FIAT VOLUNTAS TUA: Saint Alphonsus Liguori

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Saint Alphonsus Liguori

Since I visited the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer in Scotland, I have become more and more interested in the works and writings of the Saint that founded the Redemptorists. He has a certain "no-nonsense" style, that really doesn't care what you think about him, and yet you also get the feeling that he really cares about you. Well not so much about you, but about your eternal soul, which is all that really matters any way!

I am planning to purchase a few of his works from TAN Publishers but what I highly recommend is his Sermons, as well as his treatise on knowing the Will of God, truly an inspiring and wonderful booklet. It was recommended to me by Father Anthony Mary F.Ss.R, a Priest of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer.

Saint Alphonsus is also the patron Saint of scrupulous souls, and he is quick to respond if you are suffering from the "scruples". He is also a Doctor of the Church, and is the Church's leading authority on Moral Theology.

Saint Alphonsus, ora pro nobis!

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Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception

"O Virgin Immaculate, Mother of God and my Mother, from your sublime heights turn your eyes of pity on my. Filled with confidence in your goodness and knowing full well your power, I beg you to extend to me your assistance in the journey of life, which is so full of dangers for my soul. In order that I may never be a slave of the devil through sin, but may ever live with my heart humble and pure, I entrust myself wholly to you. I consecrate my heart to you forever, my only desire being to love your divine Son, Jesus. Mary, none of your devout servants has ever perished; may I, too, be saved. Amen."- Saint Ephraem of Edessa

Our Lady of Perpetual Succour

O Mother of Perpetual Succour, grant that I may ever invoke thy most powerful name, which is the safeguard of the living and the salvation of the dying. O Purest Mary, O Sweetest Mary, let thy name henceforth be ever on my lips. Delay not, O Blessed Lady, to help me whenever I call on thee, for, in all my needs, in all my temptations I shall never cease to call on thee, ever repeating thy sacred name, Mary, Mary. O what consolation, what sweetness, what confidence, what emotion fill my soul when I pronounce thy sacred name, or even only think of thee. I thank God for having given thee, for my good, so sweet, so powerful, so lovely a name. But I will not be content with merely pronouncing thy name: let my love for thee prompt me ever to hail thee, Mother of Perpetual Succour. Amen

Saint Joseph

To you, O blessed Joseph, do we come in our tribulation, and having implored the help of your most holy spouse, we confidently invoke your patronage also. Through that charity which bound you to the Immaculate Virgin Mother of God and through the paternal love with which you embraced the Child Jesus, we humbly beg you graciously to regard the inheritance which Jesus Christ has purchased by his Blood, and with your power and strength to aid us in our necessities. O most watchful Guardian of the Holy Family, defend the chosen children of Jesus Christ; O most loving father, ward off from us every contagion of error and corrupting influence; O our most mighty protector, be propitious to us and from heaven assist us in our struggle with the power of darkness; and, as once you rescued the Child Jesus from deadly peril, so now protect God¹s Holy Church from the snares of the enemy and from all adversity; shield, too, each one of us by your constant protection, so that, supported by your example and your aid, we may be able to live piously, to die holily, and to obtain eternal happiness in heaven. Amen.

Saint Pius X

Glorious Pope of the Eucharist, Saint Pius X, you sought "to restore all things in Christ." Obtain for me a true love of Jesus so that I may live only for Him. Help me to acquire a lively fervor and a sincere will to strive for sanctity of life, and that I may avail myself of the riches of the Holy Eucharist in sacrifice and sacrament. By your love for Mary, Mother and Queen of all, inflame my heart with tender devotion to her. Blessed model of the Priesthood, obtain for us holy, dedicated Priests, and increase vocations to the Religious Life. Dispel confusion and hatred and anxiety, and incline our hearts to peace and concord, so that all nations will place themselves under the sweet reign of Christ. Amen.

