Bless The Holy Name

Prayer that just seemed right...

noreply@blogger.com (CatalinaMarie) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 01:52:00 +0000

I recently got a new prayer book and there was a prayer that really struck me.

For the Honor of Your Name
Merciful God, grant that I may eagerly desire, carefully search out, truthfully acknowledge, and ever perfectly fulfill all things which are pleasing to You. Order all my life for the glory and honor of Your name alone. Enlighten me to know what You want of me, and help me to do it properly and without profit to my salvation. Grant that I may not fail or swerve either in prosperity or adversity; that I be not lifted up by the one, nor cast down by the other. Let me enjoy only what leads to You, and grieve only for what leads away from You;let me neither seek to please, nor fear to displease, any but You alone. May all transitory things grow vile in my eyes, O Lord, and make all that is Yours be dear to me for Your sake, and You, my God, dear above them all. May all joy be irksome to me that is without You, may all labor and toil delight me which is for You, and rest be weariness which is not in You. Amen.

-St. Thomas Aquinas

I'm not sure exactly why it struck me the way it did. Maybe it just came at a perfect time in my life. I needed to be able to know that I do all things for God.
Just thought I'd share it because it just seemed right.

Corpus Christi

noreply@blogger.com (CatalinaMarie) — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 00:19:00 +0000

From ChurchYear.Net:

The feast of Corpus Christi commemorates the Eucharist; traditionally it falls on the Thursday following Trinity Sunday, although in some regions it is translated to the following Sunday. (Corpus Christi is celebrated on Sunday in most of the US, but I thought I would share this today for those who celebrated it yesterday.)

In some ways every Sunday is a feast of the Eucharist, because by participating in the Mass, and in receiving Communion, we are honoring and celebrating the Eucharist. Nonetheless, a desire to specifically celebrate the Eucharist developed. The feast of Corpus Christi owes a rather large debt to St. Juliana, a nun of Liege, Belgium, who was led to start a celebration of the Mass around AD 1230. At an early age, she developed a strong devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, and she longed for a feast in honor of the Eucharist. In AD 1264 a bull of Pope Urban IV commanded universal the observance of the feast. Nonetheless, Urban's death impeded the spread of the feast. However, by the 14th century, the feast became universally celebrated in the West. St. Thomas Aquinas is given credit for many of the customs and hymns associated with Corpus Christi. Scholars have questioned this. However, the hymns and prayers certainly are in the tradition of Aquinas, and many defend the traditional ascription based on internal evidence. The Feast of Corpus Christi is celebrated throughout the Catholic Church. Although the feast is not officially observed in most Protestant churches, some Anglican churches, especially Anglo-Catholics, observe the feast.

There are some very nice prayers for Corpus Christi which can be found here.
For more information, you can check out New Advent's article on Corpus Christi here.

And I thought I would share some nice videos from the Apostleship of Prayer:

I would just like to put the link to the prayers once more: ChurchYear.Net

Weekly Scripture Passage

noreply@blogger.com (CatalinaMarie) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 23:58:00 +0000

Make me know Your ways, O Lord;
teach me Your paths.
Lead me in Your truth, and teach me,
for You are the God of my salvation;
for You I wait all the day long.

-Psalm 25:4-5

Graduation!...It Means High School Is Over

noreply@blogger.com (CatalinaMarie) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 02:02:00 +0000

So, I have finally graduated! After 13 years of school (kindergarten through 12th grade) I can say I have officially completed high school and that is a relief. The years seemed to take forever...my whole remembered life basically...but it still seems like high school went really fast. I'm really happy it's done, but in some ways I'm going to miss it.
I'm going to miss seeing everybody everyday.
I'm going to miss my few best friends I don't see much during the summer.
I'm going to miss the 25 minute drive to school and from school everyday with my sister.
I'm going to miss some of the teachers I will probably never see again.
I'm going to miss the school itself and everything it represents.

Then there are the things I'm not going to miss.
I'm not going to miss the "drama"...and this isn't the acting kind.
I'm not going to miss my classmates who always pretended I was invisible...unless they wanted something.
I'm not going to miss trying to find a parking space in the parking lot...or having a new scratch on the car after school.
I'm not going to miss the awful amount of stairs I had to walk everyday for the last 4 years.
I'm not going to miss the classes we never learned anything in but had to sit through anyway.
I'm not going to miss the homework that always seemed like too much.

Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

noreply@blogger.com (CatalinaMarie) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 02:01:00 +0000

Tomorrow starts the Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I found this one courtesy of the Carmelite Sisters.

Say every day for nine days.

Begin June 10 and end June 18, 2009

O my Jesus, You have said: "Truly, I say to you, ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you." Behold I knock, I seek and ask for the grace of...... (here name your request.)

Our Father....Hail Mary....Glory Be to the Father....Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in You.

II. O my Jesus, you have said: "Truly I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you." Behold, in your name, I ask the Father for the grace of....... (here name your request)

Our Father...Hail Mary....Glory Be To the Father....Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.

III. O my Jesus, you have said: "Truly I say to you, heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away." Encouraged by your infallible words I now ask for the grace of..... (here name your request)

Our Father....Hail Mary....Glory Be to the Father...Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, for whom it is impossible not to have compassion on the afflicted, have pity on us miserable sinners and grant us the grace which we ask of you, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, your tender Mother and ours.

Say the Hail, Holy Queen and add: St. Joseph, foster father of Jesus, pray for us.

-- St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

Trinity Sunday

noreply@blogger.com (CatalinaMarie) — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 01:02:00 +0000

Okay, so its been awhile. With finally being done with high school (Graduation is this Sunday) and then everything else that means, I haven;t exactly had a lot of time to do anything not related to school.

So, this weekend is Trinity Sunday so I thought I'd share an article from ChurchYear.Net:
Trinity Sunday, officially "The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity," is one of the few feasts of the Christian Year that celebrates a reality and doctrine rather than an event or person. On Trinity Sunday we remember and honor the eternal God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Trinity Sunday is celebrated the Sunday after Pentecost, and lasts only one day, which is symbolic of the unity of the Trinity.
The Trinity is one of the most fascinating - and controversial - Christian dogmas. The Trinity is a mystery. By mystery the Church does not mean a riddle, but rather the Trinity is a reality above our human comprehension that we may begin to grasp, but ultimately must know through worship, symbol, and faith. It has been said that mystery is not a wall to run up against, but an ocean in which to swim. The common wisdom is that if you talk about the Trinity for longer than a few minutes you will slip into heresy because you are probing the depths of God too deeply.
The Church has been celebrating the Trinity in its life and worship since the earliest days of the Church, as evidenced by the Trinitarian baptismal formula. The earliest known liturgies (including that contained in the Apostolic Tradition of Hippolytus) include many references to the persons of the Trinity, including prayers that end with Trinitarian doxologies. Nonetheless, there was no general feast of the Trinity in the early Church. Over time, dioceses and churches began celebrating feasts of the Trinity locally, perhaps in response to Arianism. Early dates of the localized feasts include the first Sunday after Pentecost, or the first Sunday before Advent. Both placements have symbolic value. The post-Pentecost date celebrates the Trinity as the final celebration of the Church Year, after Christ's resurrection, ascension, and the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The pre-Advent date, no longer observed, began the Church Year with the celebration of the Trinity, the source of all creation. Both show the importance of the Trinity as the foundation, beginning and end, of Christian belief and experience. Pope John XXII established the feast day for universal observance in the Western Church in AD 1334 on the present date. In addition to the yearly observance of Trinity Sunday, the Church's weekly, daily, and hourly worship is strongly Trinitarian in nature.

This article can be found here with more details. The image can be found here.

Have a great Trinity Sunday!

Weekly Scripture Passage

noreply@blogger.com (CatalinaMarie) — Sun, 17 May 2009 14:41:00 +0000

"You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you."

