Displaying items by tag: Calendar of Feasts and Memorials

5 December Optional Memorial

Christ Is Truly 'God With Us'

From the encyclical letter of Pope Paul VI, The Mystery of Faith

IN A MOST SUBLIME manner, Christ is present in his Church as she offers in his name the sacrifice of the Mass. He is present in her as she administers the sacraments. But there is yet another manner in which Christ is present in his Church, a manner which surpasses all the others; it is his presence in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, which is for this reason “a more consoling source of devotion, a more lovely object of contemplation, a more effective means of sanctification than all the other sacraments.” The reason is clear: it contains Christ himself and it is “a kind of perfection of the spiritual life; in a way, it is the goal of all the sacraments.”

This presence is called “real”—by which it is not intended to exclude all other types of presence as if they could not be “real” too—but because it is presence in the fullest sense: that is to say, it is a substantial presence by which Christ, the God-Man, is wholly and entirely present.

Moreover the Catholic Church has held on to this faith in the presence in the Eucharist of the Body and Blood of Christ, not only in her teaching but also in her practice, since she has at all times given to this great Sacrament the worship which is known as Latria and which may be given to God alone. The Catholic Church has always offered and still offers the cult of Latria to the Sacrament of the Eucharist, not only during Mass, but also outside of it, reserving Consecrated Hosts with the utmost care, exposing them to solemn veneration, and carrying them processionally to the joy of great crowds of the faithful.

In the ancient documents of the Church we have many testimonies of this veneration. The pastors of the Church, in fact, solicitously exhorted the faithful to take the greatest care in keeping the Eucharist which they took to their homes.

It is to be desired that the faithful, every day and in great numbers, actively participate in the sacrifice of the Mass, receive Holy Communion with a pure heart, and give thanks to Christ our Lord for so great a gift.

In the course of the day the faithful should not omit to visit the Blessed Sacrament, which according to the liturgical laws must be kept in the churches with great reverence in a most honorable location. Such visits are a proof of gratitude, an expression of love, and acknowledgment of the Lord's presence.

No one can fail to understand that the Divine Eucharist bestows upon the Christian people an incomparable dignity. Not only while the sacrifice is offered and the sacrament is received, but as long as the Eucharist is kept in our churches and oratories Christ is truly the Emmanuel, that is, “God with us.” Day and night he is in our midst, he dwells with us full of grace and truth. He restores morality, nourishes virtues, consoles the afflicted, strengthens the weak. He proposes his own example to those who come to him that all may learn to be, like himself, meek and humble of heart and to seek not their own interests but those of God.

Anyone who approaches this august Sacrament with special devotion and endeavors to return generous love for Christ's own infinite love, will experience and fully under-stand-not without spiritual joy and fruit-how precious is the life hidden with Christ in God and how great is the value of converse with Christ, for there is nothing more consoling on earth, nothing more efficacious for advancing along the road of holiness.

Further, you realize, venerable brothers, that the Eucharist is reserved in the churches and oratories as in the spiritual center of a religious community or of a parish, yes, of the universal Church and of all of humanity, since beneath the appearance of the species, Christ is contained, the invisible Head of the Church, the Redeemer of the World, the Center of all hearts, “by whom all things are and by whom we exist.”

From this it follows that the worship paid to the Divine Eucharist strongly impels the soul to cultivate a “social” love, by which the common good is given preference over the good of the individual. Let us consider as our own the interests of the community, of the parish, of the entire Church, extending our charity to the whole world, because we know that everywhere there are members of Christ.

To read more on the life of Bl. Bartholomew Fanti ...

29 November Optional Memorial

Truly Deny Yourself and Carry the Cross of Christ

If anyone wishes to follow my way let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me. For he who wants to save his soul must lose it, and he who for my sake loses it will gain it. Oh! Would that there were someone capable of making spiritual people understand, practice and taste the meaning of the advice to renounce ourselves, given by Our Lord so that they would understand how different the way to behave on this path is from what most of them believe! Some are convinced that any kind of retreat and reformation of life is enough, others are content to practice the virtues in some way, to devote themselves to prayer and to practice mortification, but neither of them achieves the naked poverty, abnegation or spiritual purity, which are one and the same, recommended by Our Lord. For they are still concerned with nourishing and clothing their nature with spiritual consolations and feelings rather than stripping and depriving it for the sake of God of everything.

