Indeed real no doubt. The wrist wound on the Shroud compared to the palm stigmata shows that the whole person is involved in this extraordinary phenomenon.
I was looking at some of the most current studies on the Shroud using AI enhancement. They are amazing. It has even atheists scratching their heads. Rather like the Mantle of Guadalupe they seem to have been sent as a kind of heavenly message to our unbelieving times.
You might ask the question , what does it matter that Saint Francis had the stigmata or that Padre Pio had it or that anyone else today has it? Well the first reason is that the Church actually marked this in its liturgical calendar. So clearly the Church herself thinks it is important ,so then should we. But another reason that these phenomena are important and this comes from the life of Padre Pio. There was a Doctor at the time called Dr Gemelli (whom the Gemelli hospital was later named) one of the most important and famous Medics in Italy at the time. Amongst other things he was a superbly qualified head shrinker. He had the ears of the top brass at the Vatican and the ears even of the Popes. He became a Franciscan priest (not a Capuchin like Padre Pio but mainline..the Conventuals). Father Gemelli was also a Modernist he simply did not believe in Supernatural Phenomena such as the Stigmata and hence on principle he had to believe that wounds were a fraud or the result of a pscyhological mechanism called hysteria....the mind influencing the body. Anyway Fr Gemelli persecuted the old saint for years and years. What is the relevance to ourselves. Well the Modernist heretics in control at the minute reject the supernatural and the mystical. They are basically Protestant in their outlook. Everything is about this present World and the Mind. Being rational. When you look at the Vatican today it is basically run by Father Gemelli's. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agostino_Gemelli
SAINT OF THE DAY THURSDAY, 18 SEPTEMBER, 2025 SAINT JOSEPH OF CUPERTINO CONFESSOR (17 JUNE 1603 - 18 SEPTEMBER 1663) Joseph Desa was born in the little city of Cupertino, near the Gulf of Tarento, in 1600. It is said in the acts of the process of his canonization that at the age of five he already showed such signs of sanctity that if he had been an adult, he would have been venerated as a perfect man. Already in his youth he was ravished in ecstasies which literally tore him away from the earth; it has been calculated that perhaps half of his life for some sixty years was spent literally above the ground. But much remains to be said of Saint Joseph, apart from his visible divine favors. He almost died at the age of seven from an interior abscess, which only his prayer to Our Lady cured. He learned to be a shoemaker to earn his living, but was often absent in spirit from his work. He treated his flesh with singular rigor. The Cardinal de Lauria, who knew him well for long years, said he wore a very rude hair shirt and never ate meat, contenting himself with fruits and bread. He seasoned his soup, if he accepted any, with a dry and very bitter powder of wormwood. At the age of seventeen he desired to become a conventual Franciscan, but was refused because he had not studied. He entered the Capuchins as a lay brother, but the divine favors he received seemed everywhere to bring down contempt upon him. He was in continuous contemplation and dropped plates and cauldrons. He would often stop and kneel down, and his long halts in places of discomfort brought on a tumor of the knee which was very painful. It was decided that he lacked both aptitude and health, and he was sent home. He was then regarded everywhere as a vagabond and a fool, and his mother in particular was harsh, as had been her custom for long years. She did, however, obtain permission for him to take charge of the stable for the conventual Franciscans, wearing the habit of the Third Order. Saint Joseph proved himself many times to be perfectly obedient. His humility was heroic, and his mortification most exceptional. His words bore fruit and wakened the indifferent, warned against vice and in general were seen to come from a man who was very kind and very virtuous. He was finally granted the habit. He read with difficulty and wrote with still more difficulty, but the Mother of God was watching over him. When by the intervention of the bishop he had been admitted to minor Orders, he desired to be a priest but knew well only one text of the Gospel. By a special Providence of God, that was the text he was asked to expound during the canonical examination for the diaconate. The bishop who was in charge of hearing candidates for the priesthood found that the first ones answered exceptionally well, and he decided to ordain them all without any further hearings, thus passing Joseph with the others. He was ordained in 1628. He retired to a hermitage where he was apparently in nearly continuous ecstasy, or at least contemplation. He kept nothing for himself save the tunic he wore. Rejoicing to be totally poor, he felt entirely free also. He obeyed his Superiors and went wherever he was sent, wearing sandals and an old tunic which often came back with pieces missing; the people had begun to venerate him as a Saint, and had cut them off. When he did not notice what was happening, he was reproached as failing in poverty. The humble Brother wanted to pass for a sinner; he asked for the lowest employments, and transported the building materials for a church on his shoulders. He begged for the community. At the church he was a priest; elsewhere, a