Saint of the day and Feast days.

[odhiambo]

Most Holy Name of Mary
According to Jewish tradition, our Lady's parents named her eight days after her birth. They gave her the name of Mary which, according to Catholic Encyclopedia, means "The beautiful or “the perfect one".
The feast of the Holy Name of Mary follows that of her Birthday, just as that of the Holy Name of Jesus follows Christmas. The feast was first observed at the diocese of Cuenta in 1513. It was celebrated eight days after Our Lady's Nativity on September 15. It was abrogated later, and then reinstituted by Pope Sixtus V. The date for the Feast was, however changed to September 17. From there, the feast spread to all of Spain as well as to Naples. From that time, permission to celebrate the feast was given to various religious orders. It was always celebrated on the Sunday after the Nativity of Mary. In 1683, Pope
Innocent XI extended its observance to the whole Church in thanksgiving to our Lady for the victory on September 12, 1683 by John Sobieski, king of Poland, over the Turks, who were besieging Vienna and threatening all of Europe.
This memorial expresses the great devotion Catholics have for towards Mary, The Mother of Our Lord and Our Mother. As true children of Mary, we turn to her and repeat that name which the Lord Himself pronounced with love and affection.

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

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

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

[Shin]

May the Most Holy Name of Mary be ever upon our lips. Amen.

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September 13

Today is the Feast day of
Saint John Chrysostom
Among many other saints.

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Saint John Chrysostom
Doctor of the Church
Bishop of Constantinople.
John was born at Antioch in Syria around the year 347. His father, a high-ranking military officer, died when he was a baby. His mother, Anthusa was Greek and a devoted Christian. Though still young, Anthusa chose not to remarry. She devoted her time to her son. She made many sacrifices so that John could have the best teachers.
John studied Law at Antioch.  His teacher was the famous pagan orator, Libanius. He also studied Theology under Diodore of Tarsus, head of the Catechetical School of Alexandria.
John was very intelligent and could have become a great man in the world. But all he wanted was to belong to God. He was baptized around the year 369 by Bishop Melitius. In 374, he retired into the mountains near Antioch to lead a monastic life. The austere life in a cave adversely affected his health and he was obliged to return to the city. He was ordained a priest in 386 by Bishop Flavian of Antioch. For the next twelve years, John served as the Bishop's right hand man. He dedicated himself to writing of treaties and books but his greatest talent was the extraordinary eloquence of his preaching. Everyone loved to listen to him. His magnificent oratory earned him the title “Golden-mouthed." or Chrysostom. John's preaching had a tremendous effect on the spiritual life of the city.
In 389, against his wishes, John was named Bishop of Constantinople. He at once began to reform the Church there. He made donations to the poor, abolished ecclesiastical pomp and luxury. He preached against idolatry and immoral entertainments. He also preached against aristocratic extravagances.
 With his calls for reforms, he made friends and was very popular with the people; but he also made enemies. Among the enemies he made were
 Empress Eudoxia, who resented his criticism of her vanity, lack of charity and dress. Another enemy was Gainas, Commander in Chief of the army and leader of the Arians and other corrupt churchmen. Last but not least among the Bishop's enemies, was Archbishop Theophilus of Alexandria, who had entertained hopes of becoming Patriarch of Constantinople. These people schemed against John, looking for ways to oust him. In 403, their schemes culminated with the convening of the infamous synod of Oak. Led by Theophilus, 36 hostile bishops at the synod condemned him on twenty nine charges. The long and the short of it is that John was deposed and banished from Constantinople. Public opinion was so much in his favor that the Emperor was not able to prevent his return, only to be exiled once more in June 404. This time he was sent to Isauria, in the Taurus Mountains, a remote, rugged part of present day Turkey. Pope Saint Innocent tried unsuccessfully to secure his release. His jailors had hoped he would soon die but he survived longer than they expected so he was ordered exilled to a more distant location, Pityus (Pontus), at the far end of the Black Sea. He was forced to journey in terrible weather conditions. He died on the way there on September 14, 407, from exhaution.

Saint John Chrysostom,
Pray for us!

[odhiambo]

"If Christ is with me, whom shall I fear?"

St. John Chrysostom

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September 14
 
Today is the Feast of the
Triumph of the Cross.

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Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Feast of the Triumph of the Cross, previously known as the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. When Jesus died, His Body was removed from the Cross and buried. No mention of the Cross occurs thereafter. Three centuries later, in the year 326 AD, the Cross was discovered in Jerusalem, by Empress Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great.
The Empress went to the city in that year to search for Jesus' tomb and the location of Calvary. Although the historical descriptions of the search differ, all agree that she was able to locate the place of Jesus Crucifixion where she found three crosses. She reasoned that these were the crosses belonging to Jesus and the two thieves crucified with him. She had no idea, however, which of the three was the true Cross. Eventually, the true Cross stood out as it was discovered to have miraculous healing powers. After its identification, the true cross was separated into at least two pieces, one of which remained in Jerusalem, while another was taken to Constantinople.
In the year 614, Jerusalem was invaded by the Persian King, Khushtoo who carried away to Iran, the silver casket containing the relic of the true Cross. On 3 May 629.,
Emperor Heraclius recaptured Persia and recovered the sacred relic and brought it first to Constantinople ant then to Jerusalem  where he had it exalted for public veneration.
The purpose of today’s feast is to commemorate the recovering of this portion of the Holy Cross which was preserved at Jerusalem, and which had fallen into the hands of the Persians.
Note:
Another of my book of saints states that today’s feast celebrates the dedication of the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. The Basilica is erected on the spot where the Lord was crucified and was buried.

[odhiambo]

Exaltation of the Holy Cross

The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross celebrates three historical events: the finding of the True Cross by Saint Helena, the mother of the emperor Constantine; the dedication of churches built by Constantine on the site of the Holy Sepulchre and Mount Calvary; and the restoration of the True Cross to Jerusalem by the emperor Heraclius II. But in a deeper sense, the feast also celebrates the Holy Cross as the instrument of our salvation

Scott P. Richert,
About Catholicism

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“Behold the wood of the Cross, on which Our Saviour hung;
 Come, let us adore”
Veneration of the Cross.

[odhiambo]

We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world!

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How do we make the sign of the Cross?
Still from About Catholicism by Scott P. Richert,

Question: How do we make the sign of the Cross?
Answer: We make the sign of the Cross by putting the right hand to the forehead, then on the breast, and then to the left and right shoulders, saying, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

I saw an international figure make the sign of the Cross putting his right hand on the forehead, then on the breast, and on the right shoulder first then the left.

[Patricia]

Isn't that the wrong way? Shouldn't it be first left shoulder then right?

[odhiambo]

Isn't that the wrong way? Shouldn't it be first left shoulder then right?

Since posting the above, I have learnt that  that is the way Orthodox Catholics cross themselves.

[odhiambo]

15th September.
Today is the Feast day of The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

[odhiambo]

The Seven Sorrows of Our Lady

1: The Prophecy of Simeon.
2: The Flight into Egypt
3: The loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple
4: The Meeting of Jesus and Mary on the way of the Cross.
5: The Crucifixion
6: The Taking down of the Body of Jesus from the Cross.
7: The Burial of Jesus

[odhiambo]

Holy Mary,
Help of those in need,
give strength to the weak,
comfort the sorrowful,
pray for God's people,
assist the clergy,
intercede for  the religious.
May all who seek your help,
experience your unfailing protection.
Amen.