FEAST OF MOTHER OF PERPETUAL HELP

Mother of Perpetual Help, Pray for us!

Feast Day of Saint Thomas More and Saint John Fisher

Quotes of Saint Thomas More:

• I do not care very much what men say of me,provided that God approves of me.

Feast of Saint Anthony of Padua

IMPORTANT FACTS:

Saint Anthony's real name was actually Fernando Martins de Bulhoes.Ever since he was small,he

had a great desire to be a priest.When his parents refuse to give him permission to be a priest.He 

never gave up but sought the help of the Blessed Virgin Mary.He begged her to soften the hearts of 

his parents.Finally at age 15,they allowed him and he was so thankful to his Heavenly Mother for he 

knew he could always count on her.

After hearing the death of Saint Bernard and companions,the first martyrs of the Franciscan Order,

Saint Anthony was filled with a great desire to suffer martyrdom and to spill his blood for Christ.So

he repeatedly begged his superiors to give him leave to join the Franciscan Order.

Anthony did not know that God had greater plans for him and it was not being a martyr.So as he
arrived in Africa,he became very sick without any reason.After he recovered,he was very weak
and no one bother to help him until he met Father Gratian.This Father showed him compassion and
sent him to a little convent.9 months,he was there as a chaplain to the hermits.He was given the
lowliest duties of the kitchen and convent.He accepted all sufferings given from God with all his heart
and he never lost hope in trying to fulfill God's plan in his life.

Before being very known for his miracles,he was actually very timid and quiet during his lifetime.He
could barely preach to anyone and so he spend many hours praying and by the grace of daily prayers
and meditations,he was soon transformed by the Holy Spirit into a famous preacher and an expert in
having great knowledge about the scriptures.His life was fully transformed by grace into the image
of Christ Himself.Anthony knew well that if the Lord Jesus did not take pity on him;he would have not performed as many miracles as we all can see until today done through the intercession of Saint Anthony
of Padua.

Anthony was often found preaching to the fishes at sea once he knew that the heretics refuse to listen
to his preaching of the true Gospel.The fishes at sea gave him a better response than the heretics.
Though many miracles happen during his lifetime,he never took credit for it but always offered it up to
Jesus who performed miracles through him.He knew he was a humble servant of God and that God
always chooses the lowest to do the highest miracles and wonders in God's name.Anthony knew
that HUMILITY was his KEY to Heaven.

That is why Mother Mary entrusted the Child Jesus to Anthony for she knew her son was very found
of him.She knew that Anthony made her little child happy so by the order of her son,she appeared to
Anthony with the Child Jesus in her arms.She gave Anthony the honour to hold the Child Jesus in his
arms and to take care of her little child since the Child Jesus desired deeply to spent time with
Anthony and Mother Mary knew well that her child's wishes should be granted.That is how the
Child Jesus appeared many times to Anthony.

Though it has been 784 years after his death,Anthony stands firms until this very day and is truly
a great model of HUMILITY;especially today when the world has become so prideful with all its knowledge,wealth and evilness.We should follow his way of  HUMILITY which he followed well
from Jesus.We also must be very careful not to parade our good deeds before men to be noticed by
them for this kind of deeds are the ones done in vain but rather do the deeds that are seen by the
Father and He will reward you greatly in Heaven.We can see this well through the life of Anthony
who practiced this well during his life which made him be enrolled among the saints the very next year
after his faithful death by Pope Gregory IX.Saint Anthony was canonized (declared a saint) less 
than 1 year after his death.Finally was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius XII on
16 January 1946.       

This all was POSSIBLE due to his great HUMILITY which he always kept dear to his heart until
this very day.Every miracle performed by him until today,is never done to get appaluse from people
but rather done to bring people closer to God and to glorify God's name.

