https://x.com/itinerantfriar/status/1953786335388406087 SUTRA JE TRNOVA PETKA, OVO JE STROGO ZABRANJENO! Svetiteljka NIKOME NE OPRAŠTA, prati?e vas BOLEST i NESRE?A AKO... Trnova Petka, Foto: SPC OBI?AJ JE STROG I NE VALJA... SUTRA JE TRNOVA PETKA, OVO JE STROGO ZABRANJENO! Svetiteljka NIKOME NE OPRAŠTA, prati?e vas BOLEST i NESRE?A AKO... Trnova Petka je zaštitnica žena, a svetiteljka je koja je pomagla bolesnima i siromašnima Objavljeno: 07.08.2025. 11:43h Sutra Srpska pravoslavna crkva 8. avgusta slavi dan Prepodobne mu?enice Paraskeve Rimske, odnosno Trnove Petke. Trnova Petka je zaštitnica žena, a svetiteljka je koja je pomagla bolesnima i siromašnima. Mnoge blagodeti je ?inila pa se pred njenim moštima vernici i dalje mole za pomo? i spas od bolesti kao i drugih životnih nevolja. MOGLO BI VAS ZANIMATI "Darko se sve vreme herojski držao" Dea ?ur?evi? otkrila šta se desilo u studiju nakon što je pozlilo ministru Gliši?u JEZIVE SCENE! Maloletniku polomili lobanju zbog Partizana! Policija traga za 15 navija?a Zvezde? Kao ni Ognjena Marija i Blaga Marija, ni praznik Trnove Petke nije crveno slovo, ali se jako poštuje u našem narodu. Ovim praznikom prepodobne mu?enice Paraskeve se završava mali letnji "ciklus ženskih praznika". Žena pali sve?u Žena pali sve?ufoto: Tamara Trajkovi? Ko je Sveta Petka Rimska? Rodom je iz Riuma, iz hriš?anske porodice i živela je u drugom veku. Posle smrti roditelja je razdelila imanje i zamonašila se. Propovedala je zabranjenu Hristovu veru i zato je bila optužena caru Antoninu Piju. Ljudi, deca i sveštenik u crkvi Ljudi, deca i sveštenik u crkvifoto: MAHMUD HAMS / AFP / Profimedia Iscelivši i samog cara, koji se krstio, nastavila je da misionari u drugim krajevima. Zbog toga je zatvarana, mu?ena i na kraju je pose?ena ma?em, po nare?enju kneza Tarasija oko 140. godine. Njene mošti, kasnije su prenete u Carigrad. Svetu Petku Trnovu mnogi mešaju sa Svetom Petkom koja je bila Grkinja i koja se slavi 27. oktobra. Postoji više svetiteljki pod ovim imenom koje svi slavimo. Mladi? celiva ikonu Mladi? celiva ikonufoto: Tamara Trajkovi? Na sutrašnji dan, žene ne bi trebalo da mese, da kuvaju ili rade bilo koji drugi praznik kako ne bi navukle gnev svetiteljke. Prema narodnom verovanju, taj dan se ne radi ništa da tokom godine ruke ne bi trnule. Devojke na dan Trnove Petke treba da beru cve?e i njime okite ku?u kako bi domom vladali sloga i mir. Devoj?ice bi trebalo da obla?e haljine kako bi ih u narednoj godini pratila sre?a. NE PROPUSTITE 'MAJKA JE OBUKLA SINU SUKNJU I VEZALA MARAMU DA MISLE DA JE ŽENSKO': A kad bi pao mrak, ustaše bi odmah... NA DANAŠNJI VELIKI PRAZNIK ŽENE NE SMEJU DA PREKRŠE OBI?AJ! Jako je STROG, NIKOME SE NE PRAŠTA AKO... Ovu molitvu vernici obavezno izgovaraju tokom Gospojinskog posta: Veruje se da donosi zdravlje - zapamtite je dobro Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Saint Tolkien, ora pro nobis! Tolkien Quote of the Day 8/8/2025 Kaleb Hammond Aug 8 READ IN APP Perhaps I may say also now (as I have meant to do for some time) that though I only briefly thanked Austin [one of the correspondents] for his booklet on the Rosary (I hope I did!), I have now had it by me for a long time, and have derived profit and encouragement from it. I was late in finding the Rosary, and it has been in addition a great delight to know that others whose virtue and learning is far above mine are companions. I began to use it only after hearing Knox [Mgr. Ronald Knox, Tolkien’s chaplain at Oxford] (on a private occasion) say: ‘Personally I do not like the Rosary, but I have a suspicion that Our Lady does.’ Very Knox. But obedience to one’s Mother is only a beginning! It can be greatly rewarded. J.R.R. Tolkien (letter 242a)Inspiring Stories Catholic newlyweds choose meal for poor children over a wedding banquet casamento “We decided to feed those who really need it.” Everything was beautiful. The details came out just the way the bride and groom had dreamed they would. Ana Paula Meriguete and Victor Ribeiro got married in the Catholic Church and received the congratulations of their guests at a brief reception afterwards. But the real celebration was yet to come, and it was not a traditional one: Instead of a typical wedding banquet, the young couple decided to offer a meal for poor children and their families in the coastal city of Guarapari, in the Brazilian state of Espírito Santo. There were 160 guests at the party. “We decided to feed those who really need it, because our family members have what they need,” said the groom, for whom the idea of a traditional wedding banquet didn’t make any sense in the face of so many needs. “There’s nothing wrong with having a wedding banquet; it’s a worthy celebration, but we just couldn’t do it,” said the physical education teacher to the Brazilian newspaper Estadão. The newlyweds, who sing in the choir at their parish, said that the idea of offering the meal was inspired by a popular Brazilian hymn, “My kingdom has much to say,” which is often sung during communion at Mass. The lyrics of the second verse say: “If you want to hold my dinner, don’t invite friends, brothers, and others. Go out to the streets in search of those Who cannot pay you back, And your actions will be remembered by God.” These words, of course, are taken straight from the Gospel (Luke 14:12-14). The bride and groom wanted to finance the celebration on their own. However, their friends and family wanted to help out too. That was just the beginning; monetary donations and offers to work as volunteers started to pour in. The network of solidarity grew, and the meal even ended up being offered for free by a professional catering company. On the couple’s Instagram account @rezacomigo, Victor wrote in a post, “This photo sums up a bit of our essence, our partnership, our love, and who we really are! Weak, sinners, in need of God, but aware of Divine Mercy. We’ve always been very good friends, and we take care of each other, especially regarding the spiritual life of each one of us, and today more than ever we need to be partners, faithful friends, who walk together along the path of holiness, on the way to heaven! One thing is clear: never give up on your dreams, but also, never forget to entrust them to God through the hands of the Virgin Mary. A mother never leaves her children unprotected!” BRIDE,DONATES,WEDDING Read more: This would-be bride donated her venue to a deserving couple OLD, MAN, WRINTING Read more: Married for nearly 62 years, this couple still writes to each other every day when they’re apart Friday, August 8 Saint Dominic Prayer for the Morning Let us praise the Lord for the zeal of his faithful servants! Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia! HymnMeter: 87 87 87 This hymn can be sung to the tune used for Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven Dominic, the Lord’s own champion, Charged to spread the Gospel flame, Sent to men the Word to publish And his mysteries to proclaim; With the grace of God within you, Like a hero lord you came. Stainless as a burnished chalice, Shining as a fiery brand, Dominic, you came to help us And to do your Lord’s command, With the grace of God within you And the Gospel in your hand. Psalm 11941-48 Behold, my servant whom I have chosen,/ my beloved in whom I delight;/ I shall place my spirit upon him,/ and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. (Mt 12:18) Saint Dominic took delight in God’s Word of truth and preached it with zeal in the face of heresy and division. His Order of Preachers has continued his work of proclamation, nourished by prayer and study from his day to our own. Lord, let your love come upon me, the saving help of your promise. And I shall answer those who taunt me for I trust in your word. Do not take the word of truth from my mouth for I trust in your decrees. I shall always keep your law for ever and ever. I shall walk in the path of freedom for I seek your precepts. I will speak of your will before kings and not be abashed. Your commands have been my delight; these I have loved. I will worship