Saint of the day and Feast days.

[odhiambo]

Reflection on today’s Gospel.
This reflection is taken from the Bible Diary 2012 ( African Edition)
Published by the Claretian Publications, Tanzania.
A non-Christian officer once asked a religious sister:
 “May I know your good name?” She answered:  “My name is Holy Name.”
The officer asked again:
“Then may I know your Holy Name?”
She said: “I am Sr. Holy Name.”
The Holy Name of Jesus invites us to make our names holy names. We were christened by someone else. Now it is up to us to make our names significant and holy. Through our sanctity of life and purity of heart, we have to strive to become more like Jesus and true children of God.
If we dedicate our lives to this then, we will experience Jesus walking towards us, granting us something personal to testify.

[odhiambo]

Just to reiterate what has already been said elsewhere in the forum, I hope that many of us have had the opportunity to read the really wonderful book, "The Wonders of the Holy Name" by Fr. Paul O'Sullivan, O.P. (E.D.M.). As we are all seeking to grow in the faith, this book is an excellent tool towards that end.

[Shin]

Yes it truly is a wonderful book! Everyone should read it!

Just said even ever so softly aloud, the Holy Name does wondrous good. When we say His name with devotion.. it truly helps in so many ways.

[odhiambo]

4 January

Today is the Memorial of
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton
Among many other saints

[Shin]

'Can you expect to go to Heaven for nothing? Did not our dear Savior track the whole way to it with His Blood and tears?'

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

'We must pray literally without ceasing -- without ceasing; in every occurrence and employment of our lives.'

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

'If I had to advise parents, I should tell them to take great care about the people with whom their children associate . . . Much harm may result from bad company, and we are inclined by nature to follow what is worse than what is better.'

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

'I will go peaceably and firmly to the Catholic Church: for if Faith is so important to our salvation, I will seek it where true Faith first began, seek it among those who received it from God Himself.'

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

[odhiambo]

'Can you expect to go to Heaven for nothing? Did not our dear Savior track the whole way to it with His Blood and tears?'

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

'We must pray literally without ceasing -- without ceasing; in every occurrence and employment of our lives.'

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

'If I had to advise parents, I should tell them to take great care about the people with whom their children associate . . . Much harm may result from bad company, and we are inclined by nature to follow what is worse than what is better.'

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

'I will go peaceably and firmly to the Catholic Church: for if Faith is so important to our salvation, I will seek it where true Faith first began, seek it among those who received it from God Himself.'

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

Yes!
An amazing woman!
Her short biography follows.

[odhiambo]

Elizabeth Ann Seton
Elizabeth was born on 28 August 1774, in a distinguished Protestant family of New York City.
My Reference book tells me that she was the first American born-born saint ( I am open to correction here.) Her father was a physician of repute and a professor of Anatomy at King’s College (Columbia College according to another source). He was also an official of the health authority of the Port of New York. Her mother, Catherine Bayley, was the daughter of an Anglican minister ( Episcopalian parson by another source)
Elizabeth’s mother died while she was still young and so her upbringing was left to her father alone. He did not fail her! Elizabeth was given a sound education and careful character training. She grew up with a special concern for the poor and the sick. She tended to them so tenderly that she was called the “Protestant Sister of Charity”
Her writings, even as a child, revealed her deep religious conviction and spiritual character.
Even as a teenager, she had taken up certain practices that had nothing to do with her Episcopalian affiliation.
She wore a crucifix, did daily examination of conscience and read The Imitation of Christ along with the Bible.
On 25 January 1794, Elizabeth married William Magee Seton, a young wealthy merchant. They had 5 children.
Her father in law died in 1798, followed by her own father in 1801.
Financial difficulties soon beset her life and her husband’s health deteriorated rapidly. So as to help divert William’s mind from his family misfortune and his failing health, they were invited over by family friends in Italy, the Filicchi family of Leghorn. William, Elizabeth and their eldest child sailed off to Italy, reaching Leghorn in 1803. Six weeks later, William died in Pisa.
Elizabeth spent her first month of widowhood in the Catholic household of Felicchi, where she came to know and appreciate the Catholic faith. The family, who had a private Chapel in the house, nurtured a special devotion to the Blessed Virgin. Elizabeth participated in all their devout practices with such fervor that when she returned home from Italy, she was already a Catholic at heart!
On 4March 1805 she was received into the Catholic Church. Her relatives and Protestant friends deserted her completely, even depriving her of the bare necessities of life.
Facing all opposition calmly, she went to Canada where she was invited by the Superior of the Baltimore Suplicians, Fr. Dubourg, to found a school for girls near St. Mary’s Seminary, Paca Street. She complied. Soon, many women volunteered assistance and students flocked to her; many of these women wanted the school to be changed into a convent. The Bishop of Baltomore gave her a set of rules and directed her to start a convent. He received her vows, allowed her to adopt the religious habit and made her the Superioress of the Community.
In 1809, Elizabeth moved to Emmitsburg, a village in Maryland, where she formed the Sisters of Charity, under the rule of St. Vincent de Paul.
She laid the foundation of the American Parochial school system, trained teachers and prepared textbooks, and wrote many spiritual treatises. She helped the sick and the poor, and converted many to the faith. She opened an orphanage in Philadelphia and another in New York.
Worn out by the rigors of sickness and labors, Mother Seton died on 4 January 1821.
She was canonized by Pope Paul VI on 14 September 1975. Her day of canonization was officially designated as the Holy Year “ Women’s Day” by the Vatican because “she was a woman who had passed all stages of womanhood: youth, maidenhood. Widowhood and religious life.”
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton,
Pray for us!
Saint Companion for each day
A.J.M.Mausolfe
J.K.Mausolfe.

