Sr. Teresa of St. Augustine on the life of St. Therese of Lisieux

This is from St Therese of Lisieux By Those Who Knew Her by Christopher O'Mahony. Testimonies from the process for her beatification. A few excerpts from the testimony of Sr Teresa of St Augustine:

I knew the Servant of God from the time she entered in 1888 till her death in 1897. During that time I lived close to her, and enjoyed a certain amount of intimacy with her. . . .

. . . .Her greatest pleasure was Holy Communion. She was prepared to suffer a lot rather than be deprived of it. All the sisters who lived with her knew that during the last years of her life, when her health was already broken, she used to get up for morning Mass after sleepless nights in pain, even during the worst cold of winter. It pained her deeply to be deprived of daily Communion, which was not customary in our convent at the time. . . .

. . . .Her trust in Providence was unwavering. People used to talk about the persecution of religion, and the consequences this could have for our convent, exile even. "What do you think about it?" I asked her. "I am prepared to go to the other end of the world in order to continue my religous life." she said, "but I'm like a baby: I just let things happen; I will go wherever God wants me to." And during her last illness: "How unhappy I would be now if I were not wholly in God's hands! One day the doctor says I'm finished, the next I'm better. This continual change could be wearisome, but it does not affect my peace of soul; I just take things as they come." When I told her I was worried about how much she was suffering: "Oh! Don't worry about that; God will not give me more than I can bear.". . . .

. . . .She once told me something in confidence, which rather mystified me. "If you only knew what darkness I am plunged into!" she said. "I don't believe in eternal life; I think that after this life there is nothing. Everything has disappeared on me, and I am left with love alone." She spoke of this state of soul as a temptation; yet she seemed always so calm and serene.

Virtue seemed to come so naturally to her that people thought she was inundated with consolations. I heard one sister say: "Sister Therese gets no merit for practising virute; she has never had to struggle for it." I wanted to know from herself if there was any truth in this, so , availing of my intimacy with her, I asked her if she had had to struggle during her religious life. This was two months before she died. "Oh!" she replied, "but didn't I though! I didn't have an easy temperament. It might not have looked like that, but I felt it. I can assure you that not a day has passed without its quota of suffering, not one!" It was above all during her last illness that we were able to admire her courage in the face of suffering. Fearing that her pain would get even worse, I told her that I would ask God to give her some relief. "No, no," she exclaimed, "He must be allowed to do as He pleases." . . . .

. . . .I have never heard that Sister Therese experienced any extraordinary phenomena during her lifetime. . . .

. . . .I have heard different opinions expressed about the Servant of God in this convent during her lifetime. The nuns who knew her best, especially her novices, admired her for her outstanding virtue. She passed unnoticed as far as others were concerned; chiefly I think because of her simplicity. There were some who viewed her unfavourably. Some of these accused her of being cold and proud. As far as I can judge, that was because she did not speak much, and remained recollected and reserved. It may be, too, that the presence of four sisters in the same community aroused some sparks of opposition and jealousy. But I can assure that that since her death, those of her critics who are still alive have completely changed their opinion of her.

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We Must be Humble, Simple, and Pure

A letter by St. Francis of Assisi:

It was through his archangel, Saint Gabriel, that the Father above made known to the holy and glorious Virgin Mary that the worthy, holy and glorious Word of the Father would come from heaven and take from her womb the real flesh of our human frailty. Though he was wealthy beyond reckoning, he still willingly chose to be poor with his blessed mother. And shortly before his passion he celebrated the Passover with his disciples. Then he prayed to his Father saying: Father, if it be possible, let this cup be taken from me.

Nevertheless, he reposed his will in the will of his Father. The Father willed that his blessed and glorious Son, whom he gave to us and who was born for us, should through his own blood offer himself as a sacrificial victim on the altar of the cross. This was to be done not for himself through whom all things were made, but for our sins. It was intended to leave us an example of how to follow in his footsteps. And he desires all of us to be saved through him, and to receive him with pure heart and chaste body.

O how happy and blessed are those who love the Lord and do as the Lord himself said in the gospel: You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart and your whole soul; and your neighbour as yourself. Therefore, let us love God and adore him with pure heart and mind. This is his particular desire when he says: True worshippers adore the Father in spirit and truth. For all who adore him must do so in the spirit of truth. Let us also direct to him our praises and prayers saying: Our Father, who art in heaven, since we must always pray and never grow slack.

Furthermore, let us produce worthy fruits of penance. Let us also love our neighbours as ourselves. Let us have charity and humility. Let us give alms because these cleanse our souls from the stains of sin. Men lose all the material things they leave behind them in this world, but they carry with them the reward of their charity and the alms they give. For these they will receive from the Lord the reward and recompense they deserve. We must not be wise and prudent according to the flesh. Rather we must be simple, humble and pure. We should never desire to be over others. Instead, we ought to be servants who are submissive to every human being for God's sake. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on all who live in this way and persevere in it to the end. He will permanently dwell in them. They will be the Father's children who do his work. They are the spouses, brothers and mothers of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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Transfer of Relics of Mother Theodore Guerin

In a scene most spectators said they never expect to witness again, a new coffin bearing the remains of a woman about to be declared a Catholic saint was installed in a new shrine 150 years after her death.

