Novena to the Feast of Saint Dominic Guzman - the Saint of the Holy Rosary ~ Day 1 ~

It is well known, that the devotion of the most Holy Rosary was revealed to Saint Dominic, by the Holy and forever Immaculate Mother of God herself, at a time when the Saint was in affliction, and bewailing, with his Sovereign Lady, over the Albigensian heretics, who were at that time doing great mischief to the Church.
The Blessed Virgin said to him: "This land will always be sterile until rain falls on it." Saint Dominic was then given to understand, that this rain was the devotion of the Holy Rosary, which he was to propagate. This the Saint indeed did, and it was embraced by all Catholics; so much so, that even to the present day, there is no devotion so generally practised by the faithful of all classes as that of the Rosary.

Day 1

Oremus - Let us pray :

My Lord Jesus Christ, who didst found Thy Church with Thy Most Precious Blood and, by the preaching of the Apostles, didst establish it, propagate it and extend it throughout the whole world; and after them didst send the holy Patriarch Dominic to adorn it, enlighten it and defend it by the splendor of his merits and doctrine; vouchsafe to hear the prayers incessantly offered by that apostolic man for the increase of the spiritual goods and the temporal welfare of the same Thy Church.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.


Most merciful Redeemer, who didst choose Saint Dominic to labor with Thee in the saving of souls, and he, by his zeal and Thy grace, won over to the Church so many heretics who were separated from her, and so many sinners who had grieved her by their evil lives; O my God, do thou send new laborers always into Thy vineyard to work for Thy glory and to gather in the fruits of everlasting life.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.


O good Jesus, who didst delight to see Saint Dominic kneeling every night before Thine altar, adoring Thee hidden in the Blessed Sacrament with lively faith and offering in turn groans, prayers and penances in behalf of the Church, at that time persecuted by her enemies and profaned by her own children; defend this Thy Spouse through the intercession of Saint Dominic from the insults and the plots of the infernal enemy of mankind.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.


Pray for us, Saint Dominic,
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:

Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that we who are weighed down by the burden of our sins, may be raised up by the patronage of blessed Dominic Thy Confessor. Through Christ our Lord who lives and reigns in unity with Thee and the Holy Ghost , one God , forever and ever Amen.

Today : the Feast of Saint Anne the mother of Holy Mary the forever Immaculate Mother of God

[ in the stained glass picture Saint Anne with new born Maria Bambina the Holy and forever Immaculate Mother of God ]

This year the Feast of Saint Anne, devoted Mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary, supersedes the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost and what better day to celebrate "Grandmothers' Day" than this Sunday. What makes it all the better is it is not commercialized, but it will give you the opportunity to wish all grandmothers a blessed and Happy Grandmothers Day in honor of the greatest grandmother of them all - Jesus' Own grandmother Saint Anne.

Oremus - Let us pray :

Blessed was the womb that bore thee, O Mary! Blessed was she who had the happiness of carrying thee in her arms and of watching over thy slumbers! Blessed was she who had the happiness of hearing thee call her "Mother"! Blessed was she whose glory it was to teach thee how to speak, to pray, to walk!

Glorious St. Anne, I rejoice with thee because thou wert chosen by God to fulfill so great a destiny; I take part in the joy which thrilled through thee, when, beholding Mary seated on the right hand of Jesus, higher than the elect, than the Angels, Archangels, Cherubim and Seraphim, thou didst say to thyself: " She is my daughter!" Great Saint! be thou for ever filled with joy at thy great happiness, but vouchsafe to not forget a poor sinner who cries to thee.

I ask but one grace: ask thy most admirable daughter to take me under her special protection; obtain this favor for me and I will ask no more; for if she deigns to protect me, I am sure of salvation.Amen


According to Blessed Catherine Emmerick many ancestors of Saint Anne were Essenes. Those pious people were descendants of those priests who in the time of Moses and Aaron carried the Ark of the Covenant. They received their rules in the days of Isaiah and Jeremiah.

The Essenes became numerous and fixed themselves in Mount Sinai and Mount Carmel, where Elias had seen God and had received the symbolic vision of Our Lady. Later they migrated to the region of the Jordan. They wore poor and simple apparel. They married, but observed a great purity of customs in the married state.