poor Brother. Toward the end of his life all divine consolations were denied the Saint, including his ecstasies. He fell victim to an aridity which was unceasing, and he could find no savor in any holy reading. Then the infernal spirits inspired terrible visions and dreams. He shed tears amid this darkness and prayed his Saviour to help him, but received no answer. When the General of the Order heard of this, he called him to Rome, and there he recovered from the fearful trial, and all his joy returned. He still had combats with the enemy of God to bear just the same, when the demons took human form to attempt to injure him physically. Other afflictions were not spared him, but his soul overcame all barriers between himself and God. He died on September 18, 1663, at the age of 63, in the Franciscan convent of Osino. He had celebrated Holy Mass up to and including the day before his death, as he had foretold he would do. PATRON: Air travellers; astronauts; aviators; paratroopers; pilots; students; test takers. PRAYER TO ST. JOSEPH OF CUPERTINO FOR SUCCESS IN EXAMINATIONS O humble St. Joseph of Cupertino, singularly favored by God in overcoming the difficulties of study and the worries of examinations, implore the Holy Spirit to enlighten my mind and strengthen my memory in the search of His truth and wisdom. Help me especially in the decisive moments of this examination, protecting me from that forgetfulness and disturbing anxiety which often affect me. May I succeed in offering God my finest work and may I grow in knowledge, understanding, humility and charity. May everything that I attempt to learn in life be offered in faithful service to God, from whom flows that wisdom which leads to eternal life. Amen. St. Joseph of Cupertino pray for me. Our Lady of Good Studies pray for me. Holy Spirit enlighten me!
There is a really wonderful film of St Joseph on utube which I have watched several times, lovely. He is the patron Saint of Pilots which because he levitated so much. Many, many people saw him do so including the then Pope. There must have been hundreds, maybe thousands of people who saw it, there can be no doubt it actually happened. I was just curious about St Joseph going into the Dark Night before his death. Usually mystical theologians talk of the Dark Night occurring before the last stage, Mystical Marriage (transforming Union) . However it seems Joseph was a real saint before this Dark Night came. The same thing with Mother Teresa of Calcutta who was in the Dark Night until shortly before her death. I think this Dark Night is a night of suffering for others. It is a sharing of Gethsemene for others. It is not about getting ones own pot cleaned but about helping others. How I would love to see a Saint Levitate! There were many who did so, including by one account Pope St John Paul 2
SAINT OF THE DAY FRIDAY, 19 SEPTEMBER, 2025 SAINT JANUARIUS BISHOP AND MARTYR (DIED c. 305) Many centuries ago, Saint Januarius died for the Faith during the persecution of Diocletian. God, through the blood which His servant shed for Him, some of which is conserved in Naples, continues to strengthen the faith of the Church, and to work there a regular miracle by its means. This beloved Saint of the late third century was the bishop of Beneventum, and had a friend, a deacon named Sosius, who like himself was occupied with fortifying the Christians faced with martyrdom. When the prefect of Pouzzoles, where Sosius had been imprisoned, heard that Januarius was coming to visit him and three other fervent Christians being held there, he had him arrested. He urged him to cease his exhortations, forbidden by the imperial edicts, and to offer incense to the idols, if he wanted to avoid torture. The holy bishop replied that he could not do so. He was submitted to torments, the first one of which left him miraculously uninjured. The judge attributed the miracle to magic, as was often said of the Christians whom God chose to spare. He ordered another torture which left the bishop lame, before he was sent to the same prison as the others. When two ecclesiastics of Benevent came to visit the confessors, they were arrested and condemned to die with the other five in an amphitheater, by the teeth of wild beasts. The animals, furious when released into the space where the seven Confessors stood, came and quietly lay down at their feet, renewing a miracle seen more than once in the history of the first centuries. By this prodigy and other miracles which preceded their execution, five thousand persons were converted. The bishop and his companions were decapitated on September 19, 305. A church was built on a nearby mountain to honor the memory of Saint Januarius. "Even to the present time the blood of the saint that is preserved in a glass vial will become fluid shortly after it is brought close to the head of the saint; then it bubbles up in a remarkable manner, as if it had just been shed" (Breviary). Cardinal Schuster makes this statement in his Liber Sacramentorum (vol. 8, p. 233): "The author has seen the marvel of the blood liquefaction at closest range and can give witness to the fact. Taking into consideration all the scientific investigations that have been made, he would say that a natural explanation of the phenomena does not seem possible." PATRON: Patron of Naples, Italy; blood banks; volcanic eruptions. PRAYER: O God, who grant us to venerate the memory of the Martyr Saint Januarius, give us, we pray, the joy of his company in blessed happiness for all eternity. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen!
