#prayerbeforeacrucifix

Quote/s of the Day – 17 March – Feast of the Five Holy Wounds “If you cannot soar up as high as Christsitting on His Throne,behold Him hanging on His Cross.Rest in Christ’s Passionand live willingly in His Holy Wouds.You will gain marvellous strengthand comfort in adversities.You will not care that men despise you!” Thomas à Kempis CRSA (1380-1471) “Ah ! what is all that I do and…

Our Morning Offering – 29 January – Tuesday of the Third week in Ordinary Time, Year C

Prayer Before a Crucifix By St Francis of Assisi (c 1181-1226)

Most High glorious God, enlighten the darkness of my heart. Give me right faith, sure hope and perfect charity. Fill me with understanding and knowledge that I may fulfil Your command. Amen

Blessed Memorial of  St Cajetan, 7 August – Founder of the Theatine Order – Priest, Confessor, Reformer, Doctor of Civil and Canon Law, Diplomat, Mystic, Miracle Worker, apostle of the sick and the poor.   Known as the “Father of Providence” and the “Huntsman of Souls” – (October 1480 at Vicenza, Italy as Gaetano dei Conti di Tiene – 1547 at Naples, Italy of natural causes) – Beatified on 8 October 1629 by Pope Urban VIII and Canonised on 12 April 1671 by Pope Clement X. Patronages –  bankers; gamblers; unemployed people; workers; non-gamblers; document controllers; job seekers;  Albania; Italy; Ħamrun (Malta); Argentina; Brazil; El Salvador; Guatemala. (images above - Founder Statue at St Peter’s Rome and  Cajetan and Luther| photo by Francesco de’ Rossi).

St Cajetan was born of a noble family in Vicenza, Italy. He was the youngest of three sons born to Don Gaspar di Thiene and Dona Maria di Porto.

He studied civil and Canon Law at the University of Padua and moved to Rome where he worked in the Court of Julian II.   He assisted at the fifth Council of the Lateran.   He was ordained a priest and became part of the “company of Divine Love.”   In 1518 he returned to Vicenza.   After the death of his mother, he dedicated himself to the founding and directing of hospitals to treat the syphiletics in Vicenza, Verona and Venice.  With his own hands he cared for the sick.   Such zeal did he show for the salvation of his fellowmen that he was surnamed the “huntsman for souls.”

In 1524, with Juan Pedro Carrafa, Bishop of Chieti, he founded the Clerics Regular who later would be called the Theatines.   One of the four men who joined him in his new order, Juan Pedro mentioned above, went on to become the pope (Pope Paul IV).  The Theatines, as they were later to become, were to be a community of priests who were to lead an apostolic life.   They were to look with disdain all earthly belongings, to accept no salaries from the faithful;  only from that which was freely donated were they allowed to retain the means of livelihood.   St Cajetan was tortured during the plunder of Rome in 1527 (the torturers hoping to obtain his inheritance which had long before been spent on the poor and sick), Cajetan later returned to Venice where for three years he directed the Religious Institute he had founded.   In 1533, where he established a centre for opposing the spread of Lutheranism in Naples.   He eventually extended that mission to the city of Verona where he would die fourteen years later in 1547.   It was in this city that he planted the yeast of reform that made him worthy of the devotion with which the Neopolitans have always awarded him.   He founded a bank to help the poor and offer an alternative to usurers (loan sharks).   It later became the Bank of Naples.   His concern for the unemployed, giving them the necessary financial help in their time of need, made him their patron.    Later in his life, Saint Cajetan would introduce the Forty Hours’ Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, as an antidote to the heresy of Calvin.   In 1629, Urban VIII authorised public worship to Cajetan and on April 12, 1671, Clement X inscribed him in the catalogue of Saints.

St Cajetan often prayed eight hours daily.   On Christmas Eve at the Church of Saint Mary Major he was greeted with his first vision of Our Blessed mother.   When he entered the church he saw the Mary, radiant with light, who came to him and placed Her divine Infant in his arms.   These are the words he used to describe his vision: “….I boldly found myself, at the time of the Holy Nativity, in this crib; to give me courage I had with me Saint Jerome my father, who had the crib so close to his heart and whose remains were placed at the entrance of the same crib;  and with a little bit of encouragement from the old man (St. Joseph), from the hands of the Virgin Mary, I took into my arms that little Baby:  the Eternal Word Who became flesh.   My heart was really hard, you must believe me, because if it were not as hard as a diamond, it was sure to liquefy at that moment… patience…”  

St Cajetan is the “Heart” of the Catholic reformation, the founder of the Clerics Regular (Theatines) and the “Great Man and Great Saint” that Christians acclaim as “The Father of Providence” for he aids those who invoke him in their needs with great miracles.

Prayer of Saint Cajetan before a Crucifix Look down, O Lord, from Your sanctuary, from Your dwelling in heaven on high and behold this sacred Victim which our great High Priest, Your Holy Son our Lord Jesus Christ, offers up to You for the sins of His brethren and be appeased despite the multitude of our sins.   Behold, the voice of the Blood of Jesus, our Brother, cries to You from the cross.   Listen, O Lord.   Be appeased, O Lord.   Hearken and do not delay for Your own sake, O my God;  for Your Name is invoked upon this city and upon Your people and deal with us according to Your mercy. Amen.

St Cajetan “Father of Providence” Pray for us!

Our Morning Offering – 21 July

St Francis’s Prayer Before the San Damiano Crucifix

Most High, glorious God, enlighten the darkness of my heart and give me true faith, certain hope and perfect charity, sense and knowledge, Lord, that I may carry out Your holy and true command. Amen

Our Morning Offering – 4 March – Prayer Before a Crucifix

Our Morning Offering – 4 March – First Friday of Lent Prayer Before a Crucifix Look down upon me,good and gentle Jesus,while before Thy face I humbly kneeland, with burning soul,pray and beseech Theeto fix deep in my heart lively sentimentsof faith, hope and charity;true contrition for my sinsand a firm purpose of amendment.While I contemplate,with great love and tender pity,Thy Five Most…

Our Morning Offering – 23 July – Prayer Before a Crucifix

Our Morning Offering – 23 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” Prayer Before a Crucifix Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus,while before Thy face I humbly kneel and,with burning soul,pray and beseech Theeto fix deep in my heart, lively sentimentsof faith, hope and charity,true contrition for my sins,and a firm purpose of amendment.While I contemplate,with great love and tender…