In doing so, they become spiritually enemies of the cross of Christ, for the true spirit seeks in the Lord more the bitter than the sweet, inclines more to sufferings than to consolations, feels impelled for the sake of God more to renunciation than to the possession of every good, tends more to barrenness and afflictions than to sweet communications, knowing well that only in this way does one follow Christ and renounce oneself, and that to act otherwise is to seek oneself in God, which is very contrary to love. If man resolves to bear this cross, that is, if he resolves steadfastly to go seeking and to endure for the Lord travails in everything, he will find in this great relief and great suavity.

In no way does one progress except by imitating Christ who is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except by Him. And the way consists in dying to nature.

To read more on the life of Blessed Denis and Redemptus (OCD) ...

19 November Optional Memorial in the province of Poland

Raphael of St. Joseph (in lay life: Joseph Kalinowski) was born at Vilna to a Polish family on 1st September 1835 and died at Wadowice on 15th November 1907. He took part in the rising against the Czarist occupying forces in Poland, accepting the position of Minister of War in Vilna.

In 1877, Raphael joined the Carmelites. He was ordained priest in 1882 and began an apostolate centred on the confessional, in the giving of spiritual direction and being full of enthusiasm for ecumenism, he worked strongly for unity in the Church.

To read more on the life of St. Raphael of St. Joseph (OCD) ...

15 November Optional Memorial

Gathered together by one and the same love for Christ and reverence for his beloved Mother, the members of the Carmelite family continue to love one another fraternally, whether they are engaged in the struggle for Christ on this earth, or, their earthly pilgrimage over, await the glorious vision of the Lord.

Therefore, the whole Order, united in prayer, commends to God's mercy the departed brothers and sisters that, through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, pledge of sure hope and joy, He may receive them among the glorious choirs of saints.

To read more ...

14 November Feast

About the joys of heaven I dare not write inconsiderately. Isaiah and then Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians wrote: Those things which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor ever entered the heart of man, these has God prepared for those who love him. How could I attempt to put into words what you cannot even imagine? I will however say something to urge you to desire to see those things that mortal eyes are unable to see. Such desire, by elevating the mind from earthly things to heavenly things, causes them, while still remaining earthly and mortal, at least in part to become heavenly. If it is true that where your treasure is, there will also be your heart, if our treasure is in heaven, it is necessary that our heart also be in heaven. If it is in heaven, it has heavenly dimensions, and it is necessary that heavenly be the desires of our heart, through the endeavor to meditate on great and infinite things starting from the smallest.

As heaven surpasses earth in size, height and beauty, so I do not doubt that heavenly goods are to be preferred to earthly ones. I say that I do not doubt them; and yet I do not know them, because they are superior to all our imagination. Man has two intellectual faculties: the intellect and the will. The intellect likes to know the truth, the will likes to have comfort, and to such a degree that there can be nothing more desirable in this life. Our knowledge is imperfect, and imperfect is our prophecy. We reason as children, we speak as children, for we see as in a mirror, in a confused way; in fact, a corruptible body burdens the soul and burdens the mind from many thoughts. But in Heaven man will see face to face and know perfectly as he is known; that which is imperfect will disappear, and our desire will be fully satisfied because the supreme essence, which is the truth first, will be revealed to our intelligence. Then the word “stop and know that I am God” will be fulfilled. Now the intellect, tormented by so many fantasies like a child in a marketplace, admires now this or that; it does not stop, it does not see God, but frets and toils in vain.

This homeland, on the other hand, insofar as we live holy, is the homeland of our hope and desires. Placed in it the prophet says: Wonderful things are said of you, city of God. And also: How lovely are your dwellings, Lord of hosts! My soul languishes and longs for the atria of the Lord. And: as a doe yearns for streams of water, so my soul yearns for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; when shall I come and see the face of God? Then God will be all in all, and as much as each one wants will be provided by God. God will creep so sweetly into our minds, that what the Prophet says will be perfectly fulfilled: I will be satisfied with your presence.

