Novena In Honor Of Saint John Vianney ~ Day 2 ~

Saint John Marie Baptist Vianney,
what confidence the people had in your prayers!
You could not leave your old rectory
or your humble church without being surrounded by imploring souls,
who appealed to you as they would have appealed
to Jesus Himself during His earthly life.
And you, O good Saint,
gave them hope by your words,
which were full of love for God.
You, who had always counted entirely on the heart of God,
obtain for me a deep filial trust in His Providence.
As the hope of divine goods fills my heart,
give me courage and help me to always obey the Commandments of God.
Holy Priest of Ars,
I have confidence in your intercession.
Pray for me during this novena especially for...

(our prayer intention here )

Recite the following prayers..

Our Father..Hail Mary..Glory Be...

Novena In Honor Of Saint John Vianney ~ Day 1 ~

- to be prayed July 30-Aug 7 -

Saint John Marie Baptist Vianney you were born of a deeply religious mother; from her you received the Holy Faith; you learned to love God and to pray. At a young age, you were seen kneeling in the front of the statue of Mary. Your soul was supernaturally carried towards the things on High. Despite the high cost, you answered your vocation!

Against many obstacles and contradictions, you had to fight and suffer to become the perfect priest which you were. But your deep spirit of faith supported you in all these battles. 0 Great Saint you know the desire of my soul; I would like to serve God better; from Him I have received so many good things. For this, obtain for me more courage and especially the depth of faith.

Many of my thoughts, words, and actions are useless for my sanctification and for my salvation, because this supernatural spirit does not stir up my life. Help me to be better in the future. Holy Priest of Ars, I have confidence in your intercession. Pray for me during this novena especially for ... (here we mention silently our special intentions).

Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, and 1 Glory Be

Novena to St. Anne , Mother of the Blessed Virgin -Day 9 -

( everyone is welcome to join in praying St. Anne Novena daily until the feast day of St. Anne )
In this novena to St. Anne we ask for help from our Blessed Mother’s mother. St. Anne, the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary (pictured with Mary above), has long been honored by the faithful, including such illustrative figures in our church as St. Augustine, St. John Damascene, and St. Thomas Aquinas. Indeed, a renowned religious historian, the Italian cardinal Caesare Baronius, once wrote that “veneration of St. Anne is as ancient as the Church itself.”

Daily Prayer

O glorious St. Anne,
you are filled with compassion for those who invoke you
and with love for those who suffer!
Heavily burdened with the weight of my troubles,
I cast myself at your feet
and humbly beg of you to take the present intention
which I recommend to you in your special care.
Please recommend it to your daughter,
the Blessed Virgin Mary,
and place it before the throne of our Lord Jesus,
so that He may bring it to a happy issue.
Continue to intercede for me until my request is granted.
But, above all, obtain for me the grace one day
to see my God face to face,
and with you and Mary and all the saints and angels
to praise and bless Him for all eternity.Amen.
( here our prayer intention )
Our Father..Hail Mary..Glory Be

O Jesus, Holy Mary, St. Ann,
help me now and at the hour of my death.
Good St. Ann, intercede for me.Amen

Ninth Day

Good St. Ann,

I have reached the end of this novena in your honor.

I have asked and ask again.

Good mother, let not your kind ear grow weary of my prayers,

though I repeat them so often.

Bounteous Lady,
implore for me from Divine Providence all the help I need through life.
May your generous hand bestow on me the material means
to satisfy my own needs and to alleviate the plight of the poor.

Good St. Ann,
fortify me by the sacraments of the Church at the hour of my death.
Admit me into the company of the blessed in the kingdom of heaven,
where I may praise and thank the adorable Trinity,
your grandson Christ Jesus,
your glorious daughter Mary,
and yourself, dear St. Ann,
through endless ages. Amen

Novena to St. Anne , Mother of the Blessed Virgin -Day 8 -

( everyone is welcome to join in praying St. Anne Novena daily until the feast day of St. Anne )
In this novena to St. Anne we ask for help from our Blessed Mother’s mother. St. Anne, the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary (pictured with Mary above), has long been honored by the faithful, including such illustrative figures in our church as St. Augustine, St. John Damascene, and St. Thomas Aquinas. Indeed, a renowned religious historian, the Italian cardinal Caesare Baronius, once wrote that “veneration of St. Anne is as ancient as the Church itself.”