Even in those early times some of the forefathers of Saint Anne and other members of the Holy Family were found among them. From them sprang those called the Children of the Prophets. One of these holy men advised Anne to marry Joachim, from the tribe of David, because he saw some extraordinary thing would come from this marriage.

Anne was especially dear to her parents. Her birth was predicted by an Angel who painted a large “M” on the wall of her parents’ room. She was not strikingly beautiful, though prettier than others. She was extraordinarily pious, pure and innocent. She was the same at every age, as a maiden, as a mother and as an old woman.

When in her fifth year, Anne was taken to the Temple, as Mary was later. There she remained twelve years, returning home in her 17th year.

Their only grief was, that, although so long married, they had no issue; and a barren marriage was at that time considered a disgrace, nay almost a sign of a divine curse. Saddened by this sorrow, St. Anne, as well as her spouse, prayed with many sighs and tears, that God would take pity on them and remove the disgrace that was weighing them down. But when, after having prayed long and earnestly, they were not heard, they determined to bear patiently the will of the Almighty. As, however, St. Anne knew that God required continual prayer, and that He had not given to men a certain time to ask for grace, she ceased not to implore heaven with great confidence, for all that she believed was for His honor and her own salvation.

God answered the trusting, tearful prayer of His servant, and sent her, according to the opinion of the Holy Fathers, an angel, who announced to her that she would give birth to a child which, blessed among women, would become the mother of the long expected Saviour of the world.
It is also believed that the angel told Saint Anne the name which she should give to the blessed fruit of her womb. The same revelation was made to Saint Joachim, and the happiness of both and their gratitude to the Almighty can be easily imagined.
Their happiness was crowned when Saint Anne gave birth to her who was elected by God from all eternity to become the mother of His only Son.
Who can describe the joy with which Anne pressed her newborn child to her heart, or the solicitude and love with which she brought it up?
The knowledge that her blessed daughter was chosen by God to so great a dignity was incentive enough to have nothing undone for her welfare. The mind of the blessed child was so far beyond her years, and her whole being so angelically innocent, that her education was an easy task, and Saint Anne deemed herself the happiest mother in the world, because God had entrusted to her so priceless a child.
The graces which, through the presence of the Blessed Virgin, she received from Heaven, cannot but have been innumerable. For if, in after times, the house of Elizabeth and Zachary was, by a visit from Mary, filled with heavenly blessings, who can doubt that St. Anne, who was the mother of the Blessed Virgin, was gifted with extraordinary graces?

As one cannot give to the Blessed Virgin a higher title than to call her Mother of God, thus Saint Anne cannot be more exalted than when she is called the mother of her who bore the Son of God. And for the very reason that she was chosen to be her mother, we must believe that the Almighty favored her here upon earth, with grace above all the Saints, and raised her to high glory in Heaven.

Blessed Feast of Saint Anne , everyone ! 
Saint Anne , ora pro nobis peccatoribus 

Today is the Feast of Saint Christopher - the Christ bearer

While today we celebrate the Double of the Second Class Feast of Saint James the Greater, lost in the shuffle is poor Saint Christopher whom the Vatican II Modernists didn't particularly take a hankering to and, with the feeble excuse that "there wasn't enough historical proof of his existence", eliminated him from the liturgical calendar just as he did dear Saint Philomena. In a way they weren't offended. After all, what else would you expect from an impostor intent on destroying the holy faith?

Why would Archbishop Giovanni Montini have wanted to rid the calendar of Saint Christopher? Why would Bishop Karol Wojtyla and Father Joseph Ratzinger have followed suit in condoning such insolence? Could it be because Saint Christopher, is the patron saint against demons and we all know who let the demon dogs in the front door after Cardinal Angelo Roncalli opened wide the back door. Sancte Christophorus, ora pro nobis.

