by Saint Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)
My God, how sad it is to live without you. I long to see you; but if I cannot see you, I want to die. Master, my soul cries out in vain for you; my eyes have never seen you; my ears have never heard you; my hands have never touched you; my nose has never smelt you. My God, when at last you enter my heart, I want you to stay. But if you cannot stay there, I want to die. Amen.
Act of Consecration of the College to the Sacred Heart From the College Manual of Prayers (1959)
O most Sacred Heart of Jesus, you revealed to St. Margaret Mary your desire to rule over Christian communities. Behold, in order to please you, we stand before you this day, to proclaim your full sovereignty over our College. We desire henceforth to live your life; we desire that the virtues to which you have promised peace on earth, may flower in the bosom of our College. We desire to keep far from us the spirit of the world, which you have condemned. You are King of our minds by the simplicity of our faith. You are the King of our hearts by our love for you alone, with which our hearts are on fire, and whose flame we shall keep alive by receiving the Holy Eucharist. Be pleased, O Sacred Heart to preside over our gathering together, to bless our spiritual and temporal affairs, to ward off all annoyance from us, to hallow our joys, and comfort our sorrows. If anyone of us has ever been so unhappy as to fall into the misery of displeasing you, gram that he may remember, O Heart of Jesus, that you are full of goodness and mercy toward the repentant sinner. May the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the glorious Patriarch St. Joseph vouchsafe to offer you this our act of consecration and to keep the memory thereof alive in all of us. Glory to the Heart of Jesus. our King and our Father!Jesus, meek and humble of Heart.Make our hearts like unto Thine.Let us pray. O most Holy Heart of Jesus, fountain of every blessing, I adore you, and with a lively sorrow for my sins, I offer you this poor heart of mine. Make me humble, patient, pure, and wholly obedient to your will. Grant, good Jesus, that I may live in you and for you. Protect me in the midst of danger; comfort me in my afflictions; give me health of body, assistance in my temporal needs, your blessing on all that I do, and the grace of a holy death. Amen.
by Alcuin of York (735-804)
Christ, why do you allow wars and massacres on earth? By what mysterious judgment do you allow innocent people to be cruelly slaughtered? I cannot know. I can only find assurance in the promise that your people will find peace in heaven, where no one makes war. As gold is purified by fire, so you purify souls by these bodily tribulations, making them ready to be received above the stars in your heavenly home. Amen.
St. Pier Giorgio Frassati (1901–1925) was a young man whose short life continues to inspire Catholics across the world. Canonized in 2025 alongside Carlo Acutis, he is a powerful example of holiness in everyday life. Here are five things to know about him:
1. Man of the Beatitudes
Pope St. John Paul II called him the “Man of the Beatitudes.” Pier Giorgio lived with extraordinary simplicity and joy, reflecting the Gospel message in the Sermon on the Mount. He was merciful to the poor, meek in character, hungry for justice, and pure in heart. He sought God in prayer and in his service to others, showing that the Beatitudes are not lofty ideals but a way of life.
2. Extraordinary Generosity and Charity
His generosity became legendary. As a boy, he gave his shoes to a poor child standing barefoot at his family’s door. Later, as a student, he gave away his bus money to the needy and chose to walk home instead. He joined the St. Vincent de Paul Society, visiting the sick, serving the poor, and carrying food, clothing, and medicine to the forgotten. His charity was not abstract — it was concrete, personal, and often hidden.
3. Deep Devotion to the Eucharist and Prayer
Pier Giorgio’s love for Christ in the Eucharist was central to his life. At a time when daily Communion was uncommon, he obtained permission from his confessor to receive daily. He was deeply devoted to the Rosary, the Blessed Mother, and the Sacred Heart. His prayer life was steady and intense, grounding all of his activity in Christ. He often spent long hours in adoration and encouraged his friends to deepen their own prayer lives.
4. Lover of the Outdoors and Spiritually Ambitious
He was known for his love of mountain climbing, skiing, and hiking. For Pier Giorgio, nature was not just recreation — it was a place to glorify God and build holy friendships. His famous motto, “Verso l’alto” (“to the heights”), symbolized not only his physical climbs but also his spiritual pursuit of heaven. He urged others to aim higher, to live with courage and purity in a world that often mocked faith.
5. Canonization and Example for Today
On September 7, 2025, Pier Giorgio Frassati was officially canonized by Pope Leo XIV, together with Carlo Acutis. The Church now holds him up as a model especially for young people, athletes, and ordinary lay Catholics. His life demonstrates that holiness is not reserved for priests, religious, or mystics, but is attainable by students, workers, and friends who live their faith radically in daily life.
