On the Immaculate Conception by Dom Prosper Gueranger

 

 Our Lady of Lourdes

from the Liturgical Year, by Dom Gueranger

My bow shall appear in the clouds and I will remember My covenant with you --Gen. 9: 14-15.

The lessons at Matins on February 11, 1854 (Thursday in Sexagesima week) recalled these words, and the world soon learned that on this very day Mary had appeared, more fair than the sign of hope which typified her at the time of the deluge.

Portents, the realization of which we see in these days, were being multiplied. Mankind had grown old, and seemed about to perish in a deluge more dreadful than the former one. "I am the Immaculate Conception," said the Mother of divine grace to the humble child whom she chose at such a time to bear her message to the captain of the Ark of salvation. She pierced the gathering darkness with the light of that sublime privilege which the supreme pilot, to his eternal glory, had declared three years before to be dogma.

Indeed, if, as the beloved disciple says, it is our faith to which victory on earth is promised (i John v. 4), and if faith is nourished by light--what individual dogma is there which so presupposes and recalls all other dogmatic truths, and at the same time throws such light upon them? It is a royal crown on the brow of the victorious queen, resplendent like the rainbow, which breaks through the clouds with all the glories of heaven.

But perchance it was still necessary to open the eyes of the blind to these splendours, to inspire courage into hearts saddened by hell's denials, and to infuse strength to make an act of faith into so many understandings weakened by the education of these days. The Immaculate Virgin summoned the multitudes to the scene of her blessed visit, and both sweetly and strongly succoured the weakness of souls by healing bodies. She smiled upon publicity, welcomed investigation, and confirmed by the authority of miracles her own words and the definition of the Vicar of Christ . . .

The things that take place at Lourdes are as famous as any events of contemporary history. Let us listen to the short account, which the Church has enshrined in the Liturgy:

In the fourth year after the definition of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, the blessed Virgin vouchsafed to appear on several occasions to a poor but pious and innocent child named Bernadette, in a rocky cavern overlooking the grotto of Massabielle on the banks of the Gave near the town of Lourdes in the diocese of Tarbes in France. She showed herself as a young and gracious figure, robed in white, with a white veil and blue girdle, and golden roses on her bare feet. At the first apparition on February 11, 1858, she taught the child to make the sign of the cross correctly and devoutly, and, taking a chaplet from her own arm, encouraged her by example to say her rosary. This was repeated at subsequent apparitions. On the second day, Bernadette, who feared an illusion of the devil, in all simplicity cast holy water at the apparition, who smiled more graciously than before. At the third apparition Bernadette was invited to repeat her visits to the grotto for fifteen days, during which the blessed Virgin conversed with her, exhorted her to pray for sinners, kiss the ground and do penance, and finally commanded her to tell the priests that a chapel was to be built in the place and processions held. She was also bidden drink and wash in the water, and a spring, until then invisible, gushed out of the ground. On the feast of the Annunciation, the child earnestly begged the Lady who had so often visited her, to reveal her name, and the blessed Virgin, joining her hands and raising her eyes to heaven, said: "I am the Immaculate Conception"

Rumours of favours received at the holy grotto spread rapidly, and the crowds of devout visitors increased daily, so that the Bishop of Tarbes, who had been impressed by the candour of Bernadette, found it advisable to hold a judicial enquiry into the facts. In the course of the fourth year he gave sentence, recognizing the supernatural character of the apparition, and permitting devotions to our Lady under the title of the Immaculate Conception to be held in the grotto. A chapel was soon built, and since then every year has witnessed innumerable pilgrimages from France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, and all parts of Europe and America. The name of Our Lady of Lourdes has become famous all over the world, and cures are obtained everywhere by use of the water. Lourdes has been enriched by a grateful world with splendidly decorated churches, where countless banners bear witness to the favours received and to the desire of peoples and cities to adorn the house of the blessed Virgin, who is honoured there as in her own palace. The days are filled with prayers, hymns and solemn ceremonies, and the nights are sanctified by the pious supplications of countless people who walk in procession carrying torches, and singing the praises of the blessed virgin Mary.