Despite the idiocy and satanic insanity of Vatican II doing away with some saints with no rhyme nor reason for their actions, today is also the feast of Saint Christopher - "Christ Bearer." There is a commemoration of him today. Saint Christopher, a native of Chanaan, was martyred at Lycia in the Third Century. He was greatly venerated in the East. His name, which signifies "one who carries Christ," won for him great veneration even in the city of Rome.

An ancient tradition concerning St. Christophorus relates: He was born in the land of Canaan, and was named Reprobus, that is Reprobate, for he was a barbarous heathen. In stature and strength he was a giant. Thinking no one his like in bodily vigor, he resolved to go forth in search of the mightiest master and serve him. In his wanderings, he met with a king who was praised as the most valorous man on earth. To him he offered his services and was accepted. The king was proud of his giant and kept him near his person. One day a minstrel visited the king's castle, and among the ballads he sung before the court was one on the power of Satan. At the mention of this name the king blessed himself, making me Sign of the Cross. Reprobus, wondering, asked him why he did that. The king replied: "When I make this Sign, satan has no power over me." Reprobus rejoined: "So thou fearest the power of satan? Then he is mightier than thou, and I shall seek and serve him."

Setting forth to seek satan, he came into a wilderness. One dark night he met a band of wild fellows riding through the forest. It was satan and his escort. Reprobus bravely accosted him, saying he wished to serve him. He was accepted. But soon he was convinced that his new master was not the mightiest on earth. For one day, whilst approaching a Crucifix by the wayside, satan quickly took to flight, and Reprobus asked him for the reason. satan replied: "That is the image of my greatest enemy, Who conquered me on the Cross. From Him I always flee." When Reprobus heard this, he left the devil, and went in search of Christ.

In his wanderings, he one day came to a hut hidden in the forest. At its door sat a venerable old man. Reprobus addressed him, and in the course of the conversation that ensued the old man told him that he was a hermit, and had left the world to serve Christ, the Lord of Heaven and earth. "Thou art my man," cried Reprobus; "Christ is He Whom I seek, for He is the strongest and the mightiest. Tell me where I can find Him."

The hermit then began instructing the giant about God and the Redeemer, and concluded by saying: "He who would serve Christ must offer himself entirely to Him, and do and suffer everything for His sake. His reward for this will be immense and will last forever." Reprobus now asked the hermit to allow him to remain, and to continue to instruct him. The hermit consented. When Reprobus was fully instructed, he Baptized him. After his Baptism, a great change came over the giant. No longer proud of his great size and strength, he became meek and humble, and asked the hermit to assign to him some task by which he might serve God, his master. "For," said he, "I can not pray and fast; therefore I must serve God in some other way." The hermit led him to a broad and swift river nearby, and said: "Here build thyself a hut, and when wanderers wish to cross the river, carry them over for the love of Christ." For there was no bridge across the river.

Henceforth, day and night, whenever he was called, Reprobus faithfully performed the task assigned to him.

††† One night he heard a Child calling to be carried across the river. Quickly he rose, placed the Child on his stout shoulder, took his staff and walked into the mighty current.

Arrived in midstream, the water rose higher and higher, and the child became heavier and heavier. "O child," he cried, "how heavy thou art! It seems I bear the weight of the world on my shoulder." And the Child replied, "Right thou art. Thou bearet not only the world, but the Creator of Heaven and earth. I am Jesus Christ, thy King and Lord, and henceforth thou shalt be called Christophorus, that is, Christ-bearer. Arrived on yonder shore, plant thy staff in the ground, and in token of My power and might tomorrow it shall bear leaves and blossoms."

And the Child disappeared. On reaching the other shore, Christophorus stuck his staff into the ground, and behold, it budded forth leaves and blossoms. Then, kneeling, he promised the Lord to serve Him ever faithfully. He kept his promise, and thenceforth became a zealous preacher of the Gospel, converting many to the Faith. On his missionary peregrinations he came also to Lycia, where, after his first sermon, eighteen thousand heathens requested Baptism. When Emperor Decius heard of this, he sent a company of four hundred soldiers to capture Christophorus. To these he preached so convincingly, that they all asked for Baptism. Decius became enraged thereat and had him cast into prison. There he first treated him with great kindness, and surrounded him with every luxury to tempt him to sin, but in vain. Then he ordered him to be tortured in the most cruel manner, until he should deny the Faith. He was scourged, placed on plates of hot iron, boiling oil was poured over and fire was lighted under him. When all these torments did not accomplish their purpose, the soldiers were ordered to shoot him with arrows. This, too, having no effect, he was beheaded, on July 25, 254.