-John 15:16

Our Lady of Fatima

noreply@blogger.com (CatalinaMarie) — Wed, 13 May 2009 10:57:00 +0000

From EWTN:
On May 13th, 1917 the children (Lucia dos Santos and Fancisco and Jacinta Marto) were again playing their games, this time building castles out of rock in the field. Suddenly they saw a flash of light. Believing it to be lightning, even though the sky was clear, the children gathered the sheep and started for home. They took refuge under a tree about a hundred yards away. They saw a flash of light again. They began running, going about a hundred yards further when suddenly they saw, standing over a small holmoak tree, a Lady dressed in white more brilliant than the sun. She said, "Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you! I am from Heaven. I come to ask you to come here for six months in succession, on the thirteenth day at this same hour. Then I will tell you who I am, and what I want. And afterwards I will return here a seventh time." (Our Lady appeared at the holmoak a total of six times. To this day there are only conjectures about when the seventh apparition took or will take place.) Lucia asked if the three of them would go to Heaven. The Lady said they would except that Francisco would have to say many Rosaries first. Lucia asked about two of her friends who had died. The Lady responded that one was in Heaven but the other would be in Purgatory until the end of the world. The Lady went on to say, "Do you wish to offer yourselves to God, to endure all the sufferings that He may please to send you, as an act of reparation for the sins by which He is offended and to ask for the conversion of sinners?" Lucia responded, "Yes" for all three of them. Then the Lady said, "Then you will have much to suffer. But the grace of God will be your comfort." With this the Lady opened Her Hands and enveloped the children in light.

Sources:
EWTN

Weekly Scripture Passage

noreply@blogger.com (CatalinaMarie) — Sat, 09 May 2009 13:50:00 +0000

His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever He tells you."

-John 2:5

World Day of Prayer for Vocations - Sunady, May 3, 2009

noreply@blogger.com (CatalinaMarie) — Sun, 03 May 2009 01:40:00 +0000

From the Vocation Ministers of the Milwaukee Archdiocese:

World Day of Prayer for Vocations - Sunday, May 3rd

In 1963 Pope Paul VI designated Good Shepherd Sunday as World Day of Prayer for Vocations. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, knows us well and gives his life for us. In the name of Jesus we rejoice in the Good Shepherd who leads us into fullness of life.

As we celebrate this feast we pray for fidelity to our vocation. The Church invites us to honor the vocation of all Christians given at baptism. Through the vocation of marriage, priesthood, diaconate, consecrated life, and the single life may we further the reign of God. May those who are discerning their life vocation listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd to
guide them.

Prayer for Vocations

Gracious God,
With grateful hearts we welcome the presence
of Jesus, our Good Shepherd.
We accept the mission of Jesus
to bring good news to the world
by our baptismal commitment to gospel living.

Bless us with discerning hearts.
May we have the courage to give our lives
in loving service through married life, the single life,
the consecrated life, and ordained life.

Inspire men and women to respond generously
and embrace the gift of a religious vocation.

We unite our prayers with the whole Church,
with the communion of saints, with Jesus and the Spirit
in praise and thanksgiving now and forever. Amen.
Source: Vocation Ministers of the Milwaukee Archdiocese

Additional prayers of Vocations may be found here from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Here are some very nice videos I found on vocations:

Weekly Scripture Passage

noreply@blogger.com (CatalinaMarie) — Sun, 03 May 2009 01:36:00 +0000

And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,... for He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His Name."

-Luke 1:46-47, 49

May, the Month of Mary

noreply@blogger.com (CatalinaMarie) — Fri, 01 May 2009 21:35:00 +0000

I figured that since I am semi caught up in school and such I would make a point to post about May, the Month of Mary.

From Catholic Online:
The May devotion in its present form originated at Rome where Father Latomia of the Roman College of the Society of Jesus, to counteract infidelity and immorality among the students, made a vow at the end of the eighteenth century to devote the month of May to Mary. From Rome the practice spread to the other Jesuit colleges and thence to nearly every Catholic church of the Latin rite (Albers, "Bluethenkranze", IV, 531 sq.). This practice is the oldest instance of a devotion extending over an entire month.

Sources:
here for the picture
here for the info
and the videos have the embed link in them

My Visit to Washington

noreply@blogger.com (CatalinaMarie) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 10:49:00 +0000

I finally am taking the time to share some pics from my trip two and a half weeks ago.

This is from the plane almost to Spokane.

This is from the first snow.

This is Cataldo Mission, the oldest building in Idaho.

This picture is from my last visit, because I didn't get a group picture this time.

You can see the images larger by clicking on them.