Daily Prayer

O glorious St. Anne,
you are filled with compassion for those who invoke you
and with love for those who suffer!
Heavily burdened with the weight of my troubles,
I cast myself at your feet
and humbly beg of you to take the present intention
which I recommend to you in your special care.
Please recommend it to your daughter,
the Blessed Virgin Mary,
and place it before the throne of our Lord Jesus,
so that He may bring it to a happy issue.
Continue to intercede for me until my request is granted.
But, above all, obtain for me the grace one day
to see my God face to face,
and with you and Mary and all the saints and angels
to praise and bless Him for all eternity.Amen.
( here our prayer intention )
Our Father..Hail Mary..Glory Be

O Jesus, Holy Mary, St. Ann,
help me now and at the hour of my death.
Good St. Ann, intercede for me.Amen

Eighth Day

Hail, St. Ann!
I rejoice at your exalted glory.
You gave birth to Mary,
whose Divine Son brought salvation to our lost world
by conquering death
and restoring life and hope to sinners.
Pray to Him who,
for love of us,
clothed Himself with human flesh
in the chaste womb of your daughter.

Glorious St. Ann,
with your blessed daughter,
deliver me from everything that is displeasing in the sight of God.
Pray to your gentle and powerful Grandson
that He may cleanse my soul in His precious blood,
that He may send His Holy Spirit
to enlighten and direct me in all that I do,
always obedient to His holy inspirations.

Good mother,
keep a watchful eye on me.
Help me bear all my crosses.
Give me the fullness of your bounty
and sustain me with courage.Amen

Novena to St. Anne , Mother of the Blessed Virgin -Day 7 -

( everyone is welcome to join in praying St. Anne Novena daily until the feast day of St. Anne )
In this novena to St. Anne we ask for help from our Blessed Mother’s mother. St. Anne, the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary (pictured with Mary above), has long been honored by the faithful, including such illustrative figures in our church as St. Augustine, St. John Damascene, and St. Thomas Aquinas. Indeed, a renowned religious historian, the Italian cardinal Caesare Baronius, once wrote that “veneration of St. Anne is as ancient as the Church itself.”

Daily Prayer

O glorious St. Anne,
you are filled with compassion for those who invoke you
and with love for those who suffer!
Heavily burdened with the weight of my troubles,
I cast myself at your feet
and humbly beg of you to take the present intention
which I recommend to you in your special care.
Please recommend it to your daughter,
the Blessed Virgin Mary,
and place it before the throne of our Lord Jesus,
so that He may bring it to a happy issue.
Continue to intercede for me until my request is granted.
But, above all, obtain for me the grace one day
to see my God face to face,
and with you and Mary and all the saints and angels
to praise and bless Him for all eternity.Amen.
( here our prayer intention )
Our Father..Hail Mary..Glory Be

O Jesus, Holy Mary, St. Ann,
help me now and at the hour of my death.
Good St. Ann, intercede for me.Amen

Seventh Day

Once again, Good St. Ann,
I choose you for my advocate before the throne of God.
By the power and grace that God has placed in you,
extend to me your helping hand.
Renew my mind and my heart.

Dear St. Ann,
I have unbounded confidence in your prayers.
To your blessed hands I entrust my soul,
my body and all my hopes for this world and the next.
Direct my actions according to your goodness and wisdom.
I place myself under your motherly care.

Receive me, good mother.
Cover me with the mantle of your love.
Look kindly on me.
By your powerful intercession,
may I obtain from God grace and mercy.
Obtain for me remission for sin
and release from the punishment my offenses have deserved.
Pray that I may receive grace to lead a devout life on earth
and that I may obtain the everlasting reward of heaven.Amen

Novena to St. Anne , Mother of the Blessed Virgin -Day 6 -

( everyone is welcome to join in praying St. Anne Novena daily until the feast day of St. Anne )
In this novena to St. Anne we ask for help from our Blessed Mother’s mother. St. Anne, the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary (pictured with Mary above), has long been honored by the faithful, including such illustrative figures in our church as St. Augustine, St. John Damascene, and St. Thomas Aquinas. Indeed, a renowned religious historian, the Italian cardinal Caesare Baronius, once wrote that “veneration of St. Anne is as ancient as the Church itself.”