The blessed will hear resounding from all sides the highest praises of God, according to the word of the Prophet: blessed is he who dwells in your house: always sing your praises. They will see the heavens and taste all their harmony, they will see Christ and His Mother and all the glorious bodies of the blessed. These, now incorruptible and clothed in incomparable beauty, will be such a sweet spectacle to the beholders that they will not know what better to desire.

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13 November Optional Memorial in the Italian Provinces

The feeling of the Divine Presence had become to me as I already said continuous: in prayer I was not able to profit from books, nor to make it vocal: it was a most sweet union (if I am not mistaken of the prayer of stillness; I say give this the name of union, believing it to be such, according to my little knowledge) I said it was a most sweet union, from which I did not know how to detach myself, or rather, I did not resign myself to the cessation of it, unless persuaded to leave God, for God; that is, to leave God in the contemplation of Magdalene, to find him in the proper duties, of Martha's cares; which if she had given her place, and no more, and yet had not all poured herself into them, by the Divine Master I believe, would not have been correct: Who enjoys indeed, that we leave to enjoy Him, to toil for Him: and then return to rest in Him. Oh, what a good guide is in this (as in everything else) the pure love of You! And how easy is it, the going to it mixed, love to us! I say to our satisfaction, that though spiritual, I do not believe it good; nor ever did I believe; now I am confirmed in this, by some things I have read, it seems to me in the writings of S. M. Teresa but as I said even before I read of them, I had such an opinion. It is great misery, what I see, and therefore I have taken experience of it: that, either we want to be pious, and spiritual, in our own way, or we are not at all: the small heads easily fall into the first error, the big ones, (not the big ones) into the second misfortune. Oh my God! Bad thing is pride; nay, most evil, as it disrupts, and diverts, Man's most beautiful endowment, which is to understand, for its true direction. Oh, if this were spent for which Thou didst bestow it-oh our happiness! And why is it not meant, while Thou of this, (I say of intellect) can made a gift? Ah! Our happiness that is wasted on vain and fallacious things, which we may not come to understand; either because it is not given to us, or because taken from them, by an immature death.

Oh blindness-oh blindness! To lose oneself in human sciences, when these do not serve, the immortal purpose: and such surely cannot be called, that which once has its term.

O my Bridegroom, O my Bridegroom: how hard a thing is such cognition, to those who so love Thee! I say the understanding how much to men, is neglected the knowledge of Thee--as if every other thing were more necessary than this. Oh, upheaval of human intellects! That in our century, by the best (I say by those who want to be true Christians), many things are approved, and much more in circumstance practiced, with the defense of duty of convenience, and customs of the times, which with the going of them, become uncivilized and vary.

Oh you ... civilization, to us baleful, if, little by little, in the heart of man, you extinguish Religion of it! O Bridegroom, O Bridegroom: and who will follow Thee, there in the midst of the great world?

If, there be those who do it not out of malice; who regard themselves out of human respect; others do it not, out of ignorance...I say, to be in this, bred, and brought up, out of condition and misery: that are not these, those, who the first expressed, such as are procuring and enthralled, in vain sciences of the world, and neglected they stand, in the knowledge of the things of God: ah! It has not quite there, where to rest its head: everywhere, thorns and thorns are mirrored, of vanity, and vanity; and I fear, that even what appears virtue, is not true, not sodden, piety; if the rich do not escape, and for fear of infection; but more of honor greedy, than nauseating of this; we enjoy being after it.

To read more on the life of Bl. Maria Teresa Scrilli ...

To learn more about the life of Mother Maria Teresa and her work and legacy, we suggest reading The Autobiography of Maria Teresa Scrilli, Foundress of the Institute of Our Lady of Mount Carmel published by Edizioni Carmelitane

8 November | Optional Memorial

O my God, Trinity whom I adore, help me to become completely self-concerned, to fix myself in You, motionless and tranquil, as if my soul were already in eternity. Let nothing disturb my peace or make me leave You, O my Immutable One, but let each moment plunge me more and more into the depths of Your mystery.