Weekly Scripture Passage

noreply@blogger.com (CatalinaMarie) — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 13:07:00 +0000

And behold, a voice from heaven, saying, "This is My Beloved Son, with Whom I am well pleased."

-Matthew 3:17

Weekly Scripture Passage

noreply@blogger.com (CatalinaMarie) — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 18:36:00 +0000

I have been very,very busy getting ready for Easter and this next week it will be lots of homework, so I'm not going to be posting much until I can get my speech written for my Speech class. Wishing all a very Blessed Easter!!

"Do not be afraid; for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He has risen, as He said."

-Matthew 28:5-6

Weekly Scripture Passage

noreply@blogger.com (CatalinaMarie) — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 00:52:00 +0000

So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord - the King of Israel!"

-John 12:13

Annunciation of the Lord

noreply@blogger.com (CatalinaMarie) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 08:45:00 +0000

So I know this is an early post but it has to be. I am getting on a plane to visit SMMC and will not be home until April 3rd.

From Holy Spirit Interactive:

The time arrived for Jesus to come down from heaven. God sent the Archangel Gabriel to the town of Nazareth where Mary lived. The glorious archangel entered Mary's little house and found her praying. "Hail Mary, full of grace!" said the angel. "The Lord is with you, and you are blessed among women." Mary was surprised to hear the angel's words of praise.

"Do not be afraid, Mary," said Gabriel. Then he told her that she was to be the mother of Jesus, our Savior. Mary understood what a great honor God was giving her. Yet she said, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord!" At that very moment, she became the Mother of God. And still she called herself his handmaid, his servant.

Mary knew, too, that as the mother of Jesus, she would have many sorrows. She knew she would have to suffer when her Son suffered. Yet with all her heart, she said, "Be it done to me according to your word."

Reflection: This feast celebrates Mary's response to God, and the awesome moment of the Incarnation. Take some time today to reflect on how profoundly our lives have been changed as a result of Mary's "yes" to God.

Sources:
Holy Spirit Interactive
New Advent
Catholic Online
EWTN
ChurchYear.Net

Prayers for the Annunciation can be found here.

Blessed Didacus

noreply@blogger.com (CatalinaMarie) — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 11:42:00 +0000

From Holy Spirit Interactive:

Blessed Didacus Joseph was born on March 29, 1743, in Cadiz, Spain. He was baptized Joseph Francis. His parents loved their faith and practiced it. They were delighted when their child constructed an altar and decorated it. He would kneel and pray to Jesus, to Our Lady and to St. Joseph.

When he was old enough, Joseph learned how to serve Mass at the Capuchin Franciscan church just down the street. Joseph learned to love the Mass. He used to get up early enough to be at the church each morning to wait for the doors to be unlocked. He never missed a day. One of the Capuchin priests or brothers gave Joseph a book about the lives of the Capuchin saints. He read it and read it again. Joseph learned every story. He grew to love the holy men who were poor and humble like Jesus. The day came when he asked to join the order. He was accepted and went to Seville, Spain, for his training, called a novitiate. He began a new life with a new name, Brother Didacus.

After years of preparation, Brother Didacus was ordained a priest. He was sent out to preach to the people the Good News of Jesus. He loved doing this. His homilies were so clear and kind that people listened. They even brought friends to listen. Soon an ordinary church was too small for the crowds. When Father Didacus was preaching, the talks were held outdoors, usually in the town square or in the streets. Father Didacus loved to preach about the Blessed Trinity. He was always available to hear confessions, too. He was happy when people came to the sacrament of Reconciliation. Whenever he had some free time, he visited prisons and hospitals. He also would pay calls at the homes of shut-ins. Father Didacus died in 1801 and was declared "blessed" by Pope Leo XIII in 1894.

Reflection: Bl. Didacus received much of his courage to grow in holiness by reading about the lives of other holy men. Which of the saints has particularly influenced my life?

Source: Holy Spirit Interactive

St. Turibius

noreply@blogger.com (CatalinaMarie) — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 11:39:00 +0000

From Holy Spirit Interactive:

St. Turibius was born in 1538 in Leon, Spain. He became a university professor and then a famous judge. He was a fine Christian with a reputation for being honest and wise.