The simple box, hand-crafted from walnut trees grown on the grounds Guerin walked as a 19th-century nun, was placed next to a display featuring three bones from her hand.
For nearly 100 years, Guerin's remains had been stored beneath the floor of the Church of the Immaculate Conception, an Italianesque church here at the headquarters of the Sisters of Providence, near the village of St. Mary-of-the-Woods.

But the Catholic Church requires the remains of a saint to be displayed above ground. Guerin will be canonized in Rome on Oct. 15.

Source: IndyStar

Update: Mother Guerin is now canonized.

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Reading from the Diary of St. Faustina

The next day, I felt very weak, but experienced no further suffering. After Holy Communion, I saw the Lord Jesus just as I had seen Him during one adoration. The Lord's gaze pierced my soul through and through, and not even the least speck of dust escaped His notice. And I said to Jesus, "Jesus, I thought You were going to take me."

And Jesus answered, My will has not yet been fully accomplished in you; you will still remain on earth, but not for long. I am well pleased with your trust, but your love should be more ardent. Pure love gives the soul strength at the very moment of dying. When I was dying on the cross, I was not thinking about Myself, but about poor sinners, and I prayed for them to My Father. I want your last moments to be completely similar to Mine on the cross. There is but one price at which souls are bought, and that is suffering united to My suffering on the cross. Pure love understands these words; carnal love will never understand them. (324)

The words of Our Lord Jesus Christ are in boldface. The words of Our Lady are in italics.

Read more from the Diary of St. Faustina

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St. John Cantius on EWTN

This Saturday at 11AM and 11PM (Central Times) EWTN is airing Mass from St. John Cantius, with Mozart's Coronation Mass with choir and orchestra.

I encourage everyone to tune in, especially people who aren't fortunate enough to see such a Mass very often, and I would encourage positive feedback to EWTN, so they'll broadcast more! You can see photos of the amazing church from Chicago through their website.

The EWTN Mass at St. John Cantius this Saturday (Feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary), broadcast live at 11AM CST/Noon EST, is the Missa Normativa, the 'Novus Ordo Mass', the 'Mass of Vatican II'. I assume that, just like our normal 11AM Sunday Mass, this one will be offered in Latin. (When Mass is said in English at SJC, the unchangeable parts of the Mass are still said or chanted in Latin, in compliance with the documents of Vatican II. ("Particular law remaining in force, the use of the Latin language is to be preserved in the Latin rites" - Sacrosanctum Concilium 36).

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St. Francis of Assisi

 

Today is the feastday of St. Francis of Assisi. Please read my post on him from last year.

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Prayers for Mark B.

A fellow Catholic has asked for prayers for Mark B. Please say a prayer for him; God knows exactly what he needs.

Thank you.

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Prayer of Devotion to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal

Virgin Mother of God, Mary Immaculate, I unite myself to you under your title of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. May this medal be for me a sure sign of your motherly affection and a constant reminder of my devotion to you. While wearing it, may I be blessed by your loving protection and preserved in the grace of your Son. Most powerful virgin, Mother of our Savior, keep me close to you every moment of my life so that like you I may live and act according to the teaching and example of Jesus. Keep me as your faithful child that I may follow your example throughout life and enjoy heaven forever with you. Amen.

Click here to read Fr. John Hardon's testimony of a miracle brought about in front of him because of the Miraculous Medal. 

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Plan B Will NOT Stop Abortions

From LifeNews:

A Utah doctor who was a member of a Food and Drug Administration's advisory panel says the morning after pill will not reduce the number of abortions and pregnancies that its supports claim it will do. He also indicated that the Plan B drug can work as an abortion agent in certain circumstances.

Dr. Joseph Stanford, associate professor of family and preventative medicine at the University of Utah School of Medicine, said the morning after pill won't be as effective as its maker claims.

He told the Deseret News that studies he and fellow researchers have done show a lower effectiveness rate than the 89 percent Barr Laboratories claims.

"We did more a precise meta-analysis that shows it's effective only 72 percent of the time, and even that number is optimistic," he indicated.

Stanford explained that earlier studies, which gave Barr its 89 percent figure, did not take into account normal variations in the timing of ovulation.

He also told the newspaper that studies from Europe, China and the United States show that the morning after pill does not reduce abortions. In fact, new abortion figures in England and Scotland show that abortions have reached their highest point ever despite over the counter sales of Plan B.

Let us pray AND work towards the end of artificial contraception and abortion! It can be done through peaceful activism.  Remember, the Pill Causes Cancer!  Let us work to save lives!

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Feastday of the Guardian Angels

Today is the feastday of the Guardian Angels. See my post on them from last year.

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