Daily Prayer

O glorious St. Anne,
you are filled with compassion for those who invoke you
and with love for those who suffer!
Heavily burdened with the weight of my troubles,
I cast myself at your feet
and humbly beg of you to take the present intention
which I recommend to you in your special care.
Please recommend it to your daughter,
the Blessed Virgin Mary,
and place it before the throne of our Lord Jesus,
so that He may bring it to a happy issue.
Continue to intercede for me until my request is granted.
But, above all, obtain for me the grace one day
to see my God face to face,
and with you and Mary and all the saints and angels
to praise and bless Him for all eternity.Amen.
( here our prayer intention )
Our Father..Hail Mary..Glory Be

O Jesus, Holy Mary, St. Ann,
help me now and at the hour of my death.
Good St. Ann, intercede for me.Amen

Sixth Day

Good St. Ann, do not allow my soul,
a masterpiece of God’s creative power,
to be lost forever.
Free my heart of pride, vanity, self-love.
May I know myself as I really am
and learn meekness and simplicity of heart.

God’s great love for me leaves me cold and unresponsive.
I must reflect this love through works of mercy
and charity toward my neighbor.

In your boundless charity, good St. Ann,
help me to merit the glorious crown
which is given to those who have fought the good fight against the world,
the devil and the flesh.
Assist me to preserve purity of heart and body.
With Mary and her divine Son, protect me always.Amen

Novena to St. Anne , Mother of the Blessed Virgin -Day 5 -

( everyone is welcome to join in praying St. Anne Novena daily until the feast day of St. Anne )
In this novena to St. Anne we ask for help from our Blessed Mother’s mother. St. Anne, the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary (pictured with Mary above), has long been honored by the faithful, including such illustrative figures in our church as St. Augustine, St. John Damascene, and St. Thomas Aquinas. Indeed, a renowned religious historian, the Italian cardinal Caesare Baronius, once wrote that “veneration of St. Anne is as ancient as the Church itself.”

Daily Prayer

O glorious St. Anne,
you are filled with compassion for those who invoke you
and with love for those who suffer!
Heavily burdened with the weight of my troubles,
I cast myself at your feet
and humbly beg of you to take the present intention
which I recommend to you in your special care.
Please recommend it to your daughter,
the Blessed Virgin Mary,
and place it before the throne of our Lord Jesus,
so that He may bring it to a happy issue.
Continue to intercede for me until my request is granted.
But, above all, obtain for me the grace one day
to see my God face to face,
and with you and Mary and all the saints and angels
to praise and bless Him for all eternity.Amen.
( here our prayer intention )
Our Father..Hail Mary..Glory Be

O Jesus, Holy Mary, St. Ann,
help me now and at the hour of my death.
Good St. Ann, intercede for me.Amen

Fifth Day

Hail, all-powerful Lady.
By God’s special favor,
grant consolation to those who invoke you.
Procure for them the eternal riches of heaven,
and like a good mother,
success in their temporal affairs as well.

Good St. Ann,
obtain my deliverance from the punishment
which my sins deserve.
Obtain for me success in my temporal affairs;
especially see to the salvation of my soul.

St. Ann, by your influence with Mary’s son Jesus,
you have won the gift of conversion for many sinners.
Will you then abandon me,
who have chosen you as my mother?
No, St. Ann. Your name alone,
which signifies grace,
assures me of the help of your prayers,
and these prayers will surely procure pardon and mercy from Jesus.
You will pray for me now and at the hour of my death..Amen

Novena to St. Anne , Mother of the Blessed Virgin -Day 4 -

( everyone is welcome to join in praying St. Anne Novena daily until the feast day of St. Anne )
In this novena to St. Anne we ask for help from our Blessed Mother’s mother. St. Anne, the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary (pictured with Mary above), has long been honored by the faithful, including such illustrative figures in our church as St. Augustine, St. John Damascene, and St. Thomas Aquinas. Indeed, a renowned religious historian, the Italian cardinal Caesare Baronius, once wrote that “veneration of St. Anne is as ancient as the Church itself.”