An unusual thing happened to him that changed his whole life. He was asked to become the archbishop of Lima, Peru. First of all, he was not a priest. Second, Peru was in far away South America. This happened because Lima needed an archbishop. Many people in the Church realized that Turibius had the qualities for such a trusted position. He begged to be excused from the honor. But when he learned about the miserable condition of the native people of Peru, he could not refuse. He wanted to help them and to bring them the faith. He was ordained a priest and set out for Peru.

As archbishop, St. Turibius traveled all over the country. He made his way over the snowy mountains on foot. He walked over the hot sands of the seashore. He built churches and hospitals. He started the first school in Latin America for the training of priests. Such a school is called a seminary. He learned the different native languages. He wanted the people to be able to listen to homilies at Mass and go to confession in their own language. He protected the natives who were often cruelly treated by their Conquerers.

St. Turibius loved the people of Peru. He spent the rest of his life as a priest and bishop for them. He died on March 23, 1606, at the age of sixty-eight. St. Turibius was proclaimed a saint by Pope Benedict XIII in 1726.

Reflection: We may hear the expression, "God works in mysterious ways." St. Turibius went from being a judge in Spain to becoming archbishop of Lima. How do I make room in my life for God to work in unexpected ways?

Sources:
Holy Spirit Interactive
New Advent
Catholic Online
EWTN

Weekly Scripture Passage

noreply@blogger.com (CatalinaMarie) — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:47:00 +0000

But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and no torment will ever touch them.

-Wisdom 3:1

St. Deogratias

noreply@blogger.com (CatalinaMarie) — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 12:36:00 +0000

From Holy Spirit Interactive:

The city of Carthage was taken over by barbarian armies in 439. The conquerors were the Vandals. They arrested the bishop and priests and put them on a large, old wooden raft and set it adrift at sea. Incredible as it may seem, they reached the port of Naples and were rescued. But the city they left behind was without a bishop for fourteen years.

Emperor Valentinian in Rome asked Genseric, the leader of the Vandals, to permit the ordination of another bishop for Carthage. Genseric agreed and a young priest of that city was chosen. He was respected by the conquerors and loved by the Christians. His name in Latin was "Deogratias," which, in English, means "thanks be to God." Bishop Deogratias labored for the faith and well-being of the people of Carthage.

Then Genseric sacked Rome. He returned to Africa with hundreds of slaves-men, women and children. Whole families were kidnapped and divided up among the Vandals and Moors. Genseric totally disregarded natural ties. Family members were sold individually and separated from their loved ones. Bishop Deogratias heard about the tragedy. When the slave ships docked at Carthage, he bought back as many slaves as he could. He raised the money by selling the church vessels, vestments and ornaments. He was able to free many families. He found living quarters for them. When the houses were filled up, he used two large churches for this purpose. He bought bedding and other necessary items so that the people could feel at home in their new surroundings.

Bishop Deogratias died after only three years as Carthage's bishop. He was totally worn out from his life of self-sacrifice and loving service. The people he helped would never forget him. He died in 457.

Reflection: For what blessings can I give thanks to God today?

Sources:
Holy Spirit Interactive
Catholic Online

St. Serapion

noreply@blogger.com (CatalinaMarie) — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 12:33:00 +0000

From Holy Spirit Interactive:

Serapion lived in Egypt in the fourth century. Those were exciting times for the Church and for St. Serapion. As a young man, he received an impressive education in Christian theology and secular subjects. For a while, he directed the famous Christian school that taught the faith in Alexandria. Then Serapion went out into the desert and became a monk. He met the famous hermit, St. Anthony of Egypt. Serapion tried very hard to learn from and imitate him. When he died, Anthony left Serapion one of his cloaks, which he treasured for the rest of his life.

Serapion became bishop of Thmuis, a city in lower Egypt. He went to a very important meeting of bishops in Sardica in 347. Serapion proved to be a very brave bishop. He loved the truths of the faith and tried to protect them from those who wanted to change Christian beliefs. He worked with St. Athanasius, another brave bishop. Both were outstanding for their courage. They combated false teachings or heresies with their homilies and with their writings. Most of St. Serapion's writings were lost. They were letters full of instruction about the faith and an explanation of the Psalms. His most important work, called the "Euchologion," was lost for hundreds of years. It was found and published at the end of the nineteenth century.