Saint Dominic

O Holy Priest of God and glorious Patriarch, St. Dominic, thou who wast the friend, the well-beloved son and confidant of the Queen of Heaven, and didst work so many miracles by the power of the Holy Rosary, have regard for my intercessions. On earth you opened your heart to the miseries of your fellow man, and your hands were strong to help them; now in heaven your charity has not grown less nor has your power waned. Pray for me to the Mother of the Rosary and to her divine Son, for I have great confidence that through your assistance I shall obtain the favor I so much desire. Amen.

Saint Francis de Sales

O my God, I thank Thee and I praise Thee for accomplishing Thy holy and all-lovable will without any regard for mine. With my whole heart, in spite of my heart, do I receive this cross I feared so much! It is the cross of Thine choice, the cross of Thy love. I venerate it; nor for anything in the world would I wish that it had not come, since Thou willed it. I keep it with gratitude and with joy, as I do everything that comes from Thy hand; and I shall strive to carry it without letting it drag, with all the respect and all the affection which Thy works deserve. Amen.

Saint Bruno

O glorious patriarch, holy Father Bruno, look down upon us with those eyes of kindness that so often won men’s hearts. Day and night as of old, thou dost hear in heaven’s court the voices of thy sons upon earth joined in God’s praises, linked with the angel choirs. Sweet Father, if our voices may reach that Throne of Majesty, we ourselves are not yet come there. Guard and guide us on that heaveward road thou hast trod before us. Thou knowest its dangers; thou knowest our weakness. Be our helper that we may keep unquenched that fire of fervor which thou didst light up so long ago. Then shall we be thy crown of glory both here and hereafter. Amen. O glorious St. Bruno, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death! Amen.

"The Most Holy Roman Church firmly believes, professes and preaches that none of those existing outside the Catholic Church, not only pagans, also Jews, heretics, and schismatics can ever be partakers of eternal life, but that they are to go into the eternal fire 'which was prepared for the devil and his angels' (Mt. 25:41) unless before death they are joined with Her... No one, let his almsgiving be as great as it may, no one, even if he pour out his blood for the Name of Christ can be saved unless they abide within the bosom and unity of the Catholic Church."- Pope Eugene IV, in the Bull Cantate Domino, 1441

"All the misfortunes of unbelievers spring from too great an attachment to the things of life. This sickness of heart weakens and darkens the understanding, and leads to eternal ruin. If they would try to heal their hearts by purging them of their vices, they would soon receive light, which would show them the necessity of joining the Catholic Church, where alone is salvation. We should constantly thank the Lord for having granted us the gift of the true Faith, by associating us with the children of the Holy Catholic Church ... How many are the infidels, heretics, and schismatics who do not enjoy the happiness of the true Faith! Earth is full of them and they are all lost!"- St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori

Act of Reparation to the Most Blessed Sacrament

With that most profound respect which divine Faith inspires,
O my God and Saviour Jesus Christ, true God and true man,
I adore Thee, and with my whole heart I love Thee,
hidden in the most august Sacrament of the Altar,
in reparation of all the irreverences,
profanations, and sacrileges, that I,
to my shame, may have until now committed, as also for all those that have been committed against Thee,
or that may be ever committed for the time to come.

I offer to Thee, therefore, O my God, my humble adoration, not indeed, such as Thou art worthy of, nor such as I owe Thee, but such, at least, as I am capable of offering;
and I wish that I could love Thee with the most perfect love
of which rational creatures are capable. In the meantime,
I desire to adore Thee now and always, not only for those Catholics who do not adore or love Thee, but also so supply the defect, and for the conversion of all heretics, schismatics, libertines, atheists, blasphemers, sorcerers, Mahomedans,
Jews, and idolaters. Ah! yes, my Jesus, mayest Thou be known, adored, and loved by all and may thanks be continually given to Thee in the most holy and august Sacrament!

Disclaimer:

1) This blog is simply the work of a layman, hence if anything here should be found to contradict the Magesterium of Holy Mother Church, or to go against (Heaven forbid!) any of her teachings or traditions, then I ask you to obey the Church and to alert me of any error, so that I may make the necessary corrections.

2) Some of the opinions expressed on sites linked to this blog are not therefore the opinion of this blog per se.

3) There is no salvation outside of the Holy, Roman, Catholic and Apostolic Church.