SAINT OF THE DAY SATURDAY, 20th SEPTEMBER 2025 St. Eustachius (Died c 188) St. Eustachius called by the Greeks Eustachius, and before his conversion named Placidus, was a nobleman who suffered martyrdom at Rome, about the reign of Adrian together with his wife Theopista, called before her baptism Tatiana, and two sons Agapius and Theopistus. These Greek names they must have taken after their conversion to the faith. The ancient sacramentaries mention in the prayer for the festival of St. Eustachius his profuse charities to the poor on whom he bestowed all his large possessions some time before he laid down his life for his faith. An ancient church in Rome was built in his honor, with the title of a Diacony; the same now gives title to a cardinal. His body lay deposited in this church, till, in the twelfth age, it was translated to that of St. Denis near Paris. His shrine was pillaged in this place, and part of his bones burnt by the Huguenots in 1567; but a portion of them still remains in the parish church which bears the name of St. Eustachius in Paris. How noble is it to see integrity and virtue triumphing over interest, passion, racks, and death and setting the whole world at defiance! To see a great man preferring the least duty of justice, truth, or religion, to the favor or menace of princes; readily quitting estate, friends, country, and life, rather than consent to any thing against his conscience, and at the same time, meek, humble, and modest in his sufferings; forgiving from his heart and tenderly loving his most unjust and treacherous enemies and persecutors! Passion and revenge often make men furious; and the lust of power, worldly honor, applause, or wealth may prompt them to brave dangers; but these passions leave them weak and dastardly in other eases, and are themselves the basest slavery, and most grievous crimes and misery. Christianity is the only basis on which true magnanimity and courage can stand. It so enlightens the mind as to set a man above all human events, and to preserve him in all changes and trials steadily and calm in himself; it secures him against the errors, the injustices, and frowns of the world, is by its powerful motives the strongest spur to all generous actions, and under afflictions and sufferings a source of unalterable peace, and overflowing joy which spring from an assured confidence that God's will is always most just and holy, and that he will be its protector and rewarder. Does Christianity exert this powerful influences in us? Does it appear in our hearts, in our actions and conduct? It is not enough to encounter dangers with resolution; we must with equal courage and constancy vanquish pleasure and the softer passions, or we possess not the virtue of true fortitude. Let us pray & ask God for all these virtues & courage that all the saints in their days had & spread the gospel of the way wherever we preach.