Another famous saint of that time, Jerome, said that Emperor Constantius sent Serapion into exile. It seems that Serapion died around the year 370 in the place where he was exiled.

Reflection: Take a moment to be grateful for those persons in your life who have taught you about the faith and have been an example in living it.

Sources:
Holy Spirit Interactive
New Advent
Catholic Online

I HATE Being Sick

noreply@blogger.com (CatalinaMarie) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 22:26:00 +0000

I really do hate being sick. I have not been able to do ANYTHING all week!! It is not fun. So, sorry I kind of didn't get to blogging and all but I will begin again tomorrow.

St. Euphrasia

noreply@blogger.com (CatalinaMarie) — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 11:18:00 +0000

From Holy Spirit Interactive:

St. Euphrasia was born in the fifth century to deeply Christian parents. Her father, a relative of the emperor, died when she was a year old. The emperor looked after her mother and her. When the girl was seven, her mother took her to Egypt. There they lived in a large house near a convent of nuns. Euphrasia was fascinated by the nuns.

She begged her mother to let her serve God in the convent in which the holy nuns lived. She was just a little girl, but she wasn't about to give up the idea or forget her request. Soon after, Euphrasia's mother took her to the convent and put her in the care of the abbess.

Years passed. When Euphrasia's mother died, the emperor reminded the young woman that her parents had promised her in marriage to a rich young senator. Of course Euphrasia wanted to belong to no one but Jesus. So she wrote a respectful letter to the emperor. In it she said, "I belong to Jesus, and I cannot give myself to anyone else.

My only desire is that the world should forget about me completely. I humbly beg Your Majesty to take all the riches my parents left me and give them to the poor. I ask Your Majesty to free all the slaves of my family. Please cancel all the debts people owe me." The emperor thought her letter was so beautiful that he read it out loud to all the senators. Then he did everything she had asked.

Euphrasia spent the rest of her life as a nun. She never regretted that the Lord had chosen her to be a religious. Euphrasia died in 420.

Reflection: There is an unmistakable beauty in the lives of people who are sincerely trying to live out their faith. How have I been touched by the faith of others?

Sources:
Holy Spirit Interactive
New Advent
Catholic Online
EWTN

St. Seraphina

noreply@blogger.com (CatalinaMarie) — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 11:46:00 +0000

From Holy Spirit Interactive:

Fina was born in a little Italian town called San Geminiano. Her parents had once been well off, but misfortune had left them poor. Seraphina, or Fina, as her family called her, was their daughter. Fina was pretty and lively. She had a generous nature. Each day she saved half of her dinner for someone in the town poorer than she. During the day she sewed and spun cloth to help pay the family debts. At night, she usually spent a long time praying to Jesus and Mary.

When she was still quite young, her father died. Fina was struck with an illness that deformed and paralyzed her. Movement became almost impossible and Fina lay for six years on wooden planks. Pain rushed through her whole body. The only way she could bear it was to concentrate on Jesus as he was nailed to the cross. "I unite my sufferings to yours, Jesus," she would whisper. Sometimes, when the pain was horrible, she would say, "It is not my wounds but yours, O Christ, that hurt me." Fina was left alone for many hours every day because her mother had to go out to work or beg. The neighbors knew about Fina, but her sores had become so foul smelling that people made excuses for not going to visit her. Unexpectedly, Fina's mother passed away. Now the girl was left alone. Only one neighbor, her good friend Beldia, came to care for her. Beldia tried to give Fina as much attention as she could, but Fina was usually left alone. It was obvious that she could not live much longer. She refused to lose heart. Someone mentioned to her about the tremendous sufferings St. Gregory the Great had endured. Fina became devoted to him. It is said that one day, as she groaned in pain, St. Gregory appeared to her. He said kindly, "Child, on my feast day God will grant you rest." His feast day in older calendars had been celebrated on March 12, because he had died on March 12, 604. So on March 12, 1253, St. Gregory came to take Fina home to heaven.

Reflection: From St. Fina's example we come to know the power of living hope-filled lives, with trust in God's dream for each one of us.

Sources:
Holy Spirit Interactive
Catholic Online