April 29
Feast of St. Catherine of Siena, Virgin and Doctor (1347 – 1380)
“You asked for suffering…You were, in effect, asking for love and light and knowledge of the truth. For suffering and sorrow increase in proportion to love” When love grows, so does sorrow … Endure courageously, then.
From The Dialogue of St. Catherine of Siena
April 28
St. Louis Grignion de Montfort (1673 – 1716)
“… the greatest saints, the souls richest in graces and virtues, shall be the most assiduous in praying to our Blessed Lady, and in having her always present as their perfect model for imitation and their powerful aid for help.”
--St. Louis de Montfort from True Devotion
April 27
“It is no use walking to preach unless we preach as we walk.”
--St. Francis of Assisi
April 26
“Our Lord and Savior lifted up his voice and said with incomparable majesty: ‘Let all men know that grace comes after tribulation. Let them know that without the burden of afflictions it is impossible to reach the height of grace. Let them know that the gifts of grace increase as the struggles increase.’”
-- St. Rose of Lima
April 25
Feast of St. Mark, Evangelist
“The Church, which has spread everywhere, even to the ends of the earth, received the faith from the apostles and their disciples.”
--St. Irenaeus
February 24
“Very well, I will be a saint. I will provide a patron for those who bear my name.”
--Blessed Dina Belanger
For Reflection:
At age eight, Dina Belanger said this in response to a teacher who told her the Church had no St. Dina. Am I willing to “provide a patron” for those who bear my name? What positive step can I take today to make that happen?
(Quote from Graceful Living)
The facade of St. Peter's Basilica behind the statue of St. Peter at the Vatican. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)Proceedings of an un-publicized series of workshops at the Vatican earlier this year reveal controversial conversations taking place ahead of this fall’s Synod on the Family.