All men know how, in spite of the coldness of the world, these pilgrimages have revived faith, restored the observance of the Christian religion, and increased devotion to the Immaculate Virgin. The Faithful are led by their priests in this marvellous development of faith and devotion . . .

"O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!" Thou didst teach us this prayer in 1830 as a safeguard against the dangers of the future. In 1846 the two shepherds of La Salette reminded us of thy tears and exhortations: "Pray for poor sinners, pray for the world which is so disturbed." Today the little seer of the grotto of Massabielle brings us thy message: "Penitence! Penitence! Penitence!"

We desire to obey thee, O blessed Virgin, to combat in ourselves and all around us that enemy of mankind who is our only real enemy, and sin, that supreme evil which is the source of all others. Praise be to the Almighty, who saved thee from all stain of sin, and thus inaugurated in thee the full restoration of our fallen race. Praise be to thee, who, having no debts of thy own, didst pay our debts with the Blood of thy Son and the tears of His Mother, thus reconciling heaven and earth and crushing the head of the serpent.

Prayer, expiation--the Church from apostolic times has ever urged these thoughts upon us during the days which immediately precede Lent. Dear Mother in heaven, we bless thee for having thus united thy voice to that of our Mother on earth. The world no longer desired, no longer understood, the infallible but indispensable remedy offered by the justice and mercy of God to the misery of man. Men seemed to have forgotten the words: "Except you do penance, you shall all perish" (Lk. 13: 5). Thy pity wakes us from this fatal stupor, O Mary. Thou knowest our weakness, and hast mingled sweetness in the bitter draught. Thou lavishest temporal favours upon man in order that he may ask of thee eternal blessings. We will not be like those children who welcome their mother's caresses, but neglect her admonitions and the corrections, which her tenderness bought to make acceptable. We will pray and suffer in union with Jesus and thee. By thine assistance during this Lent we will be converted and do penance.

Indulgenced Prayer to Our Lady of Lourdes

Our Lady of Lourdes, conceived without sin: Pray for us who have recourse to thee.

St. Scholastica

St. Scholastica
(Feast Day: February 10th)
by Prosper Louis P. Gueranger

The sister of the Patriarch Saint Benedict comes to us today, sweetly inviting us to follow her to heaven. Apollonia the Martyr is succeeded by Scholastica the fervent daughter of the Cloister. Both of them are the Spouses of Jesus, both of them wear a crown, for both of them fought hard, and won the palm. Apollonia's battle was with cruel persecutors, and in those hard times when one had to die to conquer; Scholastica's combat was the life-long struggle, whose only truce is the soldier's dying breath. The Martyr and the Nun are sisters now in the Heart of Him they both so bravely loved.

God, in his infinite wisdom, gave to St. Benedict a faithful co-operatrix,--a sister of such angelic gentleness of character, that she would be a sort of counterpoise to the brother, whose vocation, as the legislator of monastic life, needed a certain dignity of grave and stern resolve. We continually meet with these contrasts in the lives of the saints; and they show us that there is a link, of which flesh and blood know nothing; a link which binds two souls together, gives them power, harmonises their differences of character, and renders each complete. Thus it is in heaven with the several hierarchies of the Angels; a mutual love, which is founded on God Himself, unites them together, and makes them live in the eternal happiness of the tenderest brotherly affection.

Scholastica's earthly pilgrimage was not a short one; and yet it has left us but the history of the Dove, which told the brother, by its flight to heaven, that his sister had reached the eternal home before him. We have to thank St. Gregory the Great for even this much, which he tells us as a sequel to the holy dispute she had with Benedict, three days previous to her death. But how admirable is the portrait thus drawn in St. Gregory's best style! We seem to understand the whole character of Scholastica:--an earnest simplicity, and a child-like eagerness, for what was worth her desiring it; an affectionate and unshaken confidence in God; a winning persuasiveness, where there was opposition to God's will, which, when it met such an opponent as Benedict, called on God to interpose, and gained its cause. The old poets tell us strange things about the swan, how sweetly it can sing when dying; how lovely must not have been the last notes of the Dove of the Benedictine Cloister, as she was soaring from earth to heaven!