SAINT OF THE DAY SUNDAY, 21 SEPTEMBER, 2025 SAINT MATTHEW APOSTLE AND EVANGELIST No one was more shunned by the Jews than a publican, who was a Jew working for the Roman enemy by robbing his own people and making a large personal profit. Publicans were not allowed to trade, eat, or even pray with other Jews. One day, while seated at his table of books and money, Jesus looked at Matthew and said two words: "Follow me." This was all that was needed to make Matthew rise, leaving his pieces of silver to follow Christ. His original name, "Levi," in Hebrew signifies "Adhesion" while his new name in Christ, Matthew, means "Gift of God." The only other outstanding mention of Matthew in the Gospels is the dinner party for Christ and His companions to which he invited his fellow tax-collectors. The Jews were surprised to see Jesus with a publican, but Jesus explained that he had come "not to call the just, but sinners." St. Matthew is known to us principally as an Evangelist, with his Gospel being the first in the New Testament. His Gospel was written in Aramaic, the language that our Lord Himself spoke and was written to convince the Jews that their anticipated Messiah had come in the person of Jesus. Not much else is known about Matthew. According to tradition, he preached in Egypt and Ethiopia and further places East. Some legends say he lived until his nineties, dying a peaceful death, others say he died a martyr's death. In the traditional symbolization of the evangelists, based on Ezech. 1:5-10 and Rev. 4:6-7, the image of the winged man is accorded to Matthew because his Gospel begins with the human genealogy of Christ. PATRON: Accountants; bankers; bookkeepers; customs officers; security guards; stock brokers; tax collectors; Salerno, Italy. PRAYER: O God, who with untold mercy were pleased to choose as an Apostle Saint Matthew, the tax collector, grant that, sustained by his example and intercession, we may merit to hold firm in following you. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
SAINT OF THE DAY MONDAY, 22 SEPTEMBER, 2025 SAINT THOMAS OF VILLANOVA BISHOP AND CONFESSOR (1488 - September 8, 1555) Born during 1488 in the Spanish region of Castile, in the town of Villanova de los Infantes, Thomas Garcia was raised to take after the faith and charitable works of his parents Alphonsus and Lucia. His father, a mill worker, regularly distributed food and provisions to the poor, as did his mother. Generous and devout from an early age, their son was also intellectually gifted, beginning his studies at the University of Alcala at age 16. Within ten years he had become a professor of philosophy at that same university, where he taught for two years before being offered a more prestigious position at the University of Salamanca. Thomas, however, chose not to continue his academic career. After his father's death, he had determined to leave much of his inheritance to the poor and sick rather than retaining it himself. At age 28, after much deliberation, Thomas embraced a life of chastity, poverty, and religious obedience with his entry into the monastic Order of St. Augustine. Thomas made his first vows as an Augustinian in 1517 and was ordained a priest in 1518. He taught theology within his order and became renowned for his eloquent and effective preaching in the churches of Salamanca. This led to his appointment as a court preacher and adviser to the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. Presented with the prospect of being named an archbishop, Thomas initially declined and instead continued his work within the Order of St. Augustine, during a period that saw its expansion across the sea to Mexico. In August of 1544, however, he was ordered by his religious superiors to accept his appointment as the Archbishop of Valencia. Thomas arrived wearing the same well-worn monastic habit that he had worn for several years and would continue wearing for years to come. Given a donation to decorate his residence, he funnelled the money to a hospital in need of repair. After his installation, he visited local prisons and ordered changes to be made in response to their inhumane conditions. While continuing his life of monastic asceticism, the archbishop worked to improve the spiritual lives and living conditions of the faithful. He gave special attention to the needs of the poor, feeding and sheltering them in his own residence. During the same period he worked to promote education, restore religious orthodoxy, and reform the lifestyles of clergy and laypersons. After 11 years leading the Archdiocese of Valencia, St. Thomas of Villanova succumbed to a heart condition at the end of a Mass held in his home on Sept. 8, 1555. He is said to have died on the floor rather than in his bed, which he insisted on offering to a poor man who had come to his house. Pope Alexander VII canonized him in 1658. PATRON: Santolan, (Pasig City), Alimodian and Miag-ao (Iloilo), Villanova University. PRAYER: Most glorious Saint Thomas, pattern of Christian perfection and perfect model of priestly zeal, by that glory which as a reward of thy merits, has been granted thee in heaven, turn thine eyes of mercy upon us and come to our assistance before the throne of the Most High. While living on earth thou didst have as thy chief characteristic the very charity of Christ. Armed with this thou didst spend thine entire life in giving aid to the wretched, counsel to the doubtful, and consolation to the afflicted; thou didst draw back to the paths of virtue those who had gone astray, thus bringing to Jesus Christ the souls redeemed by His Precious Blood. Now that thou art so powerful in heaven, continue thy task of giving help to all and be our watchful protector, so that, through thine intercession, being delivered from all temporal misfortunes and confirmed in our faith and in love, we may be victors in our struggle with the powers of evil and may merit with thee to praise and bless our Lord through all eternity. Amen.