Quotes of Saint Anthony of Padua:

• The spirit of humility is sweeter than honey,and whoever is fed by this sweetness produces fruit.
• Mary provides shelter for the sinner.
• Just as a tower defends a fortress,so humility of heart defends bodily chastity from the darts of fornication.
• Listen to the word of God,O ye fishes of the sea and of the river,seeing that the faithless heretics refuse to do so.
• Actions speak louder than words;let your words teach and your actions speak.
• The SAINTS are like the stars.In his providence Christ conceals them in a hidden place that they may not shine before others when they might wish to do so. Yet they are always ready to exchange the quiet of  contemplation for the works of mercy as soon as they perceive in their heart the invitation of Christ.

PRAYER TO SAINT ANTHONY OF PADUA:
Saint Anthony,Model of Humility,plead for us to the Child Jesus that we may be granted the
grace of humility in our hearts.May we always carry Christ humility in our hearts and respond with
love towards all the insults of this world.Pray for our hearts to be cleansed by Jesus most precious
Blood so that we will be able to accept Him worthly in our hearts.Saint Anthony through thy
intercession bring the Child Jesus clearly into our hearts to experience the true humility of Christ
Jesus.Amen.
Saint Anthony of Padua,whose heart is ever humble and truly holds the Child Jesus in Thy arms,
Pray for us!

FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY

IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY PRAY FOR US NOW, 

AND AT THE HOUR OF OUR DEATH!

Our Lady said to the child Lucia at FATIMA:
"I will never leave you; My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge, and the way that will lead you to God".

EXPLANATION OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY

IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY AND THE GREEN SCAPULAR

FURTHER EXPLANATION ON THE GREEN SCAPULAR

 PART 1

 PART 2

YOU CAN ALSO MAKE YOUR OWN GREEN SCAPULARS:

Here are 2 Links that can help you make your own Green Scapular!

http://www.rosarymakersguide.org/makeagreenscapular.htm

http://stutler.cc/green_scapular/index.html

REMINDER: Get a Priest to Bless the Scapulars first before using them.

PRAYER TO THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY:
O Immaculate Mary,guide us to the right path of Heavenly goodness and teach us not to store up treasures on earth,where moth and rust will destroy it but rather store up treasures in Heaven where no moth and rust will destroy it .O Mother,may all our prayers and sufferings be offered up to you in the correct manner so that we will be able to enjoy the fruits of its Heavenly promises.Amen.

Immaculate Heart of Mary pray for us now,and at the hour of our death! 

FEAST OF THE MOST SACRED HEART OF JESUS

SACRED HEART OF JESUS I TRUST IN THEE,

SACRED HEART OF JESUS THY KINGDOM COME!

JESUS said to SAINT MARGARET MARY:

"My Divine Heart is so inflamed with love for men,and for you in particular that,being               unable any longer to contain within Itself needs spread them abroad by your means,and               the flames of Its burning Charity, It must sanctification and salvation necessary to 

 manifest Itself to mankind in order to enrich them with the precious graces of and ignorance

 for the accomplishment of this great design, in order that everything may be withdraw them 

 from the abyss of perdition.I have chosen you as an abyss of unworthiness done by Me."

               

EXPLANATION OF THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS

EUCHARIST MIRACLE OF LANCIANO,ITALY

THE HOST and BLOOD

THE RELIQUARY

PRAYER TO THE MOST SACRED HEART OF JESUS:

O Most Sacred Heart of Jesus,make my heart like Thine.Make it one with Thee like how Thy Heart

is one with the Father.I give you my heart;take it and make it ever Thine.Guide and instruct this heart

of mine which is weaken by sin with thy ever powerful love;thy love which overcomes sin.Amen.

Sacred Heart I trust In Thee,Sacred Heart of Jesus Thy Kingdom Come!

Feast of Saint Dominic Savio

IMPORTANT FACTS:

He was a beautiful child with an angelic soul.He enjoyed praying and loved Jesus and Mary with

an unexplainable love in his heart.At age 4,he already knew all his prayers by heart and he said 

them daily without being bored of it! 

He desired to be a priest and most of all a Saint!He followed closely the teachings of John Bosco

and never complained when there was sufferings in his life.He did things cheerfully.