But how came Scholastica, the humble retiring Nun, by that energy, which could make her resist the will of her brother, whom she revered as her master and guide? What was it told her that her prayer was not a rash one, and that what she asked for was a higher good than Benedict's unflinching fidelity to the Rule he had written, and which it was his duty to teach by his own keeping it? Let us hear St. Gregory's answer: "It is not to be wondered at, that the sister, who wished to prolong her brother's stay, should have prevailed over him; for, whereas St. John tells us, that God is Charity, it happened by a most just judgment, that she that had the stronger love, had the stronger power."

Our Season is appropriate for the beautiful lesson taught us by St. Scholastica,--fraternal charity. Her example should excite us to the love of our neighbor, that love which God bids us labour for, now that we are intent on giving Him our undivided service, and our complete conversion. The Easter Solemnity we are preparing for, is to unite us all in the grand Banquet, where we are all to feast on the one Divine Victim of Love. Let us have our nuptial garment ready; for He that invites us, insists on our having union of heart when we dwell in his House (Ps. lxvii. 7.)


The Church has inserted in her Office of this Feast the account given by St. Gregory of the last interview between St. Scholastica and St. Benedict. It is as follows:


From the 2nd book of the Dialogues of Saint Gregory, Pope.


Scholastica was the sister of the venerable father Benedict. She had been consecrated to Almighty God from her very infancy, and was accustomed to visit her brother once a year. The man of God came down to meet her at a house belonging to the monastery, not far from the gate. It was the day for the usual visit, and her venerable brother came down to her accompanied by some of his brethren. The whole day was spent in the praises of God and holy conversation; and at night-fall, they took their repast together. Whilst they were at table, and it grew late as they conferred with each other on sacred things, the holy Nun thus spoke to her brother: "I beseech thee, stay the night "with me, and let us talk till morning on the joys of heaven." He replied: "What is this thou sayest, sister? On no account may I remain out of the monastery. The evening was so fair, that not a cloud could be seen in the sky." When, therefore, the holy nun heard her brother's refusal, she clasped her hands together, and, resting them on the table, she hid her face in them, and made a prayer to the God of all power. As soon as she raised her head from the table, there came down so great a storm of thunder and lightning, and rain, that neither the venerable Benedict, nor the brethren who were with him, could set foot outside the place where they were sitting.

The holy virgin had shed a flood of tears as she leaned her head upon the table, and the cloudless sky poured down the wished-for rain. The prayer was said, the rain fell in torrents; there was no interval; but so closely on each other were prayer and rain, that the storm came as she raised her head. Then the man of God, seeing that it was impossible to reach his monastery amidst all this lightning, thunder, and rain, was sad, and said complainingly: "God forgive thee, sister! What hast thou done?" But she replied: "I asked thee a favour," and thou wouldst not hear me; I asked it of my God, and He granted it. Go, now, if thou canst, to the monastery, and leave me here!" But it was not in his power to stir from the place; so that, he who would not stay willingly, had to stay unwillingly, and spend the whole night with his sister, delighting each other with their questions and answers about the secrets of spiritual life.

On the morrow, the holy woman returned to her monastery, and the man of God to his. When lo! three days after, he was in his cell; and raising his eyes, he saw the soul of his sister going up to heaven, in the shape of a dove. Full of joy at her being thus glorified, he thanked his God in hymns of praise, and told the brethren of her death. He straightways bade them go and bring her body to the monastery; which having done, he had it buried in the tomb he had prepared for himself. Thus it was, that, as they had ever been one soul in God, their bodies were united in the same grave.