Daily Prayer

O glorious St. Anne,
you are filled with compassion for those who invoke you
and with love for those who suffer!
Heavily burdened with the weight of my troubles,
I cast myself at your feet
and humbly beg of you to take the present intention
which I recommend to you in your special care.
Please recommend it to your daughter,
the Blessed Virgin Mary,
and place it before the throne of our Lord Jesus,
so that He may bring it to a happy issue.
Continue to intercede for me until my request is granted.
But, above all, obtain for me the grace one day
to see my God face to face,
and with you and Mary and all the saints and angels
to praise and bless Him for all eternity.Amen.
( here our prayer intention )
Our Father..Hail Mary..Glory Be

O Jesus, Holy Mary, St. Ann,
help me now and at the hour of my death.
Good St. Ann, intercede for me.Amen

Fourth Day

Good St. Ann, you offered your pure and holy daughter Mary
in the temple with faith, piety and love.
By the happiness which then filled your heart,
I beg you to present me to your Grandson Jesus.
Offered by you,
I will be agreeable in His sight.

Kind St. Ann, take me forever under your protection.
Deliver me from the temptations which continually assail me.
Above all, attend me in my last hour.
As I lie on my deathbed,
be present with your daughter to console and strengthen me.

Holy Mary and good St. Ann,
show yourselves to be mothers indeed
by obtaining for me the grace of a good death.
When my soul goes forth,
lead it to God’s tribunal so that,
by your powerful help and intercession,
it may obtain a favorable judgment.Amen

Novena to St. Anne , Mother of the Blessed Virgin -Day 3-

( everyone is welcome to join in praying St. Anne Novena daily until the feast day of St. Anne )
In this novena to St. Anne we ask for help from our Blessed Mother’s mother. St. Anne, the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary (pictured with Mary above), has long been honored by the faithful, including such illustrative figures in our church as St. Augustine, St. John Damascene, and St. Thomas Aquinas. Indeed, a renowned religious historian, the Italian cardinal Caesare Baronius, once wrote that “veneration of St. Anne is as ancient as the Church itself.”

Daily Prayer

O glorious St. Ann,
you are filled with compassion for those who invoke you
and with love for those who suffer!
Heavily burdened with the weight of my troubles,
I cast myself at your feet
and humbly beg of you to take the present intention
which I recommend to you in your special care.
Please recommend it to your daughter,
the Blessed Virgin Mary,
and place it before the throne of our Lord Jesus,
so that He may bring it to a happy issue.
Continue to intercede for me until my request is granted.
But, above all, obtain for me the grace one day
to see my God face to face,
and with you and Mary and all the saints and angels
to praise and bless Him for all eternity.Amen.
( here our prayer intention )
Our Father..Hail Mary..Glory Be

O Jesus, Holy Mary, St. Ann,
help me now and at the hour of my death.
Good St. Ann, intercede for me.Amen

Third Day

Hail, good St. Ann, who first responded to the needs of Mary,
Mother of our Savior and Queen of Angels.
Hail to you and to your husband St. Joachim,
who watched over her infancy,
presented her to the Lord in the temple and,
according to your promise,
consecrated her to the service of God.

Hail St. Ann, good mother!
I rejoice in the marvels you continually perform,
because they encourage all to seek your intercession.

Good St. Ann, by the great power that God has given you,
show yourself my mother, my consoler, my advocate.
Reconcile me to the God I have so deeply offended.
Console me in my trials; strengthen me in my struggles.
Deliver me from danger in my time of need.
Help me at the hour of death
and open to me the gates of paradise.Amen

Double Feast of Saint Jerome Emilliani, Confessor - Missa "Effúsum est"

Today we celebrate the double Feast of Saint Jerome Emilliani, Confessor
This "optional memorial "( why optional and why memorial - when we had from the beginning - Feasts ) There is nothing humanistic -optional or memorial , when is about to remember and celebrate Feasts of Saints , chosen people by God Eternal Father to be our intercessors ) . 
The Feast of Saint Jerome Emiliani it is new to the USA liturgical calendar and was inscribed on July 20. It was dropped from the General Roman Calendar in 1968 , at that time this feast was celebrated on July 23. This was the feast of St. Jerome Emiliani whose optional memorial is now celebrated on February 8 , but true and traditional Catholics are celebrating the saint - today July 20 .