Pacify my soul, make it Your heaven, Your beloved dwelling place, Your resting place. May I never leave you alone, but be there all, wholly awakened in my faith, all in adoration, fully surrendered to your creative action.

O my beloved Christ, crucified for love, I would like to be a bride for your Heart, I would like to cover you with glory, I would like to love you to the point of dying. But I feel my helplessness and ask you to “clothe me with you,” to identify my soul with all the movements of your soul, to submerge me, to invade me, to substitute yourself for me, so that my life may be but an irradiation of your life. Come into me as Worshipper, as Repairer and as Savior.

O Eternal Word, Word of my God, I want to spend my life listening to You, I want to make myself perfectly docile to learn everything from You. Then, through all the nights, all the voids, all the helplessness, I always want to stare at You and remain under Your great light. O my beloved Star, fascinate me so that I may never again leave Your irradiation.

Consuming fire, Spirit of love, “descend in me,” that it may be made in my soul as an in-carnation of the Word and I may be to Him an added humanity in which He renews all His Mystery.

And you, O Father, bend over your poor little creature, “cover her with your shadow,” and see in her only “the Beloved in whom you have placed all your complacencies.”

O my Three, my all, my bliss, in-finite solitude, immensity in which I lose myself, abandon myself to You like a prey. Bury Yourself in me that I may bury myself in You, waiting to come and contemplate in Your light the abyss of Your greatness.

To read more on the life of St. Elizabeth of the Trinity ...

7 November Optional Memorial in the Provinces of Spain

In his providence God has disposed that our evils should not be remedied and that his graces should not be granted to us except through prayer, and that through the prayer of some others should be saved (cf. Jas 5:16 ff). If the heavens dripped from on high and the clouds made the righteous rain, if the earth opened and the Savior sprang forth (cf. Is 45:8), God willed that the cries and supplications of the holy Fathers and especially of that singular Virgin who persuaded the heavens by the fragrance of her virtues and drew the uncreated Word into her bosom should precede his coming. The Redeemer came and through continuous prayer reconciled the world to his Father. For the prayer of Jesus Christ and the fruits of his redemption to be applied to some nation or people, for there to be those who enlighten them with the preaching of the Gospel and administer the sacraments to them, it is indispensable that there be someone or many who by groanings and supplications, by prayers and sacrifices have won over that people and reconciled them with God.

To this, among other ends, aim the sacrifices we offer on our altars. The holy host that we present on them daily to the Father, accompanied by our supplications, has not only the purpose of renewing the memory of the life, passion and death of Jesus Christ, but also of obliging through it the God of goodness so that he may deign to apply the redemption of his Son to the nation, province, city, village, or to that or those people for whom holy Mass is celebrated. It is precisely in it that the redemption, that is, the conversion of the nations, is dealt with the Father. Before the redemption was applied to the world or, which is the same, before the banner of the Cross was raised among the nations, the Father arranged for his Only Begotten, made flesh, to deal with it by means of “continual supplications, with loud cries and with tears” (Heb. 5:7), by anguish of death and by the shedding of all his blood, especially on the altar of the Cross, which he raises on the summit of Calvary.

In order to grant his grace even to those who neither ask for it nor can ask for it, or do not want it, God arranged and commanded, “Pray for one another, that you may be saved” (Jas. 5:16 ff). If God granted the grace of conversion to St. Augustine, it is due to the tears of St. Monica; and the Church would not have St. Paul, says a holy Father, if it were not for the prayer of St. Stephen. And it is worthy of mention here that the Apostles, sent out to preach and teach all nations, recognize that the fruit of their preaching was rather the effect of prayer than of their words, when in electing the seven deacons to be in charge of the external works of charity they say, “We will devote ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4). Note well: they say that they will devote themselves first to prayer and only later to the ministry of the word, because they undoubtedly never went to convert a people before they obtained their conversion in prayer.

Jesus Christ spent his whole life in prayer and preached only three years.

Just as God does not dispense his graces to men except through prayer, because he wants us to acknowledge him as the source from which all good comes, neither does he want to save us from dangers nor heal sores nor console us in afflictions except through prayer itself.

To read more on the life of Blessed Francesco Palau, OCD ...