your commands and love them and ponder your will. Glory to the Father…. Word of GodMalachi 2:6-7 True doctrine was in his mouth,/ and no dishonesty was found upon his lips;/ He walked with me in integrity and in uprightness,/ and turned many away from evil./ For the lips of the priest are to keep knowledge,/ and ­instruction is to be sought from his mouth,/ because he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! (Lk 12:49) Canticle of Zechariah He commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. (Acts 10:42) Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people and set them free. He has raised up for us a mighty savior, born of the house of his servant David. Through his holy prophets he promised of old that he would save us from our enemies, from the hands of all who hate us. He promised to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant. This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to set us free from the hands of our enemies, free to worship him without fear, holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life. You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, to give his people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins. In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace. Glory to the Father… Intercessions Through the intercession of Saint Dominic we pray: R/Let your love come upon your people, O Lord. You have called eloquent preachers to proclaim the truth of our salvation: – animate them with zeal for your Word. R/ You have instructed your people by your Word: – open our hearts to receive the seed of the Gospel in faith. R/ You have called men and women to follow in the footsteps of Saint Dominic: – grant them wisdom and fidelity to your gift in service to the Church. R/ Personal intentions Our Father…. O Lord our God, you sent Saint Dominic to preach the Good News in truth and in love. Send eloquent preachers into your world today to continue the work of evangelization with his fidelity and zeal, through Christ our Lord. Amen.Friday, August 8 Saint Dominic Founder of the Order of Preachers (1170-1221) Priest Rennet Stowe | CC BY 2.0 His life: + Dominic de Guzmán was born in Calaruega, Spain. After studying theology and the arts, he became an Augustinian Canon. + Dominic successfully worked to combat heresy in France and became a successful preacher. + In order to provide for the education of children, he founded a community of nuns in Prouille, which later became the motherhouse of all communities of contemplative Dominican nuns. + In 1214, Dominic gathered together men who could assist him in his mission of preaching. The rule for this new community—the Order of Preachers—was approved in 1216. + Dominic died in Bologna, Italy, in 1221, and at his canonization in 1234, Pope Gregory IX called him a “man of the Gospel in the footsteps of the Redeemer.” + Saint Dominic is honored as the patron of the Dominican Republic and of astronomers. Today, the Dominican Family consists of the First Order of priests and brothers, the Second Order of contemplative nuns, and the Third Order, including both Dominican Sisters of numerous congregations around the world and lay women and men who have dedicated themselves to Saint Dominic’s spirituality and legacy. For prayer and reflection: This is the steward, faithful and prudent, whom the Lord set over his household to give them their allowance of food at the proper time.—Communion Antiphon for the Memorial of St. Dominic Spiritual bonus: On this day, the Church also celebrates Saint Mary MacKillop. In 1866, she established the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart, committing herself and her sisters to educating poor children in remote areas of Australia and beyond. Saint Mary died in 1909 and was canonized in 2010, becoming the first native-born Australian saint. Prayer May Saint Dominic come to the help of your Church by his merits and teaching, O Lord, and may he, who was an outstanding preacher of your truth, be a devoted intercessor on our behalf. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen. (from The Roman Missal) Saint profiles prepared by Father Silas Henderson, S.D.S.Credible Witnesses “What the world is in particular need of today is the credible witness of people…capable of opening the hearts and minds of many to the desire for God and for true life.”—Porta Fidei 15 Venerable Giorgio La Pira Heather King Venerable Giorgio La Pira (1904–1977), a Third Order Dominican, worked tirelessly on behalf of the poor and underprivileged as the mayor of Florence. The oldest of six children, he was born in the Sicilian town of Pozzallo to a packing-house worker and his wife. He received a solid education, including a grounding in Latin and Greek, and at the age of twenty experienced a profound vocational call. He became a professed member of the Third Order of Saint Dominic and took the name Fra Raimondo the following year. He completed his Roman law degree at the University of Florence in 1926 and became a professor of law there seven years later. He also organized a forum for dialogue about the problems of the world and for the promotion of simple, faith-based solutions. Principi (“Principles”), an anti-Fascist journal he founded in 1939, was suppressed by the government and shut down in 1940. La Pira went into hiding and for a time fled to Rome. Intent on helping to rebuild Italy in the wake of World War II, he was elected a Christian Democrat member of the Constituent Assembly. In 1946 he contributed to the ­drafting of the Constitution of the Republic, safeguarding various rights both civil and religious. He served two non-consecutive terms as mayor of Florence: 1951 to 1957 and 1960 to 1965. Fervently committed to the furtherance of social justice, world peace, urban renewal, and especially education, he came to be known affectionately as “the ­father of the family.” For his own part, he called himself “a free apostle of the Lord.” His politics, devoted servanthood, and love for his adopted city were firmly grounded in his Catholic faith. Government should be “the architect of the common good,” he asserted, invoking Saint Thomas Aquinas. The Gospels, he insisted, speak clearly: “Where there is a trampled poor, where there is a beaten weak person, where there is an oppressed, offended, or one who suffers, there is Jesus; and where there is Jesus there we are! Standing by!” A daily Mass-goer and lifelong bachelor, for many years he lived in a spare, unheated cell in Florence’s Basilica of San Marco complex, and reputedly gave much of his salary, clothing, and food to the poor. With the Florentine treasury, however, he was lavish, commissioning scores of public works that included the rebuilding of landmark bridges as well as low-cost housing, schools, and theaters, water works, and public transportation. His extravagance made him the butt of frequent criticism, even within his own party. In his later years, he traveled as an ambassador of peace to Vietnam, Russia, and China, among other places. “My vocation is only one,” he declared: “structural, irremissible, not modifiable: to be a witness of Christ, it doesn’t matter how poor or unfaithful I am! I can be put in prison for this: I will never betray the poor, the defenseless, the oppressed. I will never add to the contempt of the powerful, the forgetfulness or the disregard of the Christians.” La Pira’s beatification process was initiated in 1986 and he was declared Venerable by Pope Francis in 2018. Heather King (heather-king.com) is an award-winning author with several books. She speaks nationwide, leads writing workshops, and writes a weekly column on arts and culture for Angelus News, the archdiocesan newspaper of Los Angeles. Vilken vinst skulle det bli? 7 augusti 2025 Minnesmärket över Sankt Dominikus, präst Phillip Hadden Augusti 8 LÄS I APPEN Banken Jay Cooke & Company överinvesterade i Northern Pacific Railroad Company, som inte betalade sina lån 1873, vilket fick banken att kollapsa, vilket samtidigt skickade USA in i vad som vid den tiden skulle