Oremus. God Eternal Father , Father of mercies, grant, by the intercession of blessed Saint Jerome Emiliani , whom Thou didst will to be the helper and father of orphans, that we may faithfully guard the spirit of adoption whereby we are both in name and reality Thy children. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God. Forever and ever , Amen

Saint Jerome Emilliani was taken prisoner and miraculously liberated, he made a pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady of Treviso, in fulfillment of a vow. In the misery of his dungeon he invoked the great Mother of God, and promised, if she would set him free, to lead a new and a better life. Our Lady appeared, broke his fetters, and led him forth through the midst of his enemies.
After his ordination to the priesthood in 1518, the hospitals and the hovels of the poor were his favourite resorts. In the year of plague and famine (1528), he seemed to be everywhere, and showed his zeal especially for the orphans, whose number had so greatly increased. He rented a house for them near the church of St. Rose and, with the assistance of some pious laymen, ministered to their wants. To his charge was also committed the hospital for incurables, founded by St. Cajetan.
In 1531 he went to Verona and induced the citizens to build a hospital; at Brescia he erected an orphanage, at Bergamo one for boys and another for girls. Here also he founded the first home for fallen women who wished to do penance.
In 1532 Jerome founded a religious society, placing the motherhouse at Somascha, a secluded hamlet between Milan and Bergamo. In the rule, Jerome puts down as the principal work of the community the care of orphans, poor, and sick, and demands that dwellings, food and clothing shall bear the mark of religious poverty.
Saint Jerome fell a martyr to his zeal; contracting a disease at Bergamo, he died at Somascha. He was beatified by Benedict XIV in 1747, and canonized by Clement XIII in 1767. The Office and Mass in his honour were approved eight years later.

Novena to St. Anne , Mother of the Blessed Virgin -Day 2-

( everyone is welcome to join in praying St. Anne Novena daily until the feast day of St. Anne )
In this novena to St. Anne we ask for help from our Blessed Mother’s mother. St. Anne, the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary (pictured with Mary above), has long been honored by the faithful, including such illustrative figures in our church as St. Augustine, St. John Damascene, and St. Thomas Aquinas. Indeed, a renowned religious historian, the Italian cardinal Caesare Baronius, once wrote that “veneration of St. Anne is as ancient as the Church itself.”

Daily Prayer

O glorious St. Ann,
you are filled with compassion for those who invoke you
and with love for those who suffer!
Heavily burdened with the weight of my troubles,
I cast myself at your feet
and humbly beg of you to take the present intention
which I recommend to you in your special care.
Please recommend it to your daughter,
the Blessed Virgin Mary,
and place it before the throne of our Lord Jesus,
so that He may bring it to a happy issue.
Continue to intercede for me until my request is granted.
But, above all, obtain for me the grace one day
to see my God face to face,
and with you and Mary and all the saints and angels
to praise and bless Him for all eternity.Amen.
( here our prayer intention )
Our Father..Hail Mary..Glory Be

O Jesus, Holy Mary, St. Ann,
help me now and at the hour of my death.
Good St. Ann, intercede for me.Amen

Second Day

From the depths of my heart, good St. Ann,
I offer you my homage this day
and ask you to shelter me under the mantle of your motherly care.
You know, good mother, how much I love you,
how gladly I serve you,
how happy I am to praise you,
how eager I am to call on you in time of distress.

Good St. Ann,
be pleased to extend your helping hand in all my wants.
Listen to my prayers,
for I place my trust in your gracious bounty.
Make all my thoughts and desires worthy and righteous.