I am always fascinated every year to hear if his blood liquified or not. Apparently if it does not turn to blood it is the end of the world for Neapolitans and yes indeed historically it is so. If the blood does not change bad things happen. Ah yes , I see it did. All will be well in Naples. https://catholicism.org/st-januarius-blood-liquefies-in-naples-on-his-feast-day.html
SAINT OF THE DAY TUESDAY, 23 SEPTEMBER, 2025 SAINT PADRE PIO OF PIETRELCINA PRIEST, RELIGIOUS, MYSTIC, STIGMATIST AND CONFESSOR (25 MAY 1887 - 23 SEPTEMBER 1968) St. Padre Pio was an Italian priest who was known for his piety and charity, as well as the gift of the stigmata, which has never been explained. St. Padre Pio was born Francesco Forgione, on May 25, 1887, in Pietrelcina, Italy. His parents were peasant farmers. He had an older brother and three younger sisters, as well as two other siblings who died in infancy. As a child, he was very religious and by the age of five he reportedly made the decision to dedicate his life to God. Fortunately, his parents were also very religious and they supported his Catholic development. His family attended daily Mass. Francisco served as an altar boy at his local parish. Francisco was known for taking on penances and his mother once scolded him for sleeping on a stone floor. Francisco's community was also supportive. Saint's days were popular celebrations and commonly celebrated in his town. From his tender age, Francisco had a peculiar ability. He could see guardian angels and he spoke with Jesus and the Virgin Mary. This was not something taught to him, but occurred so naturally that he assumed other people could see them too. Although Francisco and his family was very religious, they were also very poor, which required that he work. He spent many years as a child tending to a small flock of sheep owned by his family. Unfortunately, the work meant he was unable to attend school regularly, so he quickly fell behind other kids his age. Francisco was sickly as a child. He suffered an attack of gastroenteritis at age six and when he was ten, he had typhoid fever. In 1897, after three years of schooling, Francisco expressed to his parents that he wanted to become a friar. His parents traveled to a nearby community of monks and asked if Francisco could join them. He was evaluated, despite his young age, and was told that he needed more education before he could join. To prepare Francisco, his parents decided to hire a private tutor. To pay the cost of the tutor, Francisco's father traveled to America to find work, and sent the money home. At the age of 15, Francisco was finally ready and he entered the novitiate of the Capuchin friars at Morcone. He took the name of "Pio" in honor of Pope Pius I, whose relic he often saw at his local chapel. At the age of 17, Brother Pio became extremely ill and could only digest milk and cheese. He was sent to the mountain for better air, and when this did not work, he was sent home to his family. Amid all this, he continued to study for the priesthood. On one occasion during prayer, a fellow monk astonishingly reported he saw Pio levitate during an episode of ecstasy. Brother Pio became a priest in 1910, but was permitted to remain at home because of his poor health. In 1915, with World War I afflicting the world, Padre Pio was summoned for military service. He was compelled to leave a tiny community of monks, with whom he was then housed, and drafted into medical service. However, he was so sickly that he was often sent home, only to then be recalled for service. In March 1916, he was finally dismissed because of his poor health. On September 20, Padre Pio was hearing confessions when he felt pain in his hands and feet. He noticed the stigmata, the wounds of Christ, appearing on his hands and feet. The experience was painful. Bleeding occurred. The wounds smelled of roses, and although they continued to bleed, they never became infected. Doctors who later examined the stigmata were amazed at their perfectly round shape. By 1919, word began to spread about Padre Pio's stigmata and people came from far away to examine him. Padre Pio became popular with the people he encountered and soon they began to attribute supernatural occurrences to him. For example, he was said to levitate, and able to perform miracles. His popularity became a source of concern for the Church and the Vatican began to restrict his activities to minimize public interaction. Padre Pio himself was uncomfortable