bli känt som den stora depressionen före 1930-talet – även känd som paniken 1873. På ett uppdrag i vad som nu är South Dakota upptäcker George A. Custers expedition guld i Black Hills 1874. År 1868 gick USA:s regering med på ett avtal med siouxerna för att skapa en gräns känd som Great Sioux Reservation som inkluderade Black Hills som skulle skyddas som siouxland, i enlighet med Fort Laramie-fördraget. President Ulysses S. Grant, som stod inför den nya ekonomiska depressionen, skickade tillsammans med USA:s regering Custers 7:e kavalleri till Black Hills under sken av att skydda guldgrävare som illegalt tog sig in på Sioux Nationens överenskomna mark. Det är viktigt att notera att i konstitutionell rätt blir varje fördrag som USA kommer överens om landets lag. Uppgradera till betald Det illegala inträdet i Sioux Nation skulle leda till slaget vid Little Bighorn, där Custer angrep ett stort läger för siouxer vid Little Bighorn River, ett läger fyllt med siouxkvinnor och barn. Guds tjänare Nicholas Black Elk var närvarande vid Little Bighorn River som barn. År 1877 annekterade USA:s regering illegalt Black Hills med ett avtal om att endast 10 procent av lakotamännen skulle vara giltiga. Det faktum att 10 procent av männen är viktigt eftersom Fort Laramie-fördraget från 1868 stipulerade att 3/4 av lakotamännen måste gå med på alla marköverföringar. År 1980 dömde USA:s högsta domstol till förmån för Lakota att Black Hills olagligt hade tagits ifrån dem och tilldelade dem 17 miljoner dollar med ränta, för totalt 102 miljoner dollar som för närvarande fortfarande finns i den amerikanska statskassan.¹ Vad hände med Lakota mellan 1877 och 1980? Över trehundra massakrerades vid Wounded Knee Creek. USA:s politik separerade barn från föräldrar för att "döda indianen, men rädda mannen". Under andra världskriget kom regeringen tillbaka till reservaten och sa till lakotafolket i vissa områden att lämna sina hem för att öva på bombräder. Allt för vad? Guld? Användningen av mer mark? Vad var priset? Priset var värdighet och liv. 1890 Efterdyningarna av sårat knä, allmän egendom I vårt evangelium för idag säger Jesus: "Den som vill följa mig måste förneka sig själv, ta på sig sitt kors och följa mig. Ty den som vill rädda sitt liv, han skall mista det, men den som mister sitt liv för min skull skall finna det. Vad skulle det tjäna på att vinna hela världen och förlora sitt liv? Eller vad kan man ge i utbyte mot sitt liv? Ty Människosonen skall komma med sina änglar i sin Faders härlighet, och sedan skall han löna var och en efter hans uppförande. Amen, jag säger er: Det finns några som står här och som inte kommer att smaka döden förrän de ser Människosonen komma i sitt rike." Budskapet är tidlöst – Vilken vinst skulle det bli? Jag har lyssnat på Little Wound School Lakota Oral History Project med titeln "Heart of All". Den förvridna ironi som jag konfronteras med är slående när talare påpekar att de människor som förde med sig evangeliets tidlösa budskap, enligt deras uppfattning, försökte dra nytta av varje hörn och vrår. I Meriam-rapporten från 1928, som rapporterades av Heart of All Oral History Project, heter det: "Hur många missionärer, när de predikar den vite mannens religion för indianerna, måste inte skämmas vid tanken på vad den vita rasen har gjort mot indianerna."² Jag ska erkänna att när jag läser Black Elk Speaks och historiker som Oster, Steltenkamp och Costello om Lakota, får den muntliga historien en del fakta fel; Men det kulturella minnet är autentiskt verkligt – varför skulle Lakota-folket tro på eller lita på dem som predikar evangeliet? Svart Älg Med Dottern Lucy Tittar Två Gånger, Public Domain Jag planerar att skriva mer om ämnet Black Elk och Lakota katolicism, men jag tror att det är avgörande att ge detta perspektiv trovärdighet. Det är inte lätt eftersom jag försöker vara trogen min katolska tro. Utmaningen är att plocka upp mitt kors, lära mig ödmjukhetens dygd och förhoppningsvis förmedla historien om en lakota-man som med sin fria vilja konverterade till den katolska tron, trodde på den och en dag hoppas bli ett helgon i den katolska kyrkan. 1 Jeffrey Ostler, Lakota och Black Hills: Kampen om helig mark (New York: Penguin, 2010), xvi. 2 Mark Hetzel, "Darkest Night : Pine Ridge to Bombing Range", HEART OF ALL Oral History Project, 4 december 2022, https://www.heartofallohp.com/ episodes/buffalo-nation-before-contact-64phz-4wd86. Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Prayer for Sunday with 3 Ave Maria's Maria Angela Grow Aug 8 READ IN APP Prayer for Sunday with 3 Ave Maria's . Mother of my God, look down upon a poor sinner, who has recourse to thee, and puts his trust in thee. I am not worthy that thou shouldst even cast thine eyes upon me; but I know that thou, beholding Jesus thy Son dying for sinners, dost thyself yearn exceedingly to save them. O Mother of Mercy, look on my miseries and have pity upon me. I hear it said by all that thou art the refuge of the sinner, the hope of the desperate, the aid of the lost; be thou, then, my refuge, hope, and aid. It is thy prayers which must save me. For the love of Jesus Christ be thou my help; reach forth thy hand to the poor fallen sinner who recommends himself to thee. I know that it is thy consolation to aid the sinner when thou canst do so; help me then, thou who canst help. By my sins I have forfeited the grace of God and my own soul. I place myself in thy hands; O, tell me what to do that I may regain the grace of God, and I will do it. My Saviour bids me go to thee for help; He wills that I should look to thy pity; that so, not only the merits of thy Son, but thine own prayers also, may unite to save me. To thee, then, I have recourse: pray thou to Jesus for me; and make me experience how great good thou canst do for one who trusts in thee. Be it done unto me according to my hope. Amen. . Then say three Ave Maria's to the Blessed Virgin Mary in reparation for the blasphemies uttered against her. Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Novena to St. Clare of Assisi Day 9 Aug 11 Maria Angela Grow Aug 8 READ IN APP Novena to St. Clare of Assisi Day 9 Aug 11 . O most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we praise Thy Holy Name and the wonders of grace Thou hast worked in Thy servant, Saint Clare. Through her powerful intercession grant us the favours we beg in this novena, above all the grace to live and die as she did in Thy most Holy Love. Amen. . Gracious Saint Clare, who fulfilled your womanhood by a life of love in prayer and penance, help us to fulfill our destiny that we may one day greet you in Heaven. You who were consoled at your death by a vision of Christ band His Mother, obtain for us the grace that we may die under the special protection of God and enter into the life and bliss you now enjoy. Have pity on us who struggle, on us who mourn, and win for us the favours of God so that after this life we may come home to Him who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. . V. Pray for us, Saint Clare. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. . Let us Pray. . We Pray Thee, Lord, Grant us Thy servants who celebrate the festival of blessed Clare Thy Virgin, by her intercession, to be partakers of the joys of heaven and coheirs with Thine only-begotten Son, Who being God, livest and reignest forever and ever. Amen. Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Novena to St. Clare of Assisi Day 8 Aug 10 Maria Angela Grow Aug 8 READ IN APP Novena to St. Clare of Assisi Day 8 Aug 10 . O most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, we praise Thy Holy Name and the wonders of grace Thou hast worked in Thy servant, Saint Clare. Through her powerful intercession grant us the favours we beg in this novena, above all the grace to live and die as she did in Thy most Holy Love. Amen. . Valiant Saint Clare, who fearlessly stood alone against the barbarous Saracens, trusting in the Blessed Sacrament as thy only protection, enkindle in us a tender love for Jesus Christ; help us to live Eucharistic lives. Thou who didst save thy city of Assisi from plunder and ruin, protect our city and archdiocese, plead for our beloved country and the suffering world. A voice from the Sacred Host rewarded thy trust with a promise: "I will always take care of thee." Glorious Saint Clare, from thy high place in Heaven, take care of us now in our earthly needs and guide us by thy light to Heaven. Amen. . V. Pray for us, Saint Clare. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. . Let us Pray. . We Pray Thee, Lord, Grant us Thy servants who celebrate the festival of blessed Clare Thy Virgin, by her intercession, to be partakers of the joys of heaven and coheirs with Thine only-begotten Son, Who being God, livest and reignest forever and ever. Amen. Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more August 7 Saint Donatus, Bishop of Arezzo in Tuscany (Donato) Maria Angela Grow Aug 8 READ IN APP August 7 Saint Donatus, Bishop of Arezzo in Tuscany (Donato) died 362 Patronage: Arezzo, Italy Arezzo, Italy, diocese of Arezzo-Cortona-Sansepolcro, Italy, diocese of Cavriglia, Italy Osio Sotto, Italy . Educated in Rome, Italy. During the persecutions of Diocletian, he fled from Rome to Arezzo, Italy. There his obvious sanctity and education led to his election as the second bishop of Arezzo in 346. Being illustrious for sanctity and miracles, as Saint Gregory the Great assures us, he was apprehended by Quadratianus, the Augustalis, or imperial prefect of Tuscany, in the reign of Julian the Apostate. Refusing to adore the idols, he suffered many torments with invincible constancy, and at length finished his martyrdom by the sword in 361. His relics are enshrined in the cathedral of Arezzo. . Eternal Father, I wish to honor St. Donatus of Arezzo, and I give Thee thanks for all the graces Thou hast bestowed upon him. I ask Thee to please increase grace in my soul through the merits of this saint, and I commit the end of my life to him by this special prayer, so that by virtue of Thy goodness and promise, St. Donatus of Arezzo might be my advocate and provide whatever is needed at that hour. Amen. By Michele In A Divine Mercy message from St. Faustina every other day His Passion Diary 872 During the Holy Hour, the Lord allowed me to taste His Passion. I shared in the bitterness of the suffering tht filled His soul to overflowing. Jesus gave me to understand how a soul should be faithful to prayer despite torments, dryness, and temptations. O Blood and Water O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of Mercy for us, I trust in You” (Diary 187). Prayed Invite your friends to discover this publication BUKOLA entrusts you with the following prayer intention. Would you like to pray for his intention? Good job, financial breakthrough and quick release of my pin, repose souls of patience and Alice and for the intentions of all the Hozana members. I pray for this intention Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more August 7 Saint Cajetan of Thienna, Confessor: From The Liturgical Year by Dom Prosper Louis Paschal Guéranger, O.S.B., 1901 Maria Angela Grow Aug 8 READ IN APP August 7 Saint Cajetan of Thienna, Confessor: From The Liturgical Year by Dom Prosper Louis Paschal Guéranger, O.S.B., 1901 . Cajetan appeared in all his zeal for the sanctuary at the time when the false reform was spreading rebellion throughout the world. The great cause of the danger had been the incapacity of the guardians of the holy City, or their connivance by complicity of heart or of mind with pagan doctrines and manners introduced by an ill-advised revival. Wasted by the wild boar of the forest, could the vineyard of the Lord recover the fertility of its better days? Cajetan learned from Eternal Wisdom the new method of culture required by an exhausted soil. . The urgent need of those unfortunate times was that the clergy should be raised up again by worthy life, zeal, and knowledge. For this object men were required, who being clerks themselves in the full acceptation of the word, with all the obligations it involves, should be to the members of the holy hierarchy a permanent model of its primitive perfection, a supplement to their shortcomings, and a leaven, little by little raising the whole mass. But where, save in the life of the counsels with the stability of its three vows, could be found the impulse, the power, and the permanence necessary for such an enterprise? The inexhaustible fecundity of the religious life was no more wanting in the Church in those days of decadence than in the periods of her glory. After the monks, turning to God in their solitudes and drawing down light and love upon the earth seemingly so forgotten by them; after the mendicant Orders, keeping up in the midst of the world their claustral habits of life and the austerity of the desert: the regular clerks entered upon the battle-field, whereby their position in the fight, their exterior manner of life, their very dress, they were to mingle with the ranks of the secular clergy; just as a few veterans are sent into the midst of a wavering troop, to act upon the rest by word and example and dash. . Like the initiators of the great ancient forms of religious life, Cajetan was the Patriarch of the Regular Clerks. Under this name Clement VII., by a brief dated 24th June, 1524, approved the institute he had founded that very year in concert with the Bishop of Theati, from whom the new religious were also called Theatines. Soon the Barnabites, the Society of Jesus, the Somasques of St. Jerome Emilian, the Regular Clerks Minor of St. Francis Carracciolo, the Regular Clerks ministering to the sick, the Regular Clerks of the Pious Schools, the Regular Clerks of the Mother of God, and others, hastened to follow in the track, and proved that the Church is ever beautiful, ever worthy of her Spouse; while the accusation of barrenness hurled against her by heresy, rebounded upon the thrower. . Cajetan began and carried forward his reform chiefly by means of detachment from riches, the love of which had caused many evils in the Church. The Theatines offered to the world a spectacle unknown since the days of the Apostles; pushing their zeal for renouncement so far as not to allow themselves even to beg, but to rely on the spontaneous charity of the faithful. While Luther was denying the very existence of God's Providence, their heroic trust in It was often rewarded by prodigies. . Let us now read the life of this new patriarch: . Cajetan was born at Vicenza of the noble house of Thienna, and was at once dedicated by his mother to the Virgin Mother of God. His innocence appeared so wonderful from his very childhood that everyone called him "the "Saint." He took the degree of Doctor in canon and civil law at Padua, and then went to Rome where Julius II. made him a Prelate. When he received the priesthood, such a fire of divine love was enkindled in his soul, that he left the court to devote himself entirely to God. He founded hospitals with his own money and himself served the sick, even those attacked with pestilential maladies. He displayed such unflagging zeal for the salvation of his neighbour that he earned the name of the "Hunter of souls." . His great desire was to restore Ecclesiastical discipline, then much relaxed, to the form of the Apostolic life, and to this end he founded the Order of Regular Clerks. They lay aside all care of earthly things, possess no revenues, do not beg even the necessaries of life from the faithful, but live only on alms spontaneously offered. Clement VII. having approved this institution, Cajetan made his solemn vows at the High Altar of the Vatican basilica, together with John Peter Caraffa, Bishop of Chieti, who was afterwards Pope Paul IV., and two other men of distinguished piety. During the sack of Rome, he was most cruelly treated by the soldiers, to make him deliver up his money, which the hands of the poor had long ago carried into the heavenly treasures. He endured with the utmost patience stripes, torture, and imprisonment. He persevered unfalteringly in the kind of life he had embraced, relying