I noticed a tone of despondency in your letter, a yielding to that commonest of all the evil suggestions of the tempter, Cui bono? What is the use of all this struggling without any result, and so much prayer followed by no apparent improvement? It is a very clever temptation, and a successful one with most souls, resulting in the giving up of the very things which are slowly but …
Reparation
August 26, 2010
St Rose of Lima August 23: Feast of St Rose of Lima Look upon the grace God gives you as a talent you must work with and increase. The Master in the Gospel gave his profitable servants twice as many talents. In like manner will God double your grace if you make good use of it. He will give you “grace for grace”. (John 1. 16) COMMENT: Fr Doyle was …
August 23, 2010
St Bernard of Clairvaux, Doctor of the Church How many deceive themselves in thinking sanctity consists in the holy follies of the saints! How many look upon holiness as something beyond their reach or capability, and think that it is to be found only in the performance of extraordinary actions. Satisfied that they have not the strength for great austerities, the time for much prayer, or the courage for painful …
August 20, 2010
St John Eudes August 19 The Feast of St John Eudes Two wings by which we can fly to God and become saints: the habit of little tiny acts of self-denial and the habit of making a definite fixed number of aspirations every day. COMMENT: The use of aspirations was an important part of Fr Doyle’s spiritual life. In fact, in his diary he writes that constantly repeating aspirations was …
August 19, 2010
Venerable John Henry Cardinal Newman While praying for light to know what God wants from me in the matter of mortifying my appetite, a voice seemed to say: “There are other things besides food in which you can be generous with Me, other hard things which I want you to do.” I thought of all the secret self-denial contained in constant hard work, not giving up when a bit tired, …
August 13, 2010
On August 12 1917 Fr Doyle sent his last letter home to his father. It was a long account of his involvement in the early stages of the Battle of Passchendaele. 5 days later he was hit by a German shell while rescuing a wounded soldier and was killed instantly. His account of the battle commences on July 30 and we shall follow his account in his own words …
July 28, 2010
"I am sorry to see you are hoisting the devil’s flag of discouragement" I am sorry to see you are hoisting the devil’s flag of discouragement. It is a precious lesson of the spiritual world that there must be ups and downs even with the most earnest efforts and in the holiest lives. “Begin again” is the motto of success in the path of holiness. Remember, too, that faults and …
July 27, 2010
Pope Benedict preparing to hear Confessions in St Peter's Basilica I, too, used long ago to hate Confession, for no reason whatever, till as a priest I began to realize the fact that it is the biggest help and quickest means to holiness, since a Sacrament pours grace into the soul. COMMENTS: Fr Doyle is of course correct in stating that there is no reason whatever for fearing Confession. But …
July 26, 2010
St Thomas More. "We cannot go to Heaven in feather beds" I do not want, in fact I forbid you, to be imprudent in the matter of corporal penances. But, my dear child, if you let a whole fortnight go by without any self-inflicted pain, can you honestly look Jesus in the face and say, “I am like to Him”? COMMENT: Self-inflicted pain?? It sounds so…medieval, so exaggerated! It’s 2010, …
July 23, 2010
Believe me, I feel intensely for you, my child, for I know what you have suffered in the past and how violent the attacks of the tempter have been. But this very thing ought to be a big joy to you, since it shows how much the evil one fears what you are going to do for our Blessed Lord and poor perishing souls. If you were not a dangerous …
July 19, 2010