The only thing he despised the most is when someone does not say grace before meals.He would

remind those who forget to say it.One day before dinner could start,his parents was busy

talking and the grace before meals was forgotten;but he was too attentive.He said, "Father,we have

not yet asked God's blessing on our food" and he made the Sign of the Cross and began the usual

prayer.Another time,a stranger was staying with them and he sat down to have his meal without

any act of religion.Dominic did not like to speak of it openly so he moved from the table and went

to one of his quiet corners.When his parents asked him about his unusual attitude,he replied:

" I could not remain at table with one who eats as do the animals without a thought of God."

                                            John Bosco and Saint Dominic Savio

He loved John Bosco and that was his best friend.Dominic followed him everywhere and he obeyed
all that he said.Dominic found John Bosco when he entered the school run by  John Bosco.
John Bosco examined him first and at the end of the questions, Dominic asked,
"What do you think of me?" John Bosco answered him, "I think you're good material,"
Dominic said, "Well, then,you are a good tailor,so if the material is good, take me and make
a new suit out of me for Our Lord!"

There was once,the Rector wanted to show his gratefulness for the boys and wanted to give them
little gifts so he said that they could ask for what they wished and, if it were possible,he would give
it to them.Requests were to be written down,and there were some strange and bizarre requests made
by some of the boys.Dominic took a piece of paper and wrote these words:

"I ask one thing only, that you help me to save my soul and make me a saint”.

There was one time,he stopped a massive stone-throwing fight between 2 angry boys.Holding up
a little crucifix between them,he said, "Before you fight,look at this and say,'Jesus Christ was innocent and He died forgiving His murderers.I am a sinner,and I am going to hurt Him 
by not forgiving my enemies.' Then you can start - and throw your first stone at me!"

Besides stopping great arguments,he enjoyed frequent visits to the Blessed Sacrament and he tried
to bring others along with him.He prayed hours at there and enjoyed talking to Jesus through prayer.
In 1856 he set up the Sodality of Mary Immaculate with a group of his friends,to carry out 
apostolic work together.Don Bosco’s mother (Mamma Margaret),who had come to Turin to 
help her priest son in his school, said one day:“You have many good boys, but none can 
match the good heart and soul of Dominic Savio. I see him so often at prayer,
staying in church after the others;every day he slips out of the playground to make 
a visit to the Blessed Sacrament.When he is in church he is like an angel living
in paradise.”

Resolve to Become a Saint:
Around six months after Dominic had come to the Oratory, he had the occasion to listen to a talk on sainthood. John Bosco records that the talk had 3 main points that impressed Dominic:

1.)That it is God’s will that each one should become a saint.
2.)That it is easy to become a saint.
3.)That there is a great reward waiting in heaven for 
those who try to become saints.

       Dominic came up with a program...

There was a custom in this House for the boys to make the exercise for a Happy Death each month
which was created by John Bosco.This exercise consists in making a Confession and Communion
as though they were to be the last. Pope Pius IX in his goodness has enriched this exercise with many indulgences.Dominic used to make it with great earnestness.It is the custom at the end of the exercise
to say one Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be to the Father for 'the one amongst us who 
will be the first to die'. One day Dominic said smiling:

"It should not be for the one amongst us who will be

 the first to die, but for Dominic Savio who will 

be the first to die amongst us”. 

He said this many times.

This came true and he soon died on March 9,1857.The whole school was sad and things came back normal.Dominic was not around but they talked about him all day like he was around.His parents were

filled with deep sorrow.His father missed him so much that he could not do anything.He just thought

of his caring son and the love Dominic gave him.One day his father had a vision of him and his father

wrote it down :

" I was in the greatest affliction at the loss of my son,and was consumed by a desire to 

know what was his position in the other world.God deigned to comfort me.About a month

after his death,during a very restless night,I saw,as it were,the ceiling opened,and Dominic appeared in the midst of dazzling light.I was beside myself at this sight,and cried out:

"O Dominic,my son,are you already in Paradise?" "Yes",he replied,"I am in Heaven".

Then pray for your brothers and sister,and your mother and father,that we may all come 

to join you one day in Heaven"."Yes,yes,I will pray",was the answer.Then he disappeared,

and the room became as before".