entirely upon Divine Providence: and God never failed him, as was sometimes proved by miracle. . He was a great promoter of assiduity at the divine worship, of the beauty of the House of God, of exactness in holy ceremonies, and of the frequentation of the most Holy Eucharist. More than once he detected and foiled the wicked subterfuges of heresy. He would prolong his prayers for eight hours, without ceasing to shed tears; he was often rapt in ecstasy and was famous for the gift of prophecy. At Rome, one Christmas night, while he was praying at our Lord's crib, the Mother of God was pleased to lay the Infant Jesus in his arms. He would spend whole nights in chastising his body with disciplines, and could never be induced to relax anything of the austerity of his life: for he would say, he wished to die in sackcloth and ashes. At length he fell into an illness caused by the intense sorrow he felt, at seeing the people offend God by a sedittion; and at Naples, after being refreshed by a heavenly vision, he passed to heaven. His body is honoured with great devotion in the Church of St. Paul in that town. As many miracles worked by him both living and dead made his name illustrious, Pope Clement X. enrolled him amongst the Saints. St. Cajetan, Founder of the Theatine Order by Father Francis Xavier Weninger, 1876 Maria Angela Grow Aug 8 READ IN APP St. Cajetan, Founder of the Theatine Order by Father Francis Xavier Weninger, 1876 . St. Cajetan, founder of the holy order, whose members are called Theatines, was born in 1487, at Vicenza, in Lombardy, of noble and pious parents. Immediately after his baptism, his mother consecrated him to the Blessed Virgin, humbly begging her to guard him and take his spiritual welfare under her motherly protection. His entire after life proved how effectual his mother's prayers had been. He was never, even in his most tender years, like other children; his greatest pleasure consisted in praying, building small altars, giving alms to the poor, and being most perfect in his obedience to his parents. His whole conduct was such, that even in childhood, he was called a saint. He afterwards went to the University, and always made it his greatest care to preserve his innocence unspotted among so many temptations. Having received, at Padua, the degree of civil and canon laws, he repaired to Rome, where he was ordained priest, and preferred by Pope Julius II. to a high ecclesiastical position. . After the death of the Pope, he resigned his dignity and returned to his home, desiring to work more effectually for the salvation of souls. He served the sick in and out of the hospitals, with untiring charity, in the time of pestilence. His labors were at first, confined to his native town; later, however, he went to Venice. His principal aim was to save souls. The sick, he persuaded by kind and gentle exhortations; and others he moved to virtue by his earnest sermons. The popular saying was, that Cajetan looked like a seraph when standing before the altar, and like an Apostle when in the pulpit. His devotion when he said mass, was equalled by his fervor and zeal while preaching. Whenever he had the opportunity, he tried to win a soul for the Almighty. After some time, he went again to Rome, where, inspired by God, and with the co-operation of three other pious and learned men, he founded an Order for such priests as desired to live an apostolic life, to reform the negligence of the clergy, and the corrupt morals of the people of the world; to observe carefully the sacred ceremonies of the church; restore the observance of pious conduct in the temples dedicated to the worship of the Most High; to labor in opposition to the heretics; assist the sick and dying, and in a word, to promote the welfare of men to the best of their ability. . He imposed a special obligation on the members in regard to the vow of poverty; they were not only forbidden to have annual revenues, but even to ask alms. They had to leave the whole care of their subsistence to God, and wait patiently for what Providence would send them. Hard as this seemed to be, still many were found willing to bear such abject poverty. The first house of the order was at Rome; but it was abandoned after the first year, on account of an inroad of imperial soldiers, who also treated Cajetan with great cruelty. Among these soldiers there was one who had formerly been acquainted with the Saint at Vicenza, and knew that, at that time, he was very rich. Believing that he still possessed great treasures, he tried to force them from him, by maltreating him most brutally, and several times casting him into prison. . From Rome, the holy founder went to Venice, where he again nursed those stricken down with pestilence. He was then ordered by the Pope to Naples, to found a new house for his Order. This city had to thank the vigilance of this Saint, under God, for its preservation from heresy; for, several disciples of Luther, who at that time disseminated his poisonous doctrines in Germany, had come to Naples and begun privately, as well as publicly, to maintain, under the name of "Evangelical liberty," the teachings of Luther. They had also brought with them several books which contained the Lutheran doctrines, designing to give them to the people, and thus contaminate the city with the doctrines they contained. When St. Cajetan was informed of this, and had, moreover, seen the Evil One standing in the pulpit beside Bernardin Ochino, one of Luther's disciples, whispering into his ear every word that he preached, he notified the ecclesiastical authorities of these facts, and preached so zealously against the new heresy, that the heretical books were all given up and burnt, and the inhabitants of the city were preserved in the true faith. The Saint rendered the same service to several other cities in Italy. . The holy man was exceedingly severe towards himself. He never divested himself of his rough hair-shirt. Almost daily he scourged himself most mercilessly. In partaking of nourishment he was so temperate, that his life might justly be called a continual fast. He spent most of his nights in devout exercises, taking but a short rest upon straw. He never spoke except to honor God or benefit man. He was indefatigable in his exertions for the salvation of souls, and hence it is not surprising that God bestowed many graces upon him. One Christmas Eve, when he was passing the night in the Church of St. Mary Major, the Holy Child appeared to him, and the Blessed Virgin, who carried Him, laid Him into the Saint's arms, filling his soul with heavenly consolation. The holy man had many other visions during his life, and was often seen in a state of ecstasy during his prayers. He also possessed the gift of prophecy, and miraculously cured a great many sick. There was a priest of his Order, whose foot was to be amputated. The evening before the operation was to be performed, the Saint examined the foot, which was extremely swollen and affected with gangrene; he kissed it, made the holy sign of the cross over it, bandaged it anew, exhorting the sufferer to put his trust in God and to ask the intercession of St. Francis. After this he turned to God in prayer. When on the following day, the surgeon came to perform the painful and dangerous amputation, they found, to their amazement, that the foot was healed. . When St. Cajetan sailed from Venice to Naples, a terrible storm arose, and all on board expected the boat to sink every moment. Cajetan took his Agnus Dei and threw it into the sea, which immediately became calm. His life is filled with similar events; we, however, having no space for more of them, will only relate how happily and with what heroic charity he ended his earthly career. . The authorities at Naples, civil as well as ecclesiastical, had resolved to institute the Inquisition in the city, to guard the faithful more thoroughly against heresy. The people were, however, opposed to it to such an extent, that a revolt was feared, and neither the exhortations and persuasions of St. Cajetan nor of other men were