Jesus, I thank You for all the graces
which in Your infinite goodness You have lavished upon St. Ann;
for having chosen her,
among all women,
to be Your grandmother on earth and exalted her in heaven
with such great and miraculous powers.
In the name of her merits,
I humbly recommend myself to Your infinite mercy.Amen

The Life of Saint Vincent de Paul ( Written by Henry Bedford , M.a )

A great book for all those interested in antique books

The Life of Saint Vincent de Paul ( Written by Henry Bedford , M.a )

Double Feast of Saint Vincent de Paul, Confessor and Religious Founder

Image via WikipediaToday is not only Tuesday of the Sixteenth Week of Ordinary Time , but also the Feast of Saint Vincent de Paul ( not a common memorial or optional commemoration introduced by Pope Paul VI who divided feast days into "solemnities", "feasts" and "memorials", corresponding approximately to Pope John XXIII's I, II and III class feast days.While some of the memorials are considered obligatory, others are optional, permitting a choice on some days between two or three memorials, or between one or more memorials and the celebration of the feria )

Oremus. O God, Who didst strengthen blessed Saint Vincent de Paul with apostolic virtue to preach the Gospel to the poor, and to promote the dignity befitting the ecclesiastical order, grant, we beseech Thee, that we, who venerate his holy merits, may be instructed by the example of his virtues. Who livest and reignest with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God .Forever and ever.Amen.

St. Vincent was born in 1576. In after-years, when adviser of the queen and oracle of the Church in France, he loved to recount how, in his youth, he had guarded his father’s pigs. Soon after his ordination he was captured by corsairs, and carried into Barbary. He converted his renegade master, and escaped with him to France. Appointed chaplain-general of the galleys of France, his tender charity brought hope into those prisons where hitherto despair had reigned.
A mother mourned her imprisoned son. Vincent put on his chains and took his place at the oar, and gave him to his mother.
His charity embraced the poor, young and old, provinces desolated by civil war, Christians enslaved by the infidel. The poor man, ignorant and degraded, was to him the image of Him Who became as “a leper and no man.” “Turn the medal,” he said, “and you then will see Jesus Christ.”
He went through the streets of Paris at night, seeking the children who were left there to die. Once robbers rushed upon him, thinking he carried a treasure, but when he opened his cloak, they recognized him and his burden, and fell at his feet.
Not only was St. Vincent the saviour of the poor, but also of the rich, for he taught them to do works of mercy. When the work for the foundlings was in danger of failing from want of funds, he assembled the ladies of the Association of Charity. He bade his most fervent daughters be present to give the spur to the others. Then he said, “Compassion and charity have made you adopt these little creatures as your children. You have been their mothers according to grace, when their own mothers abandoned them. Cease to be their mothers, that you may become their judges; their life and death are in your hands. I shall now take your votes: it is time to pronounce sentence” The tears of the assembly were his only answer, and the work was continued. The Society of St. Vincent, the Priests of the Mission, and 25,000 Sisters of Charity still comfort the afflicted with the charity of St. Vincent of Paul.

His body was found to be incorrupt and he joined an exclusive list of the holy incorruptibles. He was placed in a glass encased esophogus which is permanently on view in the church dedicated to his name in Paris. Visitors can mount the stairs behind the main altar to see upclose how well preserved God has kept this saintly man's features, a heavenly sign of approval for all St. Vincent de Paul did for God's adopted sons on earth. (Catholic Encyclopedia, 1913)

Novena to St. Anne , Mother of the Blessed Virgin - Day 1-

( everyone is welcome to join in praying St. Anne Novena daily until the feast day of St. Anne )
In this novena to St. Anne we ask for help from our Blessed Mother’s mother. St. Anne, the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary (pictured with Mary above), has long been honored by the faithful, including such illustrative figures in our church as St. Augustine, St. John Damascene, and St. Thomas Aquinas. Indeed, a renowned religious historian, the Italian cardinal Caesare Baronius, once wrote that “veneration of St. Anne is as ancient as the Church itself.”