[Patricia]

We know certainly that our God calls us to a holy life. We know that he gives us every grace, every abundant grace; and though we are so weak of ourselves, this grace is able to carry us through every obstacle and difficulty.

-- Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton  


St Elizabeth Ann Seton is the matriarchal saint of my parish. Its never done before but now this is the first time that our new priest ( ex-Episcopalian pastor by coincidence ) will be honoring her this day every year. We will have Rosary, Benediction, Mass and celebration in the parish hall with cake and punch.  

[odhiambo]

Hope you enjoyed the cake and punch Patricia 

[Patricia]

Hope you enjoyed the cake and punch Patricia  Grin

We did!!  The pastor told us St. Seton's life story in his sermon and explained why he decided to celebrate her feast. Her feast was not celebrated in our parish when he inquired and said he needed a lot of prayers and the last thing he wanted to do was to upset St Seton by not celebrating. We had cake and punch and there was a slideshow of St. Elizabeth pictures and her life story, quotes etc.   The cakes had St Seton's picture on it and said Happy Feast!  I bet St. Elizabeth Ann Seton was happy with this priest. 

[odhiambo]

Hope you enjoyed the cake and punch Patricia  Grin

We did!!  The pastor told us St. Seton's life story in his sermon and explained why he decided to celebrate her feast. Her feast was not celebrated in our parish when he inquired and said he needed a lot of prayers and the last thing he wanted to do was to upset St Seton by not celebrating. We had cake and punch and there was a slideshow of St. Elizabeth pictures and her life story, quotes etc.  The cakes had St Seton's picture on it and said Happy Feast!  I bet St. Elizabeth Ann Seton was happy with this priest.  

I am sure she was; not just with the priest but with the whole parish!
I particularly love her quote which shin has posted above:

“I will go peaceably and firmly to the Catholic Church:
For if faith is so important to our salvation,
I will seek it where true Faith first began,
seek it among those who received it from God Himself!”

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton.
I feel like availing it to every Non Catholic Christian on sight. Whether it would change their hardened hearts against the Church, is another matter.

[odhiambo]

5 January

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

[odhiambo]

Saint John Neumann
Redemptorist   Priest.
Bishop  of Philadelphia.

John was born at Prachatitz (Bohemia, an area west of former Czechoslovakia) in 1811. His father was German, his mother Czechoslovakian. The family owned a small stocking factory. John studied at Budweis seminary and at Prague University; he spoke eight languages! Apart from subjects pertaining to the clergy, John was very interested in botany and astrology.
John wanted to become a priest and had hoped that this would happen in 1835. It was not to be. It seems that at that time, Bohemia had an excess of priests and it was decided that there would be no more ordinations! (It is not quite clear to me whether it was a decision taken by the Bishop concerned, the government, or the Church)John wrote to bishops all over Europe but the story was the same everywhere, no more ordinations! John was sure in his heart and mind that he was called to the priesthood but all the doors to follow that vocation seemed to close in his face!
He did not give up. English was one of those eight languages he had learnt as I mentioned earlier. He learnt English while working in a factory with English speaking workmates.
John wrote to the American Bishops and a door was opened to him this time; the bishop of New York agreed to ordain him.
John left his homeland and travelled to America. He arrived in Manhattan in June 1836. He was warmly welcomed by the bishop of New York, Bishop John Dubois. John was ordained priest and sent to minister to the German speaking immigrants, who were clearing forests by Niagara Falls.
After four years of pioneer missionary work, he joined the Redemptorist Congregation.(A Redemptorist  if I may remind us, is a member of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, an  Order, founded by Saint Alfonso Luguori of Naples in 1732 for missionary work among the poor.)
He was sent as a travelling missionary preacher to the east coast. Eventually he became parish priest in Baltimore and Vicar of the Redemptorists.
For his outstanding pastoral work, he was consecrated bishop of Philadelphia in 1852.
He worked unceasingly, building churches and schools. He was the first to organize the diocesan Catholic school system, increasing the number of Catholic schools in his diocese from 2 to 100! It is reported that he was the founder of Catholic education in America.
John also authored catechisms published in 1852 which were widely used in the rest of the century.
Worn out with his labors, John  reportedly, dropped dead on Vine Street, Philadelphia on January 5, 1860. He was just 48 years old.
John was canonized in 1997.
Saint John Neumann,
Pray for us!

[Patricia]

The few [priests] we have are sadly out of proportion to the ever-increasing wants of the faithful. There are Catholics who have not been to confession for many years, and there are young people of nineteen or twenty who have nothing of Catholicity about them, saving their baptism and all this from the want of priests. The longer this need continues, the more difficult it will be to reanimate faith and the fear of God.

-- Saint John Nepomucene Neumann

[odhiambo]

6 January
Today is the Solemnity of the
Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

[odhiambo]

The following prayer for this Feast is taken from about catholicism

O God, Who by the guidance of a star didst this day reveal Thine only-begotten Son to the Gentiles, mercifully grant that we, who know Thee now by faith, may be so led as to behold with our eyes the beauty of Thy majesty. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.