of any avail. The holy man was deeply distressed at the danger of so great a city and still more of so many souls. Hence he offered his life as a sacrifice to appease the wrath of the Almighty, praying that God would accept of it, restore peace, and spare the city and its inhabitants. The following event will show how pleased the Almighty was with this sacrifice. Soon after the Saint had offered himself to Heaven, he became dangerously sick, and repeating his offer, died a most peaceful and holy death, having had the privilege of seeing Christ and the Blessed Virgin. The Saviour assured him of his salvation, the Divine Mother of her protection until his death. And yet he would not die in any other manner than as a penitent; for when the physician said he needed a more comfortable bed, he protested most emphatically against it, saying that he would not, in his last hour, allow his body any comfort, but that he would be laid in his penitential robes upon ashes on the ground, adding: "There is no road leading to Heaven but that of innocence or repentance. He who has departed from the first, must take the second; else he is eternally lost." . He received the last Sacraments with great devotion, turned his eyes towards Heaven, and rendered up his soul tranquilly to God, in the year of our Lord 1547. The strife in the city soon after ceased and peace was restored, as if God had wished to show that He had accepted the life of St. Cajetan as a peace offering for the salvation of innumerable souls. Many miracles were wrought by the Almighty to recompense the great faith which St. Cajetan manifested in the Divine Providence, when he instituted such complete poverty in his new order. After his death also, God honored him by working many miracles through his intercession. Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more August 7 Saint Cajetan of Thiena: Founder of the Theatines: He introduced the Forty Hours' Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, as an antidote to the heresy of Calvin Maria Angela Grow Aug 8 READ IN APP August 7 Saint Cajetan of Thiena: Founder of the Theatines: He introduced the Forty Hours' Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, as an antidote to the heresy of Calvin: (1480-1547) Patronage: job seekers unemployed people those tempted by gambling document controllers Albania Italy Hamrun (Malta) Argentina Brazil El Salvador Guatemala . Saint Cajetan was born in 1480 at Vicenza near Venice in Italy, of the pious and noble family by the name of Thiena. His great-uncle, who bore the same name as himself and was a Canon of Padua, was considered to be the prince of the theologians of his century; and several prelates and cardinals, as well as governors of Milan and Naples, were of the same line. His parents dedicated Cajetan to our Blessed Lady. From childhood he was remarked for his obedience, his temperance, and his charity towards the poor. . A distinguished student, a veritable model for all his peers, he desired a higher perfection and left his native town, where he was in honor, to seek obscurity in Rome. There, however, Pope Julius II, perceiving his merit, named him an apostolic protonotary, a high office. He joined a certain Congregation or Confraternity known as that of Divine Love and, working with its members, introduced frequent Communion in their midst, and elsewhere through their influence. The Pope saw to his ordination, and he then offered many fervent Masses. About that time, on Christmas Eve at the Church of Saint Mary Major, when he entered the church he saw the Holy Mother; She came to him and placed Her divine Infant in his arms. It was also Saint Cajetan who later would introduce the Forty Hours' Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, as an antidote to the heresy of Calvin. . He returned to Vicenza when his mother died, and began to seek out the sick poor and transport them to the Hospital of the Incurables or of Mercy, with which he had united the Congregation of Divine Love, established in that city also. He served the sick in the hospital himself. He placed himself under the direction of a holy Dominican priest, Father John Baptist de Crema, who not long afterwards told him he should go to Venice. His obedience was perfect in this sacrifice, which cost not only himself but those in his hospital many tears. At Venice too, he was needed in a hospital; and the Venetians in those days of luxury and licence, soon reformed what was not correct in their conduct to follow his holy examples. . To renew the lives of the clergy, in 1524, with Paul Caraffa, then Bishop of Theata or Chieti in the kingdom of Naples, who later would become Pope Paul IV, and with two other fervent Christians, Saint Cajetan founded the first group of Regular Clerics, since known as Theatines. All had deeply regretted the state of the Church at that time, and with ardor they devoted themselves to preaching, to the administration of the sacraments and the careful execution of the Church's rites and ceremonies. . When the Germans, under Constable Bourbon, sacked Rome, Saint Cajetan was barbarously scourged to extort from him imaginary riches; his only wealth was his good works, which he had long since securely stored in heaven. When the Saint was on his deathbed, resigned to the Will of God, happy to suffer to satisfy his love, and eager for death to attain to life, he again beheld the Mother of God, radiant with splendor and surrounded by ministering seraphim. Turning Her countenance full of majesty and sweetness upon him, She said, Cajetan, My Son calls you. Let us go in peace. Worn out with toil and sickness, he went to his reward in 1547. . Reflection: Imitate Saint Cajetan's devotion to our Blessed Lady, by invoking Her aid before every work. . Eternal Father, I wish to honor St. Cajetan of Thiena, and I give Thee thanks for all the graces Thou hast bestowed upon him. I ask Thee to please increase grace in my soul through the merits of this saint, and I commit the end of my life to him by this special prayer, so that by virtue of Thy goodness and promise, St. Cajetan of Thiena might be my advocate and provide whatever is needed at that hour. Amen. Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more August 7 Saint Cajetan of Thiene (Saint Gaetano, Cajetan the Theatine, Cayetano, Gaetanus, Gaetano dei Conti di Tiene, Gaetano da Thiene), "Huntsman for Souls" Maria Angela Grow Aug 8 READ IN APP August 7 Saint Cajetan of Thiene (Saint Gaetano, Cajetan the Theatine, Cayetano, Gaetanus, Gaetano dei Conti di Tiene, Gaetano da Thiene), "Huntsman for Souls" 1480-1547 Patronage: job seekers unemployed people Theatines . Zealous reformer of the clergy, founder of the Theatine Order, and patron saint of the unemployed. Throughout his life, Saint Cajetan demonstrated concern and care for those less fortunate than himself, speaking out against exploitation of workers, poor wages, and unhealthy working conditions. Such zeal did he show for the salvation of his fellowmen that he was surnamed the "huntsman for souls." Deeply devoted to Our Blessed Mother, Saint Cajetan was graced by numerous visions of Mary, including at the hour of his death. . Born in Vincenza Italy, of pious and noble parents, Cajetan was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin at birth. From childhood, he was recognized as a saint, given his obedience, temperance, and charity. A distinguished student, he served as a model for his peers in academic achievement and morality, achieving a law degree in Padua. Even as a university student, however, all he wished was to enter the priesthood, although as his diary entries suggest, he did not consider himself worthy: “I know too well, o Lord, that I am not worthy to be admitted among the consortium of these earthly angels [his way of viewing the priesthood], I wish even so to merit it. You can see my burning desire to bind myself to you forever with priestly promises. Why therefore do you not console me, my dearest goodness? Anyway, my desire is not to want my way but your way. Accept at least these