St. Pier Giorgio once said, “Jesus comes to me every morning in Holy Communion, and I repay Him in my small way by visiting the poor.” His words capture the secret of his sanctity: love of Christ and love of neighbor, united without compromise.
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The Blessed Virgin appeared to Saint Bernadette Soubirous eighteen times between February 11 and July 16, 1858, at the grotto of Massabielle in Lourdes, France.
During one apparition, the Lady identified herself using that very title — a dogma of the Church proclaimed only four years before, in 1854. Bernadette, a young girl without formal theological training, repeated a phrase she didn’t even understand, yet it perfectly confirmed Church teaching.
On about the ninth apparition, Mary instructed Bernadette to dig in the dirt. A spring burst forth, and it still flows today. Pilgrims drink from it or bathe in it, with thousands reporting healings. The Church has officially recognized over 60 cures as miraculous.
Bernadette was born into a very poor family, the eldest of nine children. She suffered from chronic asthma and had little education. That Heaven chose her highlights the humility of God’s ways.
Lourdes is now one of the most visited Marian shrines in the world. Millions come every year for confession, prayer, and spiritual or physical healing.
Not every reported healing is declared miraculous. The Lourdes Medical Bureau investigates rigorously, and only cures that have no natural explanation are recognized.
February 11 is celebrated as the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, marking the anniversary of the first apparition. It is a day when Catholics recall Mary’s call to prayer, penance, and trust in God.
The grotto of Massabielle, once a neglected site, was transformed into a great sanctuary with basilicas, chapels, fountains, and baths. It stands as a symbol of Mary’s maternal care and God’s grace.
After the apparitions, Bernadette entered religious life with the Sisters of Charity at Nevers. She lived humbly, sought no glory, and suffered greatly from illness until her death at 35. Her incorrupt body remains a testimony to her holiness.
Above all, Mary’s call at Lourdes was simple but urgent: prayer, penance, and conversion. The miracles of Lourdes are signs pointing to the greater miracle — the return of hearts to God.
Teach me, my Lord, to be sweet and gentle in all the events of life: in disappointments, in the thoughtlessness of others, in the insincerity of those I trusted, in the unfaithfulness of those on whom I relied. Let me put myself aside, to think of the happiness of others, to hide my little pains and heartaches, so that I may be the only one to suffer them. Teach me to profit by the suffering that comes across my path. Let me so use it that it may mellow me, not harden nor embitter me; that it may make me patient, not irritable, that it may make me broad in my forgiveness, not narrow, haughty and overbearing. May no one be less good for having come within my influence. No one less pure, less noble for having been a fellow-traveller in our journey toward eternal life. As I go my rounds from one distraction to another, let me whisper, from time to time, a word of love to You. May our life be lived in the supernatural, full of power for good, and strong in its purpose of sanctity. Amen.
by Saint Columbanus (543-615)
I beg you, most loving Savior, to reveal yourself to us, that knowing you we may desire you, that desiring you we may love you, that loving you we may ever hold you in our thoughts. Amen.
O Mary, powerful Virgin, you are the mighty and powerful protector of the Church; you are the marvelous help of Christians; you are terrible as an army in battle array; you alone have destroyed every heresy in the whole world. In the midst of our anguish, our struggles, and our distresses, defend us from the power of the enemy and at the hour of our death, receive our souls in paradise. Amen.
Lord God, I offer this Divine Office to you, together with the adoration and praise of the angels and saints in heaven, as well as that of all the priests of your Church and all other consecrated souls. I present to you, holy Father, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, this chorus of prayer, made holy in the Heart of Jesus and made one with His most holy prayer. May all the words of this prayer be acts of pure love, adoration, thanksgiving, satisfaction, trust, and surrender to your holy Will. Let this prayer be for my weak self a spiritual communion, an act of humility, and of perfect self-denial; and may it be a sacrifice of praise and glory to you, O Blessed Trinity. Amen.
Thereafter, at the various Hours and at Vespers: Eternal Father, through the Heart of Jesus, your Son, in union with the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I humbly offer you this holy Office as a sign of love and as a means of reparation. Amen.
by Saint Catherine of Siena (1347-1380)
Dear Lord, it seems that you are so madly in love with your creatures that you could not live without us. So you created us; and then, when we turned away from you, you redeemed us. Yet, you are God and so have no need of us. Your greatness is made no greater by our creation; your power is made no stronger by our redemption. You have no duty to care for us, no debt to re-pay us. It is love, and love alone, which moves you. Amen.
We accept and share ALL God has revelead and try to explain them to others. We will never go against the Church now or in the future because we know She is Mother and Teacher. Thank You, Jesus!!!
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