The veneration of Dominic Savio grew with the vision of his father and with John Bosco's
written biography,The Life of Dominic Savio,by which brought to his canonization.Though some
were of an opinion that Dominic was too young to be canonized, Pope Saint Pius X insisted that this
was not so,and started the process of his canonization.Dominic Savio was declared Venerable in 1933
by Pope Pius XI,was beatified in 1950 by Pope Pius XII, and finally declared a SAINT in 1954.
That day,Saint Dominic Savio must have been the most satisfied Saint in Heaven for during his lifetime
he kept saying,"If I am not trying to be a Saint,I am doing nothing at all.I will not have any 
peace if I don't keep on trying." Pope Pius XI described him as “small in size,but a towering giant
in spirit.”

Quotes of Saint Dominic Savio:

• If I do not become a Saint,I am doing nothing.
• I am not capable of doing big things,but I want to do everything,even the smallest things,for the greater glory of God.
• I feel a longing and a need to be a Saint.I did not know it was so easy to be one,but now I see that one can be holy and happy too.I feel I simply must be a Saint.

PRAYER TO SAINT DOMINIC SAVIO:
O Angelic Saint Dominic Savio,one who made great efforts to be a Saint through simple good works.
Pray for us to follow your simple ways and help us to understand the path to Sainthood is through
simplicity and not to complicate our minds with great works.May we always know that Jesus is
always interested in our efforts and not on the results of accomplishments in our lives.Amen
Saint Dominic Savio,who achieved a simple way to Sainthood through simpleness of life,pray for us!

Feast Day of Saint Gianna Beretta Molla

IMPORTANT FACTS:

The Beretta family,Gianna's parent’s 25th wedding anniversary,October 12, 1933.

From left, front row, Gianna, her mother, Virginia, Amalia, her father and Joseph, 

and,in the top row, Ferdinand, Francis, Zita and Enrico.

Gianna was a young and bright child who desired to be a nun but God had greater plans for her.

She was known for her great faith in Jesus.She loved life and everything that came with it even
the sufferings she had to bear.She was a life giver to everyone and to her family.When she
was young,she knew her prayers well and loved Jesus.

Alberto and Maria Beretta, was her parents.They had 13 children.5 children died at an early age.
Of the 8 remaining, 4 became medical doctors; 2, priests; and the others a nun, a pharmacist,
an engineer and a pianist.

She grew up in a Catholic Family who loved and gave her proper education.Her parents love formed 

her into a loving and beautiful child.She was eager to receive her first Holy Communion.At age 5,

Gianna received her first Holy Communion.She was dressed up well for Jesus. 

Gianna had a big family who was filled with the Catholic Faith.Her mother led the children to 

Daily Mass.They prayed the Rosary together daily as a family and consecrated their home to

the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Age 15,she attended an Ignatian retreat that gave an impacted in her life.That was the time she wrote 

down certain resolutions for living.She resolved:

1.) To do everything for Jesus—every work,every trouble would be offered to Him. 

2.) To avoid viewing movies unless they were modest and not scandalous. 

3.)To die rather than commit a mortal sin. 

Then Gianna prayed that the Jesus would make her understand how great is his mercy.She also

composed a prayer: 

“O Jesus, I promise you to submit myself to all that you permit to happen to me;

only make me know your will.”

At age 20,she taught a group involved with catechesis of young people,she gave them the following instructions:

1. Pray in the morning and evening on your knees. 
2. Attend Holy Mass and receive Holy Communion. 
3. Meditate every day for ten minutes and make frequent visits to the Blessed Sacrament. 
4. Pray the holy rosary to ask the help of Our Lady.

In 1954 Gianna made a pilgrimage to Lourdes, France, to ask our Lady to guide her in her vocation.
Should she become a lay missionary in Brazil and assist her brother,Father Alberto, who was the only physician in the impoverished area of Grajaù? Or should she marry and have a family?

December 8, 1954,the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the young woman attended the first Mass of a Franciscan priest, where she met an engineer named Peter Molla. In his diary that night Peter wrote: “I feel certain I have made a good encounter. The Immaculate Mother has blessed me.” They were engaged the following April.