my heart’s desires which in front of you become so real even when they cannot become a reality for me.” . Following his graduation as an attorney, he left that city to seek out humble obscurity in Rome. However, once arriving, he was “invited” by Pope Julius II to accept the position of apostolic protonotary, a high office. Reluctantly, Cajetan accepted the offer, and subsequently joined the Confraternity of Divine Love. Working with his fellow members, Cajetan introduced the concept of frequent Communion, and elsewhere through their influence. . Pope Julius II saw to Cajetan’s ordination, after which he offered many fervent Masses. He was reported to spend at least eight hours each day in solitary prayer. On Christmas Eve at the Church of Saint Mary Major he was greeted with his first vision of Our Blessed mother. When he entered the church he saw the Mary, radiant with light, who came to him and placed Her divine Infant in his arms. These are the words he used to describe his vision: “....I boldly found myself, at the time of the Holy Nativity, in this crib; to give me courage I had with me Saint Jerome my father, who had the crib so close to his heart and whose remains were placed at the entrance of the same crib; and with a little bit of encouragement from the old man (St. Joseph), from the hands of the Virgin Mary, I took into my arms that little Baby: the Eternal Word Who became flesh. My heart was really hard, you must believe me, because if it were not as hard as a diamond, it was sure to liquefy at that moment... patience...” Later in his life, Saint Cajetan would introduce the Forty Hours’ Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, as an antidote to the heresy of Calvin. . On the death of Pope Julius II, as well as the death of his mother, Cajetan returned to Vincenza. There he sought out the poorest and sick, transporting them to the Hospital of the Incurables, and joining the Confraternity of Divine Love with that of the Confraternity of Saint Jerome whose members were drawn from the lowest classes. His noble family was appalled by his association with the lower class, but Cajetan paid them no heed, spending his fortune in building hospitals and nursing the plague-stricken. He told his brothers, "In this oratory we try to serve God by worship; in our hospital we may say that we actually find him." . Out of obedience to his spiritual director, Saint Cajetan traveled to Venice, enacting immediate reform in the lives of the clergy there. He realized that to reform the Church, a obedient and zealous clergy was the manner in which to inspire the congregation. Along with Paul Caraffa, then Bishop of Theata in the kingdom of Naples (who later would become Pope Paul IV), and two other fervent Christians, he instituted the first community of Regular Clarks, known as Theatines. They devoted themselves to preaching, the administration of the Sacraments, and the careful performance of the Church's rites and ceremonies. Members of the Order lived apostolic lives, looking with disdain upon all earthly belongings, receiving no income, and accepting no salaries from the faithful. Only from that which was freely offered were they allowed to retain the means of livelihood. Thus they were to rely unreservedly upon Divine Providence. . The patron saint of the unemployed, Saint Cajetan further demonstrated considerable care for the livelihood of his parishioners. Not only did he work for wage reform, he founded a bank to help the poor and offer an alternative to usurers (loan sharks). This bank later became the Bank of Naples. Today also known as the patron saint of gamblers, he is remembered for a gentle game he played with parishioners in which he would bet prayers, rosaries or devotional candles on whether he would perform some service for them. Of course, he always performed the service, and the parishioners always had to “pay” by saying the prayers they had bet against him. . Having returned to Rome, Cajetan was captured and scourged by the invading Germans, who were hoping to discover where he had hidden his “riches.” Of course, Saint Cajetan had long since spent all that he had in service to the poor and struggling. Once let out of prison, he never recovered from the vicious torture. Having returned home, his doctors tried to get him to rest on a softer bed then the boards he slept on, but Cajetan answered: "My savior died on a cross. Let me die on wood at least." It was then, when St. Cajetan was on his death-bed, that he again beheld the Blessed Virgin, surrounded by ministering seraphim. In profound veneration, he said, "Lady, bless me!” . Mary replied, "Cajetan, receive the blessing of my Son, and know that I am here as a reward for the sincerity of your love, and to lead you to paradise." She then exhorted him to patience in fighting an evil spirit who troubled him, and gave orders to the choirs of angels to escort his soul in triumph to heaven. Then, turning her countenance full of majesty and sweetness upon him, she said, "Cajetan, my Son calls thee. Let us go in peace." Saint Cajetan died peacefully, surrounded by the choirs of heaven. His relics are interred in the church of San Paolo Maggiore in Naples, outside of which is located the Piazza San Gaetano, with a statue of the saint. . Saint Cajetan sought first and foremost the will of the Lord in his life. Dedicated not only to Church reform, but to also reform of the evils of the world he encountered on a daily basis, this humble saint gave all that he had to service of those around him. He worked with the poorest of the poor, the sickest of the sick, the most undesirable souls he could find—nursing them physically back to help, assisting with their finances, and saving and converting their souls. Saint Cajetan is a model of obedience, service, and Christian charity—three virtues we can all ascribe to. We pray for the intercession of saint Cajetan, that we, too, may turn our gaze from our own lives to those around us in greater need. Priest reports ‘miracle’ with oil of St. Charbel at Mass on his feast day ________________________________ Hundreds of faithful witnessed a miracle of replenished holy oil at a Mass in honor of St. Charbel held in Naples, Italy, last month. The image of Saint Charbel at the Monastery Saint Maroun cave, Lebanon.artaxerxes_longhand/Shutterstock ________________________________ Emily Mangiaracina Thu Aug 7, 2025 - 5:26 pm EDT Listen to this article 6 min NAPLES, Italy (LifeSiteNews) — A bottle of blessed oil is attested by many witnesses to have miraculously replenished during a Mass in honor of St. Charbel, after it was used to anoint hundreds in attendance. On July 24, at St. Ferdinand Church in Naples, Italy, Monsignor Pasquale Silvestri offered a Mass in honor of the renowned Lebanese saint, which was attended by over 500 people, “many of them ill,” as Catholic News Agency reported. After the Mass, Fr. Silvestri proceeded to anoint attendees with blessed oil gifted by Maronite clergy in Rome, sent specifically for that Mass. “I didn’t imagine there would be so many people, so there came a time when the jar was almost empty, and I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to satisfy everyone,” Fr. Silvestri recounted in a letter addressed to Father Elias Hamhoury, former postulator of the cause for canonization of St. Charbel. Fr. Silvestri saw the bottle was getting close to empty as he was anointing the last of those in attendance, but was astonished to see after he finished that the jar of oil had miraculously refilled. “When I finished, I closed the jar and put it back in its case. But when I put it back in the safe, I realized it was full again. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing,” the priest continued in his letter. He affirmed to ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, “I was very surprised, because the jar was empty. In fact, I was afraid because there wouldn’t be enough to anoint everyone, and I turned the jar upside down several times” to get the last few drops. When he realized that the jar was full again and that it “weighed more than before,” Fr. Silvestri turned to the faithful to show them and explain what had happened. “Everyone applauded when they saw it,” he told ACI Prensa. “I’m not a miracle worker, absolutely not, but in this case there was a production of matter; this is a very serious thing,” he stressed. According to ACI Prensa, members of the faithful have informed the priest of physical or spiritual healings after attending the Mass. “I’ve received about five or six similar accounts, and I’ve asked them to write them all down,” he said. It is said that more miracles are attributed to St. Charbel than any other saint, besides the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph. Over 33,000 miracles have been documented at the monastery where he is buried, including many physical healings of cancer and other afflictions including paralysis, blindness, and autism. subscribe to our daily headlines US Canada Catholic Fr. Silvestri told ACI Prensa that he only recently had begun a devotion to the saint and had a memorable dream about him before the miracle occurred. “I didn’t know him; I heard about him recently, and I really liked his story. So I put up a picture in my church out of devotion,” he explained. Although he has never “believed in dreams,” he shared, “When I put up this picture, one night I dreamed that St. Charbel was looking at me and was laughing. This really struck me because the photo of St. Charbel is always that of a very serious man, but he was smiling at me.” Since this dream, he decided to dedicate the Masses on the last Friday of June and July to the saint. The life of St. Charbel St. Charbel was born Youssef Antoun Makhlouf on May 8, 1828, to a poor family in a tiny mountain village in Lebanon. His father died when Youssef was just a young boy, and his mother took care of the children the best that she could, as LifeSite has detailed. She was a very devout woman who fasted regularly and said the Rosary daily. Her example helped lay the groundwork for the intense prayer life and closeness to both God and the Blessed Virgin Mary that Youssef would eventually find. Youssef was in charge of taking care of the family’s small herd of cows, and every day when he would take them to graze in the field, he would go to a nearby grotto dedicated to Mary to pray. The people in his village knew this and began calling him “the saint.” Though his mother wanted him to marry, Youssef had a deep desire to serve God in religious life. When he was 23, he left his village and entered the monastery. He changed his name to Charbel and in 1859 was ordained a priest in the Maronite order. For the next 16 years, Charbel worked in the monastery, prayed, and sacrificed. People would travel from all over to see him because he had the ability to perform miracles. His superior knew this, and he would often ask him to go to the surrounding towns to heal the sick. It is said that Charbel not only healed people from physical ailments, but he healed them from spiritual ailments as well, even casting out demons. This ability to heal people led him to be known as the “wonder worker.” Charbel would spend hours kneeling in front of Christ in the Eucharist and praying that the world would return to God. He made the Eucharist the center of his life. In 1898, Charbel suffered a stroke while saying Mass, and as he fell to the ground, he held tightly to the Eucharist so as not to allow Christ to fall to the floor. A little over a week later, Charbel died. The miracles that Charbel performed while on earth did not stop with his death. Even on the night of his death, it was reported that a bright light emanated from his tomb. It continued to do so, and his superior sought permission to open the tomb. He eventually got permission to open Charbel’s tomb in April of 1899. When they opened it, they found Charbel’s body to be incorrupt. In addition, it was exuding a “blood-like moisture” — something it would continue to do for nearly 70 years. His tomb was opened eight times between 1950 and 1975, and each time it was examined by doctors and representatives of the Church. His body continued to be incorrupt. After the first opening in 1899, the superior had Charbel’s body transferred to a different coffin and moved it into the monastery. When people found out, they began to visit and ask for Charbel’s intercession. There are countless thousands of miracles reported in Lebanon and abroad that do not appear in these records at his tomb. Cameron Bertuzzi, who runs the Capturing Christianity YouTube channel, shared the stories of a few of St. Charbel’s documented miracles earlier this year. Topics Catholic ChurchFaith Tagged as CatholicCatholic ChurchHoly Massholy oilMaroniteMassMiraclesMonsignor Pasquale SilvestriNaplesoil of St. CharbelPriestSt. Charbel Ginchy Roo — 16 hours ago Astonishing...Such a 'Holy' man of God. St. Charbel ,Pray for us. All glory and honor to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit forever, and ever. Amen. Reply Marek Klemens Bakowski — 15 hours ago What an inspiring Saint. Saint Charbel, pray for me and my family, please. Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Lessons 7-8 from the Divine Office for St. Cajetan, Confessor: Matthew 6:24-33; A Homily by St. Augustine the Bishop: Maria Angela Grow Aug 8 READ IN APP Lessons 7-8 from the Divine Office for St. Cajetan, Confessor: Matthew 6:24-33; A Homily by St. Augustine the Bishop: . No man can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one, and love the other: or he will sustain the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say to you, be not solicitous for your life, what you shall eat, nor for your body, what you shall put on. Is not the life more than the meat: and the body more than the raiment? Behold the birds of the air, for they neither sow, nor do they reap, nor gather into barns: and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not you of much more value than they? And which of you by taking thought, can add to his stature by one cubit? And for raiment why are you solicitous? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they labour not, neither do they spin. But I say to you, that not even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed as one of these. And if the grass of the field, which is today, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, God doth so clothe: how much more you, O ye of little faith? Be not solicitous therefore, saying, What shall we eat: or what shall we drink, or wherewith shall we be clothed? For after all these things do the heathens seek. For your Father knoweth that you have need of all these things. Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God, and His justice, and all these things shall be added unto you. -------------- No man can serve two masters. And this is further explained: For either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. These words we ought carefully to weigh, for the Lord sheweth straightway who be the two masters whom we have choice of; Ye cannot serve God and Mammon. Mammon is a term which the Hebrews are said to use for riches. It is also a Carthaginian word; for the Punic word for gain is Mammon. He which serveth Mammon, serveth that evil one who hath perversely chosen to be lord of these earthly things, and is called by the Lord the prince of this world. Of these two masters, either a man will hate the one and love the other (that is God), or he will hold to the one and despise the other. He which serveth Mammon holdeth unto a hard and destroying master, for he is led captive by his lust, and sold slave to the devil, and him loveth no man. Is there any man that loveth the devil? And yet there be many that hold to him. Therefore, I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on: for even though such things are not idle, but needful to be sought after, yet the seeking for things even needful may divide the heart; and thus our intention may be corrupted when we do something as it were merciful; that is, we are to beware lest, when we seem to be