Litany for the Poor Souls in Purgatory

O Jesus, Thou suffered and died that all mankind might be saved and brought to eternal happiness. Hear our pleas for further mercy on the souls of:

My dear parents and grandparents, | My Jesus Mercy

My brothers and sisters and other near relatives, | My Jesus Mercy

My godparents and sponsors of Confirmation, | My Jesus Mercy

My spiritual and temporal benefactors, | My Jesus Mercy

My friends and neighbors, | My Jesus Mercy

All for whom love or duty bids me pray, | My Jesus Mercy

Those who have suffered disadvantage or harm through me, | My Jesus Mercy

Those who have offended me, | My Jesus Mercy

Those whose release is near at hand, | My Jesus Mercy

Those who desire most to be united to Thee, | My Jesus Mercy

Those who endure the greatest sufferings, | My Jesus Mercy

Those whose release is most remote, | My Jesus Mercy

Those who are least remembered | My Jesus Mercy

Those who are most deserving on account of their services to the Church, | My Jesus Mercy

The rich, who are now the most destitute, | My Jesus Mercy

The mighty, who are now powerless, | My Jesus Mercy

The once spiritually blind, who now see their folly | My Jesus Mercy

The frivolous, who spent their time in idleness, | My Jesus Mercy

The poor who did not seek the treasures of heaven, | My Jesus Mercy

The tepid who devoted little time to prayer, | My Jesus Mercy

The indolent who neglected to perform good works, | My Jesus Mercy

Those of little faith, who neglected the frequent reception of the Sacraments, | My Jesus Mercy

The habitual sinners, who owe their salvation to a miracle of grace, | My Jesus Mercy

Parents who failed to watch over their children, | My Jesus Mercy

Superiors who were not solicitous for the salvation of those entrusted to them, | My Jesus Mercy

Those who strove for worldly riches and pleasures, | My Jesus Mercy

The worldly minded, who failed to use their wealth and talent for the service of God, | My Jesus Mercy

Those who witnessed the death of others, but would not think of their own, | My Jesus Mercy

Those who did not provide for the life hereafter, | My Jesus Mercy

Those whose sentence is severe because of the great things entrusted to them, | My Jesus Mercy

The popes, kings, and rulers, | My Jesus Mercy

The bishops and their counselors, | My Jesus Mercy

My teachers and spiritual advisors, | My Jesus Mercy

The priests and religious of the Catholic Church, | My Jesus Mercy

The defenders of the Holy Faith, | My Jesus Mercy

Those who died on the battlefield, | My Jesus Mercy

Those who fought for their country, | My Jesus Mercy

Those who were buried in the sea, | My Jesus Mercy

Those who died of apoplexy, | My Jesus Mercy

Those who died of heart attacks, | My Jesus Mercy

Those who suffered and died of cancer, | My Jesus Mercy

Those who died suddenly in accidents, | My Jesus Mercy

Those who died without the last rites of the Church, | My Jesus Mercy

Those who shall die within the next twenty-four hours, | My Jesus Mercy

My own poor soul when I shall have to appear before Thy judgment seat, | My Jesus Mercy

PRAYER

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them: For evermore with Thy Saints, because Thou art gracious.

May the prayer of Thy suppliant people, we beseech Thee, O Lord, benefit the souls of Thy departed servants and handmaids: that Thou mayest both deliver them from all their sins, and make them to be partakers of Thy redemption. Amen.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine on them. Amen.

May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Saint John Bosco warns against idleness

In Don Bosco that principle of Christian life was fulfilled: “qui laborat orat”, he who works prays. 

                   

1) “Idleness is the door for temptation.”

 

2) “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.”

 

3) “Idleness is the father of all vices.”

 

"Avoid idleness and idle people; carry out your duties. Whenever you are idle you are in serious danger of falling into sin, because idleness teaches us all kinds of vice."

 

4) “Boys should be kept constantly occupied.”

 "Boys should be kept constantly occupied. After they are through with their school or shop duties we should entice them to join the choir, the band, or the Knights of the Altar. This will keep them busy. If we do not give them something to think about their minds will turn to unwholesome thoughts."

