness, we realize our own littleness; His purity shows us our foulness; and by meditating upon His humility we find how very far we are from being humble.”    - St. Teresa of Avila, Doctor of the Church

I can’t stop praying for poor sinners who are on the road to hell. If they come to die in that state, they will be lost for all eternity. What a pity! We have to pray for sinners! Praying for sinners is the most beautiful and useful of prayers because the just are on the way to heaven, the souls of purgatory are sure to enter there, but the poor sinners will be lost forever. All devotions are good but there is no better one than such prayer for sinners.”“What souls we can convert by our prayers. The one who saves a soul from hell saves this soul and his own as well.”“One can offer himself as a victim for 8-15 days for the conversion of sinners. One can suffer cold, heat, deprive oneself of looking at something, go visit someone who would appreciate it, make a novena, attend daily Mass for this intention in places where it is possible. Not only would one contribute to God’s glory by this holy practice of praying for sinners, but one would obtain an abundance of grace.”  “I am only content when I’m praying for sinners. The good God has made me see how much he loves that I pray for poor sinners. … I don’t know if it were really a voice I heard or a dream, but, whatever it was, it woke me up and told me that to save a soul in the state of sin is more pleasing to God than all sacrifices. For that reason, I do all my resolutions for penance.”   -St. John Vianney

 "If anyone is able to preserve in chastity to the honor of the flesh of the Lord, let him do so in all humility."   - St. Ignatius of Antioch: "Letter to St. Polycarp," 5. (2nd cent.)

"Let us be one with Jesus ... let us make our life a continual sacrifice, a martyrdom of love to console Jesus."   -St. Therese of Lisieux

“Our happiness lies in the cross; even Our Lord did not will to enter his glory except through suffering.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

“The Roman Pontiff has no superior but God. Who, therefore (should a pope ‘lose his savor’) could cast him out or trample him under foot - since of the pope it is said ‘gather thy flock into thy fold’? Truly, he should not flatter himself about his power, nor should he rashly glory in his honor and high estate, because the less he is judged by man, the more he is judged by God.
Still the less can the Roman Pontiff glory [Minus dico] because he can be judged by men, or rather, can be shown to be already judged, if for example he should wither away into heresy; because he who does not believe is already judged. In such a case it should be said of him: ‘If salt should lose its savor, it is good for nothing but to be cast out and trampled under foot by men’.”  Pope Innocent III (1198), Sermon IV  (Sermo 4: In Consecratione PL 218:670.)

Our Lady desires that we not only work for her but also suffer for her. We must calmly bear the little crosses of each day and even desire that they exist!    - St. Maximilian Kolbe

Yet He doesn't take away entirely what He has given, when one lives with a pure conscience.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Way of Perfection - chapter 31 : 12

“I would prefer to be stabbed with a steel blade, rather than make someone suffer.”   St. Pio of Pietrelcina

Write, My daughter, that I am mercy itself for the contrite soul. A soul’s greatest wretchedness does not enkindle Me with wrath; but rather, My Heart is moved towards it with great mercy.   WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA   (Diary, 1739)

“From Mary we learn to surrender to God's Will in all things. From Mary we learn to trust even when all hope seems gone. From Mary we learn to love Christ her Son and the Son of God!”   - Pope St. John Paul II

“The Lord in the end will reward us not on the basis of our activity, but on our faithfulness in His cause.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Those Mysterious Priests)

"What most draws down Graces from our dear Lord is gratitude, for if we thank Him for a gift, He is touched and hastens to give us ten more; and if we thank Him again with the same sincerity, what an incalculable multiplication of Graces! I have experienced this: try it and you will see. My gratitude for all that He gives me is boundless, and I prove this to Him in a thousand ways."   - St. Therese of Lisieux

“You must accept your cross. If you bear it courageously it will carry you to heaven.”   St. Jean-Baptiste Marie Vianney, Cure d’Ars

“Grace is necessary to begin, and we need more to persevere to the end.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

“The Name of Mary contains within itself the brilliance of the virtues, the sweet refulgence of modesty, and the sacrifice that is pleasing to God. It is the sign of hospitality and the center of holiness.”   St. Francis Xavier

Christ remains primary in your life only when he enjoys the first place in your mind and heart. Thus you must continuously unite yourself to him in prayer.... Without prayer there can be no joy, no hope, no peace. For prayer is what keeps us in touch with Christ.  Pope St. John Paul II

"O, I wish to become very lowly, so that Jesus can rest His head on my heart, and there He may know that He is loved and understood."    -St. Therese of Lisieux

"Jesus is not alone on the way of the cross. Today, as then, not only are there adversaries, but there are those who assist him. Representative of those who love Him and wish to assist Him as Veronica.” St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein)

"A Dieu, little sister, let us remain at the center of our soul, there where He dwells; then it will be a heart-to-heart through all things. Oh! if you knew how He loves you and how, through you, He wants to be loved"   -St Elizabeth of the Trinity (July 3, 1905)

Those of you who are the enemies of contemplatives should not think that you are free from being a contemplative you recite your vocal prayers as they should be recite with a pure conscience.   St Teresa of Jesus of Avila   The Way of Perfection - chapter 30 : 7

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 [such] a chosen soul. Their love is lukewarm, and My Heart cannot bear it; these souls force Me to reject them.  WORDS OF JESUS TO ST. FAUSTINA    (Diary, 580).

“Some people are so foolish that they think they can go through life without the help of the Blessed Mother.”   St. Pio of Pietrelcina

"Let us run to Mary, and, as her little children, cast ourselves into her arms with a perfect confidence."   - Saint Francis de Sales

“Catholics prefer the unchangeable truth that man has an unchangeable head; but we do not care a snap of our fingers what kind of hat he wears; he can change that to suit the fashions; but for the life of us, we cannot understand the world that wants to change its God because it discovers a new astronomy.”  Archbishop Fulton Sheen (Communism and the Conscience of the West)

“After the love which we owe Jesus Christ, we must give the chief place in our heart to the love of His Mother Mary.”   - Saint Alphonsus Liguori

“Mary's sorrow was less when she saw her only Son crucified, than it is now at the sight of man offending Him by sin.”   -  St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491.-1556.)

St John Vianney on Prayer:

You can pray by putting yourself quite simply in touch with God. When one finds nothing more to say to Him but just knows He is there – that in itself is the best of prayers.”

“There is one thing everyone can do, whether they find it hard to meditate or not, and that is to make up their mind in the morning to cultivate some particular virtue during the day, to practice the interior Presence of God, and to live their life in union with Him.”

“Affability and meekness are very powerful virtues in gaining souls to God.”   – St. Vincent de Paul

This is the very perfection of a man, to find out his own imperfections.    -St. Augustine of Hippo

“Nothing great is ever achieved without much enduring.”    - St. Catherine of Siena,

St. Dominic Savio to his companions on an occasion of immodest pictures being presented, tore them up and said: “Our eyes were given to see the beautiful things God has created, and you use them to gaze on such unseemly pictures, provided by the malice of satan for the ruin of souls. Perhaps you have forgotten what you have so often heard, that one evil glance may stain the soul with sin; and yet you indulge your eyes with such objects as that.” (Quoted by St. John Bosco in his work “The Life of Dominic Savio” 

“I bless god with all my heart who made me meet truly good souls. I also told these souls that they are God's vineyard. The water-supply is faith; the tower is hope; the wine-press is holy charity, and the hedge is the law of God that separates them from the children of the world.”   St. Pio of Pietrelcina   (Letters III. pg. 591)