St. Nuno Álvares maintained an almost childlike in his devotion to God and his strict code of morality, even for the soldiers in his army. He attributed his stunning victories to Mary’s intercession on his behalf. Although the “Holy Constable” was one of the most powerful men in the kingdom, he used his wealth and influence to promote religious devotion, and to build many churches as signs of his gratitude. Perhaps the most spectacular of his churches was the imposing Carmo in Lisbon, which he entrusted to the care of the Carmelites. He provided built a large house to house the religious. At that time, there was only a single Carmelite house in Portugal, at Moura. The new house and church were lavishly endowed by the Constable, who also insisted on regular prayer and strict observance of the Rule.

While the ruins of the Carmo church in Lisbon stand today as just a shell following the Lisbon earthquake of 1755, the house he built for the Carmelites next to the church remained intact. In fact, St. Nuno would enter the Order and live as a brother in this house following his retirement from military duty. Today, the building, known as the Carmo Barrack, serves as the headquarters of the National Republican Guard (GNR) although it retains a few of the features that were present in the time of St. Nuno.

On the ground floor a “cell” contains a few objects from the life of St. Nuno. A plaque near the door of the cell reads “This is the location of the cell where the Constable died on November 1, 1431.” On the bed is his habit. On one wall hangs two objects of popular mortification: a discipline, an instrument for self-flagellation and a metal chain cilice with inwardly-pointing tines.

Other objects include a flag decorated a large Cross and images of St. George, St. Thiago, St. John and of Mary, one with the Child Jesus. There is also a large trunk and a small statue of the Saint standing on an old altar decorated with a large Cross in a style favored by St. Nuno.

St. Nuno Álvares Pereira's tomb was lost in the famous 1755 Lisbon earthquake. His epitaph read:

"Here lies that famous Nuno, the Constable, founder of the House of Bragança, excellent general, blessed monk, who during his life on earth so ardently desired the Kingdom of Heaven that after his death, he merited the eternal company of the Saints. His worldly honors were countless, but he turned his back on them. He was a great Prince, but he made himself a humble monk. He founded, built and endowed this church in which his body rests."

Read more on the life of St. Nuno Álvares ...

November 5 | Optional Memorial

Temptation Stimulates Virtue
From the Exhortations of Blessed Frances of Amboise to the Nuns

Whatever sorrow or discomfort you have in your hearts, bear it as patiently as you can, and think of it as your cross. Help our Lord and bear it with him, willingly, good-humoredly, for you must always bear the cross, and if you reject one, you may find another heavier one. With faith and hope in God's help, temptation is overcome. We must not lose heart and stop on our way, but always take courage. Think of the pains and great temptations that the holy fathers had to endure in the desert. The pains they suffered in the spirit, were without comparison much harder than the penances and austerities they imposed on their bodies. He who is not tempted acquires no virtue. So accept what pleases God, who never sends suffering that is not for our good. He says in the Gospel: Whoever wants to come after me, begin to deny himself, that is, to forget himself, to have no self-esteem, to despise himself and to desire to be despised by others. Our Lord says we must take up the cross in order to follow him, that is, accept penance and torments for his sake, as he bore the cross for our sake.

But I recommend, do not carry it as Simon of Cyrene did! To our Lord, exhausted from the beatings and torments he had endured, the Jews, fearing that he would die before reaching the place where he was to be crucified, took down the cross and loaded it on Simon. Simon took it reluctantly and although he carried it, he did not die on it like our Lord, who carried it of his own choice and willingly, and died there rendering his soul to God his Father.

Do as he did, following his example. You have the cross of penance; bear it willingly to the end: in it you will die and render your souls to him. Praise and thank God for calling you to his service. Despise no one. Think that God's command is that you love your neighbor as yourself and all your [brothers and sisters], even those who do or want to harm you.

Above all, have charity for one another and concern yourselves about overcoming your passions. Take one remedy today and another tomorrow. Thus you will gradually come to overcome your temptations, and when our Lord sees your good will and perseverance, He will give you His grace and help you to carry the burdens of religious life to the end. Nothing will be difficult for you to bear for His sake.

(Carmelus,11 [1964] 254-255)

Read more on the life of Bl. Frances d'Amboise ...