                        

                       

"As soon as you become aware of temptation, busy yourself with something. Idleness and modesty can’t go together. In overcoming idleness, you will overcome temptations against purity."

 

5) “Your greatest enemy is idleness: fight it without let up.”

"Avoid idleness and be most diligent in your scholastic and religious duties."

 

"[Referring to the time before the original sin] ...For to instruct us about the need to flee idleness, God commanded Adam to work, but this only for pleasure and without painful fatigue."

"[Francis Besucco saw a placard in Don Bosco’s room which read, ‘Every Moment is a treasure.’ He wondered at its meaning and asked Don Bosco, “How can you earn a treasure every moment?” Don Bosco responded]

It’s easier than you think. Every moment we can increase our knowledge, do a good deed, or make an act of love of God. In His sight, these are treasures to benefit us now and in eternity."

"Work is the fundamental trait of the Salesian: The Salesian is a worker. Don Cagliero used to say: "He who does not work is not Salesian." 

           

"If young people are educated properly, we have moral order; if not, vice and disorder prevail. Religion alone can initiate and achieve a true education."

"Rest never means idleness." 

"I would like to stress good health, good moral conduct and serious studies. Health is a precious gift; take good care of it. You are in school to acquire skills in order to earn a living. Regardless of your circumstances, profession and future position, you have to be able to support yourselves honestly. Never let it be said that you live by the sweat of others."

Words of Wisdom from St. Francis De Sales

 

 All of us can attain to Christian virtue and holiness, no matter in what condition of life we live and no matter what our life work may be. 

Take care of your health, that it may serve you to serve God.

Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections but instantly set about remedying them -- every day begin the task anew. 

He who can preserve gentleness amid pains, and peace amid worry multitude of affairs, is almost perfect.

We do not very often come across opportunities for exercising strength, magnanimity, or magnificence; but gentleness, temperance, modesty, and humility, are graces which ought to colour everything we do. There may be virtues of a more exalted mould, but... these are the most continually called for in daily life.

The highest degree of meekness consists in seeing, serving, honoring, and treating amiably, on occasion, those who are not to our taste, and who show themselves unfriendly, ungrateful, and troublesome to us. 

 

Frequent not the company of immodest persons, especially if they be also impudent, as is generally the case; ...these corrupted souls and infected hearts scarcely speak to any, either of the same or a different sex, without causing them to fall in some degree from purity; they have poison in their eyes and in their breath, like basilisks. On the contrary, keep company with the chaste and virtuous; often meditate upon and read holy things; for the word of God is chaste, and makes those also chaste that delight in it. 

 

Truly it is a blessed thing to love on earth as we hope to love in Heaven, and to begin that friendship here which is to endure for ever there. 

"If in mental prayer we should do nothing else than continually banish distractions and temptations, the meditation is well made." 

Pride dies 20 minutes after death. 

Trouble that is easily recognized is half-cured. 

We can never attain to perfection while we have an affection for any imperfection.  

Chastity is the lily of virtues, and makes men almost equal to Angels. Everything is beautiful in accordance with its purity. Now the purity of man is chastity, which is called honesty, and the observance of it, honor and also integrity; and its contrary is called corruption; in short, it has this peculiar excellence above the other virtues, that it preserves both soul and body fair and unspotted. 

It is better to remain silent than to speak the truth ill-humoredly, and spoil an excellent dish by covering it with bad sauce.  

We may be excused for not always being bright, but we are not excused for not being gracious, yielding and considerate.  

Nothing is more like a wise man than a fool who holds his tongue.  

The truly patient man neither complains of his hard lot nor desires to be pitied by others. He speaks of his sufferings in a natural, true, and sincere way, without murmuring, complaining, or exaggerating them. 

And to say that the Church has failed--what else is it but to say that all our predecessors are damned. Yes, truly; for outside the Church there is no salvation, out of this Ark every one is lost."