with his newfound popularity and the attention he received because of his stigmata. A Church investigation into his stigmata concluded that his condition was not faked. By 1934, the Vatican began to change its attitude towards Padre Pio and he was again allowed to perform public duties. He could preach, despite never being officially licensed by the Church to do so. Pope Pius XI encouraged people to visit him. In 1947, Fr. Karol Wojtyla visited Padre Pio who prophetically told him he would rise to the highest post in the Church." Fr. Karol Wojtyla became Pope John Paul II in 1978. Padre Pio used his newfound popularity to open a hospital in San Giovanni Rotondo. The facility opened in 1956. Pope Paul VI reviewed the controversies surrounding Padre Pio and dismissed any concerns over his conduct and the authenticity of his stigmata. Padre Pio became internationally famous. He was known for his piety, charity and the quality of his preaching. He famously advised, "Pray, hope and don't worry." He had other illnesses, as well, including cancer which was miraculously healed after just two treatments. Other problems, such as arthritis, which plagued him in his later years, never went away. Padre Pio died on September 23, 1968. His funeral was attended by over 100,000 people. Pope John Paul II recognized Padre Pio as a saint on June 16, 2002. His feast day is September 23. He is the patron of civil defense volunteers, adolescents, and the village of Pietrelcina. PATRON: Pietrelcina, Italy; civil defense volunteers; adolescents; stress relief. PRAYER: Dear God, You generously blessed Your servant, St. Pio of Pietrelcina, with the gifts of the Spirit. You marked his body with the five wounds of Christ Crucified, as a powerful witness to the saving Passion and Death of Your Son. Endowed with the gift of discernment, St. Pio labored endlessly in the confessional for the salvation of souls. With reverence and intense devotion in the celebration of Mass, he invited countless men and women to a greater union with Jesus Christ in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. Through the intercession of St. Pio of Pietrelcina, I confidently beseech You to grant me the grace of (here state your petition). Glory be to the Father… (three times) Amen.
Padre Pio is one of those very rare people that it simply does not seem possible to praise highly enough. He has been described as the greatest mystic/saint of modern times and some commentators have described him as the single person who saved modern Italy from falling into Apostacy. Something of this can be seen still as you travel round that Catholic country as images of him can be seen everywhere. But for myself looking back on his life the biggest takeaway I find is his tremendous Prophetic Role. He was a truly Catholic priest, following a very simple Catholic spirituality. He believed in heaven, purgatory and hell. He believed in the reality of sin. He had a tremendous devotion to the Blessed Virgin and said the rosary constantly. He was as Catholic as Catholic could be and as everyone could see it actually worked. He showed it did. As a consequence of this he became intensely persecuted by Modernist Heretics at the very highest levels in the Church. The devil raised up a flock of his own children amongst those at the Highest levels in the Church to crush him. But the ordinary Catholic layfolk, recognising him as a saint and a miracle worker took him to their hearts. This is a great lesson for our own times when these same evil people have taken over the Vatican and most of the rest of the Church and rule it as their own. Padre Pio , Faithful Catholic saint and priest, pray for us. https://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/paprocki-shocked-by-durbins-chicago Paprocki ‘shocked’ by Durbin’s Chicago award “This decision risks causing grave scandal,” Bishop Thomas Paprocki said. The Pillar Sep 20, 2025 An Illinois bishop said Friday that he is “shocked” by plans in the Archdiocese of Chicago to honor Senator Dick Durbin, a longtime supporter of legal protection for abortion. Durbin, who is prohibited from receiving the Eucharist in his home Diocese of Springfield, will be feted in November with a lifetime achievement award by the Archdiocese of Chicago’s office of human dignity and solidarity.
“Confession is the soul's bath. Even a clean and unoccupied room gathers dust, return after a week and you will see that it needs dusting again.” - Saint Padre Pio.