Two great Saints refer to the wonderful achievements of Saint Christophorus.
Saint Ambrose mentions that this Saint converted forty-eight thousand souls to Christ.
Saint Vincent Ferrer declares that when the plague devastated Valencia, its destructive course was stayed through the intercession of Saint Christophorus.

Saint Christophorus is usually called Saint Christopher. He is the patron of travelers, especially motorists, and is invoked in storms and tempests.

LESSON

The life of Saint Christophorus conveys a wholesome truth. We ought all to be Christ-bearers, by preserving in our hearts faith, hope, and charity, and by receiving Our Lord worthily in Holy Communion. He alone is worthy of our service. In the service that we owe to men, we ought to serve God by doing His will. We can not divide our heart, for Our Lord Himself says, "No man can serve two masters" [Matt. 6: 24]. If you serve the world, it deceives you, for it can not give you what it promises. If you serve sin, satan is your master. He, too, deceives his servants, and leads them to perdition. Christ on the Cross conquered these two tyrants, and with His help you can also vanquish them. Therefore, give yourself to Him with all your heart, and you shall find peace in this world, and eternal bliss in the next. Saint Augustine learned this truth by sad experience, and therefore exclaims:

"Thou hast created us for Thee, O Lord, and our heart is restless till it rests in Thee."

Prayer of the Church

Grant us, Almighty God, that whilst we celebrate the memory of Thy blessed Martyr
Saint Christophorus, through his intercession the love of Thy Name may be increased in us. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Today is the Feast of Saint James the Greater

Sanctify Thy people, O Lord, and keep them: so that, strengthened by the help of James Thy Apostle, They may become pleasing to Thee in the conduct of Their lives and may serve thee without fear.

Oremus /Let us pray. Be Thou, O Lord, the Sanctifier, and the Guardian of Thy people, so that, being defended by the protection of Thine apostle James, they may both please Thee by their conduct and serve Thee with mind all untroubled. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, forever and ever.Amen.


Let us now read the lines consecrated by the Church to his honour: James, the son of Zebedee, and own brother of John the Apostle, was a Galilaean. He was one of the first to be called to the Apostolate together with his brother, and, leaving his father and his nets, he followed the Lord. Jesus called them both Boanerges, that is to say, sons of Thunder. He was one of the three Apostles whom our Saviour loved the most, and whom He chose as witnesses of His Transfiguration, and of the miracle by which He raised to life the daughter of the ruler of the Synagogue, and whom He wished to be present when he retired to the Mount of Olives, to pray to his Father, before being taken prisoner by the Jews.

After the Ascension of Jesus Christ into Heaven, James preached His Divinity in Judea and Samaria, and led many to the Christian faith. Soon, however, he set out for Spain, and there made some converts to Christianity; among these were the seven men, who were afterwards consecrated bishops by St. Peter, and were the first sent by him into Spain. James returned to Jerusalem, and, among others, instructed Hermogenes, the magician, in the truths of faith. Herod Agrippa, who had been raised to the throne under the Emperor Claudius, wished to curry favour with the Jews, he, therefore, condemned the Apostle to death for openly proclaiming Jesus Christ to be God. When the man who had brought him to the tribunal saw the courage with which he went to martyrdom he declared that he, too, was a Christian.

As they were being hurried to execution, he implored James' forgiveness. The Apostle kissed him, saying: "Peace be with you." Thus both of them were James having a little before cured a paralytic. His body was afterwards translated to Compostella, where it is honoured with the highest veneration; pilgrims flock thither from every part of the world, to satisfy their devotion or pay their vows. The memory of his natalis is celebrated by the Church to-day, which is the day of his translation. But it was near the feast of the Pasch that, first of all the Apostles, he shed his blood, at Jerusalem, as a witness to Jesus Christ.