St Augustine, Doctor of the Church August 28 Feast of St Augustine Doctor of the Church How many wish to belong entirely to Jesus without reserve or restriction? Most want to serve two masters, to be under two standards. A union of wordliness and devotion; a perpetual succession of sins and repentance; something given to grace, more to nature; fervour and tepidity by turns. Such is the state of many …
Saints
August 28, 2010
St Monica August 27 Feast of St Monica Don’t be stingy in giving praise, particularly with the young. If in a community there is some sister not as edifying as she might be, but who after a retreat makes an effort to rise, be ever the one to encourage and to hold out a helping hand. Many a first attempt has been crushed in the bud by the contemptuous look …
August 27, 2010
I am truly glad you are looking to the perfection of your daily actions; it is the simplest, yet perhaps hardest, way of sanctification, with little fear of deception. It is the certain following of Christ: “He hath done all things well.” (Mark 7:37) COMMENT: Performing all of our daily actions well, and doing so with love, as a constant theme of Fr Doyle’s advice to others. He is correct …
August 25, 2010
Martyrdom of St Bartholomew August 24 The Feast of St Bartholomew My dear child, as I have a few spare moments before we set out at 10 p.m. for the firing line, I must send you some words of encouragement. What has happened, is God’s happening. He will bring all things out smoothly and pleasantly in the end. Trust Him. You must try to be patient and wait for God …
August 24, 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
Instead of our usual thoughts, today we have a scan from an article about Fr Doyle written by Fr James Brodrick SJ. Fr Brodrick was a well known Jesuit biographer and historian in the early part of the 20th century. He wrote the definitive English biographies of the two Jesuit Doctors of the Church, St Robert Bellarmine and St Peter Canisius, as well as biographies of St Francis Xavier and …
August 22, 2010
St Pius X August 21: Feast of St Pius X There are two patron saints to whom I have a tremendous devotion: a sheet of paper and a lead pencil. Mark down at least once a day everything you do and every time you do it. It will not make you proud to see all you do; but it will humble you by showing you all you don’t do. COMMENT: …
August 21, 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
3 March 1873 – 16 August 1917 My Martyrdom for Mary’s Sake. Darling Mother Mary, in preparation for the glorious martyrdom which I feel assured thou art going to obtain for me, I, thy most unworthy child, on this the first day of thy month, solemnly commence my life of slow martyrdom by earnest hard work and constant self-denial. With my blood I promise thee to keep this resolution, …
August 16, 2010