A friend sent this healing prayer of St. Pio which was prayed over all at Marian Shrine. Sharing with you all as its first time I have seen ... Heavenly Father, I thank you for loving me. I thank you for sending your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, to the world to save and to set me free. I trust in your power and grace that sustain and restore me. Loving Father, touch me now with your healing hands, for I believe that your will is for me to be well in mind, body, soul and spirit. Cover me with the most precious blood of your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ from the top of my head to the soles of my feet. Cast out anything that should not be in me. Root out any unhealthy and abnormal cells. Open any blocked arteries or veins and rebuild and replenish any damaged areas. Remove all inflammation and cleanse any infection by the power of Jesus’ precious blood. Let the fire of your healing love pass through my entire body to heal and make new any diseased areas so that my body will function the way you created it to function. Touch also my mind and my emotion, even the deepest recesses of my heart. Saturate my entire being with your presence, love, joy and peace and draw me ever closer to you every moment of my life. And Father, fill me with your Holy Spirit and empower me to do your works so that my life will bring glory and honour to your holy name. I ask this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
FEAST OF THE DAY WEDNESDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER, 2025 OUR LADY OF RANSOM Our Lady of Ransom appeared to Saint Raimund, of the order of Saint Dominic, on this day in the year 1218, and also to King James I of Aragon, and likewise to Saint Peter Nolasco in three separate apparitions, making known to all three that she desired each of them to contribute to establishing an order for redeeming captives. That Order they established is known as the Royal, Celestial and Military Order of Our Lady of Mercy and the Redemption of the Captives, is also known as The Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy, the Order of Merced, the Order of Captives, or the Order of Our Lady of Ransom. At that time in history, during the 13th Century, the powerful Islamic Taifa kingdoms in Spain, as well as the Ottoman Empire at the opposite end of the Mediterranean Sea, operated a slave trade the scope of which has not been seen anytime else in history. The Spanish, particularly, were subject to raids in which they would be captured and imprisoned, sold into slavery and often forced to renounce their Catholic faith or face discrimination, torture and death. Long before the First Crusade, organizations like the knights of St. John Hospitaller and the Templars were formed to protect Christian pilgrims in the Holy Land, while the Hospitallers also ran hospices along the route to the Holy Land and even a hospital in Jerusalem. There were also charitable institutions, usually run by the nobility, that would ransom Christian captives from imprisonment. In the year 1203, a man named Peter Nolasco formed an organization that would ransom those who were not wealthy or prominent men, whom he called the “poor of Christ.” Saint Peter Nolasco was not a priest, but he worked diligently to rescue Christian captives, and other men soon joined him in this charitable work. Unfortunately, there were far more captives than he was able to help, so Peter turned to God and His Blessed Mother in prayer for help. It was then that the Blessed Mother, Our Lady of Ransom, appeared to him on August 1, 1218, turning his order into a religious organization with the assistance of Saint Raimund, and the protection of King James I of Aragon. Saint Peter Nolasco went to the court of King James I the following day, and as the king had also received a vision of the Blessed Virgin, he was extremely supportive of what Peter Nolasco intended to do. In fact, King James I considered himself a founder of the order, and gave his own illustrious coat of arms, with a cross above a shield with four red stripes on a gold background, to be worn on their breasts and scapulars. The cross is the Maltese Cross of the Knights of Saint John, the military order who had fought so magnificently against Islam for centuries. On August 10th, the Celestial and Military Order of Our Lady of Mercy and the Redemption of the Captives was officially constituted at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Barcelona. One of the vows of its members is that they will take the place of captives, and even die for any Christian who was in danger of losing his Catholic faith. In 1235 Pope Gregory IX formally recognized the Order inspired by Our Lady of Ransom, which at one point was renowned for having rescued 70,000 Christian souls. It is estimated that 2,700 were rescued during the lifetime of Saint Peter Nolasco, who died in the year 1258. PATRON: Barcelona, Spain; people named Clemency, Mercedes, Mercedez, Merced or Mercy. PRAYER: SUPPLICATION TO OUR LADY OF RANSOM: To obtain the Favour of her Patronage till Death. (Can be said for nine consecutive days as a novena.) "The more exalted she is, the greater her clemency and sweetness towards penitent sinners." -- St. Gregory. Sweet Mother! turn those gentle eyes Of pity down on me; Oh! hear thy suppliant's tearful cries, My humble prayer do not despise, Star of the pathless sea! In dark temptation's dreary hour, To thee, bright Queen, we flee; Oh! then exert a mother's power, When storms are rough and tempests lower; Star of the raging sea! Through all my joys and cares, sweet Maid, May I still look on thee, Who bore the Price our ransom paid, And ne'er the suppliant's cry hath stayed; Star of the azure sea! And when my last expiring sigh, My soul from earth shall free, Do thou, bright Queen of Saints, stand by, And bear it up to God on high, Star of the boundless sea! Say the 'Hail Mary three times' followed by the 'Hail Holy Queen'
Imagine being a poor Christian and being captured by Islam and kept as a slave. Imagine trying to keep your Faith. There must be so many saints we have never even heard of.