Having chosen the vocation of marriage,she embraced it with complete enthusiasm and wholly
dedicated herself "to forming a truly Catholic family." They promised each other to have a proper
Catholic Family and to have constant and daily prayers even during their busy hours.They will make
time to spend with Jesus and Mary.They both desired to have Jesus and Mary in the centre of their
family as the Head who will rule and guide their family to Heaven by living a Holy Marriage.
She loved children and their family soon began to grow in a Catholic environment.Their son Pierluigi
was born in November 1956,daughter Mariolina in December 1957 and daughter Laura in July 1959.

Gianna wanted to have a big family. She and Peter had a son, Pierluigi, then two daughters,Mariolina

and Laura, followed by two miscarriages. In the summer of 1961 Gianna became pregnant with 

another child.However,Gianna developed a large, painful uterine tumour that threatened her life and

the baby in her womb.The surgeon suggested that she have an abortion,in order to save her own life. 

Gianna instead ask for a riskier surgery that would simply remove the tumor to protect the baby while

leaving her own life at risk.Gianna pleaded with the surgeon to save the life of the child she was 

carrying, and entrusted herself to Prayer and Providence.She prayed the Rosary daily and seek

Mother Mary for help.The life was saved, for which she thanked the Lord.

She spent the seven months remaining until the birth of the child in incomparable strength of spirit and unrelenting dedication to her tasks as mother and doctor.She worried that the baby in her womb 

might be born in pain, and she asked God to prevent that.

On April 21,1962,the baby was born and they named her Gianna Emmanuela. She was a healthy
baby but her mother Gianna Beretta's life was in danger.She soon contracted septic peritonits,an
infection in her abdominal cavity.

After several days of ineffective treatment and prayerful suffering,she fell into a coma on April 27
but before that Gianna had told Pietro that she wished to die at home,and in accordance with her
will,she was taken home,where she died on the Saturday in the Octave of Easter,at about
8 o’clock in the morning.

Pope John Paul II beatified Gianna in 1994,the International Year of Family.
Many saints are not formally recognized by the Church until centuries after their death.
But Gianna’s cause for canonization began within three decades after she died.The miracles
necessary for the process occurred in a relatively short period of time,so that her husband,
three surviving children and siblings were able to attend her canonization by
Pope John Paul II on May 16, 2004.

An Interview with Saint Gianna's Husband,Pietro...

Quotes of Saint Gianna Beretta Molla :

• It is a sin to kill in the womb.
• Why do you not succeed in doing good?It's because you do not pray enough.
• Love is the most beautiful sentiment the Lord has put into the soul of men and women.
• One earns Paradise with one's daily task.
• One cannot love without suffering or suffer without loving.
• If one were to consider how much Jesus suffered,one would not commit the smallest sin.
• The stillness of prayer is the most essential condition for fruitful action.Before all else,the disciple kneels down.
• Love your children. In them you can see Baby Jesus.Pray for them a lot and every day put them under Holy Mary's protection.
• Love the Virgin Mary. She is our tender confidant in difficulty.Mary is the mother who cannot ignore our requests.
• Prayer is the search for God who is in heaven and everywhere, since He is infinite..The person who does not pray cannot live in God's grace.
• Let us love the Cross and let us remember that we are not alone in carrying it.God is helping us.And in God who is comforting us, as St. Paul says, we can do anything. 

PRAYER TO SAINT GIANNA BERETTA MOLLA:
O Joyful St.Gianna,protector of unborn babies;protect children and babies inside the womb from
physical and spiritual harm.May the child growing in the womb;be secured by the loving hands of
Jesus.Please pray to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus for pregnant mothers and their child,that they
may both grow in holiness together.St.Gianna pray also to Our Lady and ask her to guide them
in teaching the child the ways of Jesus.May children grow in knowing and loving Jesus and Mary.
Amen.
Saint Gianna,whose sufferings was surrendered to Jesus and Mary's loving care,pray for us!