Daily Prayer

O glorious St. Ann,
you are filled with compassion for those who invoke you
and with love for those who suffer!
Heavily burdened with the weight of my troubles,
I cast myself at your feet
and humbly beg of you to take the present intention
which I recommend to you in your special care.
Please recommend it to your daughter,
the Blessed Virgin Mary,
and place it before the throne of our Lord Jesus,
so that He may bring it to a happy issue.
Continue to intercede for me until my request is granted.
But, above all, obtain for me the grace one day
to see my God face to face,
and with you and Mary and all the saints and angels
to praise and bless Him for all eternity.Amen.
( here our prayer intention )
Our Father..Hail Mary..Glory Be

O Jesus, Holy Mary, St. Ann,
help me now and at the hour of my death.
Good St. Ann, intercede for me.Amen

First Day

Dear St. Ann,
though I am but a prodigal child,
I appeal to you and place myself under your great motherly care.
Please listen to my prayers and grant my requests.
See my contrite heart,
and show me your unfailing goodness.
Deign to be my advocate and recommend me to God’s infinite mercy.
Obtain for me forgiveness of my sins
and the strength to begin a new life that will last forever.

Blessed St. Ann,
I also beg of you the grace to love,
to serve, and to honor your daughter,
the most holy Virgin Mary.
Please recommend me to her and pray to her for me.
She refuses none your requests
but welcomes with loving kindness
all those for whom you intercede.
Good Lord Jesus,
be merciful to the faithful servants of Your grandmother St. Ann. Amen

Saint Camillus of Lellis , Confessor and Religious Founder

Image via WikipediaMissa "Majórem hæc dilectiónem"

Saint Camillus venerated the sick as living images of Christ, and by ministering to them in this spirit did penance for the sins of his youth. He led a life precious in merit, and from a violent and quarrelsome soldier became a gentle and tender Saint.

Saint Camillus' 65 year old mother had a dream that a yet unborn son of hers would wear a red cross on his chest, leading many others wearing that same emblem. She knew in her heart that this was a sign from God and did everything in her power and influence to facilitate God's wishes. She even went so far as to give birth to Saint Camillus in a stable, in an effort to receive favors from the Holy Family. Despite this most auspicious start in life, Saint Camillus led the life of a rebellious teenager, falling into the ways of street gangs of the time.

At the age of 19, he joined the army to fight against the Turks under the military command of his father. In battle,Saint Camillus injured his leg. This injury never properly healed, leaving an open wound that would plague him the rest of his life. He made trips back and forth from the hospital in Rome and the army, but as the cures were only short-lived, he was discharged from the army. Completely broke due to a gambling habit he acquired in the army,Saint Camillus resorted to begging in the streets.

Its usefulness was soon felt, not only in hospitals, but in private houses. Summoned at every hour of the day and night, the devotion of Camillus never grew cold. With a woman’s tenderness he attended to the needs of his patients. He wept with them, consoled them, and prayed with them. He knew miraculously the state of their souls; and St. Philip saw angels whispering to two Servants of the Sick who were consoling a dying person. One day a sick man said to the Saint, “Father, may I beg you to make up my bed? it is very hard.” Camillus replied, “God forgive you, brother! You beg me! Don’t you know yet that you are to command me, for I am your servant and slave.” “Would to God,” he would cry, “that in the hour of my death one sigh or one blessing of these poor creatures might fall upon me!” His prayer was heard. He was granted the same consolations in his last hour which he had so often procured for others.

 One day, a member of the Cathedral of Monfredonia saw Saint Camillus outside the cathedral's gates and he immediately took pity on Saint Camillus, giving him a job as an assistant to a mason. While in that capacity repairing a monastery,Saint Camillus met the Capuchin Fathers. It was the influence of these man that resulted in his conversion and repentance.
Saint Camillus later joined that same monastery; however, due to the recurring problems with his ulcerated leg, Saint Camillus was forced to take leaves of absence and was finally dismissed.Saint Camillus returned home. He was never cured. He devoted the rest of his life to helping the sick and was ordained in 1584. During his final years,Saint Camillus suffered from many other painful ailments, including a rupture, renal colic and stomach cramps. The origin of the Red Cross symbol we are so familiar with today is the symbol in his mother's dreams. It became the symbol for the Order of Ministers of the Sick which was founded by Saint Camillus in 1586.