SAINT OF THE DAY THURSDAY, 25 SEPTEMBER, 2025 BLESSED HERMAN THE CRIPPLE BENEDICTINE MONK (18 February 1013 - 21 September 1054) Herman was born into royalty, the son of a duke of Altshausen. From birth, it was apparent that he would be horribly crippled and disfigured, earning him the less-than-pleasant name of “Hermannus Contractus” (or “Herman the Twisted”). Sources suggest he was born with a cleft palate, cerebral palsy and spina bifida. Without assistance, he could not move, and could barely speak, but within his body was a keen mind and iron will. At the age of seven, Herman's parents left him at the Benedictine monastery of Reichenau, where they arranged for him to be raised and educated. Situated on the shores of Lake Constance, it was expected that this location would be ideal for Herman's health, but also for his developing intellect. Abbot Berno, the monk who led the community, took Herman under his wing, educating him with kindness and compassion. Despite his obvious intellect, Herman struggled to read and write at first, his physical limitations difficult to overcome. Once he mastered the basics, the academic world opened to him, and he impressed all with the breadth and depth of his subsequent studies. Not only did he immerse himself in the sciences, but also in languages, music and theology. Herman became fluent in Latin, Greek, and Arabic. He wrote extensively on mathematical and astronomical topics, as well as volumes on the history of the world. He was professed a monk at the age of 30, and continued to write, producing works of great spiritual depth. Of note, his treatise “On the Eight Principal Vices,” which he wrote in a poetic style. More than his writings, however, Herman was known for his gentleness, joy, and sweet disposition. Never was he heard to complain, despite the fact that most activities were painful and difficult. Rather, he was recognized to have a smile for all, and became a beacon of hope and joy throughout the monastery. Students traveled great distances to study with him, learning not only their academic subjects but also strength of character, perseverance, and humility through his model. Blessed Herman's contributions to academics were great, as were his contributions to sacred tradition. He wrote many hymns which continue to be sung today, as well as portions of the Mass. His greatest contributions may be his hymns of devotion and love for Our Blessed Mother: Alma Redemptoris Mater and Salve Regina. The confidence and hope we place in Mary is eloquently and simply captured in his writings. Blessed Herman died at the young age of 40, having succumbed to the symptoms of his many afflictions. He was beatified in 1863. He was a man who took joy in his struggles, and looked at each difficult day as an opportunity to grow closer to the Lord. Every time we pray the Holy Rosary, we end in prayer with Blessed Herman. The Salve Regina (Hail Holy Queen) reminds us of our deep connection not only to Our Blessed Mother, but to all those who suffer alongside us in the world. ATTRIBUTION: He has traditionally been credited with the composition of "Salve Regina", "Veni Sancte Spiritus" and "Alma Redemptoris Mater" PRAYER: O God, who in your kindness called your servant blessed Herman to the following of Christ, grant, we pray, through his intercession, that, denying ourselves, we may hold fast to you with all our heart. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Herman was in fact a Cistercian. He sticks in my mind for two reasons. Thomas Merton ,who was himself a Cistercian, wrote about various Cistercian saints, including Herman and wrote so wonderfully well that I could not help remembering him. As far as I recall Blessed Herman was a hunchback and a musical genius. Best of all he wrote the Salve Regina a huge gift to his Order and Church.