 "As to decrees on doctrines of faith they are invariable; what is once true is so unto eternity..."

"The Councils... decide and define some article. If after all this another test has to be tried before their [the Council's] determination is received, will not another also be wanted? Who will not want to apply his test, and whenever will the matter be settled?... And why not a third to know if the second is faithful?--and then a fourth, to test the third? Everything must be done over again, and posterity will never trust antiquity but will go ever turning upside down the holiest articles of faith in the wheel of their understandings...what we say is that when a Council has applied this test, our brains have not now to revise but to believe."

"Thus we do not say that the Pope cannot err in his private opinions, as did John XXII; or be altogether a heretic, as perhaps Honorius was. Now when he [the Pope] is explicitly a heretic, he falls ipso facto from his dignity and out of the Church..." 

The declared enemies of God and His Church, heretics and schismatics, must be criticized as much as possible, as long as truth is not denied. It is a work of charity to shout: 'Here is the wolf!' when it enters the flock or anywhere else. 

"I will always repeat," says St. Francis de Sales, "that whoever preaches with love preaches sufficiently against heresy, although he may not utter a single word of controversy. During the thirty-three years that I have been in the ministry, I have always remarked that the practical sermons of a priest whose heart is filled with piety and zeal, are like so many burning coals heaped upon the heads of the enemies of our holy faith. Such sermons always edify and conciliate non-Catholics."

Introduction to the Devout Life (St. Francis of Sales) – pdf; or pdf here; or audiobook here, here or here

The Treatise on the Love of God (St. Francis de Sales) – pdf, kindle; or pdf here and here; or audiobook here

The Secret of Sanctity (St. Francis de Sales, Fr. J. Crasset) – pdf, text, epub, kindle format

The Interior Life (Fr. J. Tissot, St. Francis de Sales) – pdf, text, kindle format

Maxims and Counsels of St. Francis de Sales – pdf, text, epub, kindle format

"Work is the fundamental trait of the Salesian: The Salesian is a worker. Don Cagliero used to say: "He who does not work is not Salesian." 

Novena Prayer to Our Lady of Good Success

 Say once a day for nine days, especially starting on 24 January and ending on 1 February, the eve of the Feast of the Purification, or Candlemas

Hail Mary Most Holy, Beloved Daughter of God the Father Through the intercession of Mother Mariana de Jesus Torres, grant thy good success to this request. (mention your intentions here) 

Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be

Saint Michael, pray for us. 

Hail Mary Most Holy, Admirable Mother of God the Son Through the intercession of Mother Mariana de Jesus Torres, grant thy good success to this request. (mention your intentions here) 

Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be 

Saint Gabriel, pray for us. 

Hail Mary Most Holy, Most Faithful Spouse of the Holy Ghost Through the intercession of Mother Mariana de Jesus Torres, grant thy good success to this request. (mention your intentions here) 

Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be 

Saint Raphael, pray for us. 

Hail Mary Most Holy, Temple and Sacrarium of the Most Holy Trinity. St. Michael, St. Gabriel, St. Raphael, pray for us. 

Our Lady of Good Success, thou who art the all-powerful intercessor before the Most Holy Trinity, deign to hear and answer my request - so long as it contributes to the salvation of my soul and the glory and exaltation of Holy Mother Church. 

Hail holy Queen, mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us. And after this our exile show unto us the blessed Fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. Amen.

Mother Mariana Francisca de Jesus Torres

Prayer to Saint John Bosco

 

O glorious Saint John Bosco, who, in order to lead young people to the feet of the divine Master and to form them in the light of faith and Christian morality, didst heroically sacrifice thyself to the very end of thy life and didst found a fitting religious Institute destined to endure and to bring to the farthest boundaries of the earth thy glorious work, obtain also for us from our Lord a holy love for young people, who are exposed to so many seductions, in order that we may generously spend ourselves in supporting them against the snares of the devil, in keeping them safe from the dangers of the world, and in guiding them, pure and holy, in the path that leads to God. Amen

(Indulgence of 300 days)