Abraham..........August 17

ABRAHAM OFFERS UP ISAAC

Genesis 22

"The Heavenly Father's sacrifice of His only Son rescues us--as surely as if we'd been whisked from under a knife."

The Illustrated Word

Three Angels..........August 16

You shall not fear the terror of the night nor the arrow that flies by day...

For God commands the angels to guard you in all your ways.

With their hands they shall support you, lest you strike your foot against a stone.

Psalm 91:5,11-12

German couplet is this ..."In Trier, of you I thought,and to you this souvenir I've brought."

Feast of the Assumption..........August 15

Dogma of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

declared by Pope Pius XII on Nov. 1, 1950.

"the Immaculate Mother of God, Mary ever Virgin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into the glory of heaven."

In a very early message given in Medjugorje,

(private revelation not officially approved

or disapproved by the Catholic

Church)
Our Lady states in response to a question asked
if she went to Heaven before or after death:

"I am the Mother of God and the Queen of Peace.

I went to Heaven before death."

(October 12, 1981)

(not a holy card but a wonderful bookplate picture)

(double click picture to enlarge)

Feast of St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe..........August 14

"No one in the world can alter truth.

All we can do is seek it and live it."

St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe

"Knight of the Immaculata"
Mary appeared to him when he was ten years old and offered him the choice of two symbolic crowns, the white of chastity and the red of martyrdom. He chose them both.
Mostly known for offering his life in the Nazis concentration camp in place of a condemned fellow prisoner who had a family. He died two weeks later of a cruel death by starvation.

(from Biography of B. Maximilian Kolbe)

Mother of India..........August 13

From Mary we learn to surrender

to God's Will in all things.

From Mary we learn to trust even when

all hope seems gone.

From Mary we learn to love Christ

her Son and the Son of God!

Pope John Paul II

Singing of Birds..........August 12

"God gives every bird a worm,
but He does not throw it into the nest."

Swedish Proverb

Mary Dearest Mother..........August 11

"Mary, my dearest mother,

give me your heart so beautiful,

so pure,

so immaculate,

so full of love and humility,

that I may receive Jesus as you did--

and go in haste to give him to others."

Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

St. Brendan's Cathedral, Loughrea, Ireland

artist - Michael Healy

photographer - Fr. Gene Plaisted, OSC

(This is not my personal holy card...used with approval)

World in His Hands..........August 10

Come to Me for I am meek and humble of heart
and you will find rest for your souls.

"He's got the whole world in His hands....." (from a 1958 popular song)

Translation

French words are taken from Matthew 9:29 -- in English ... "Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of Heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

Feast of St. Teresa Benedicta (Edith Stein)..........August 9

Martyr of Auschwitz
Scholar of the Church
Daughter of Abraham
Daughter of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Canonized in Rome on October 11, 1998

"Lay all your cares about the future trustingly in God's hands, and let yourself be guided by the Lord just like a little child."

Edith Stein was born to a Jewish family at Breslau on October 12, 1891. Through her passionate study of philosophy she searched after truth and found it in reading the autobiography of St Teresa of Jesus. In 1922 she was baptised a Catholic and in 1933 she entered the Carmel of Cologne where she took the name Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. She was gassed and cremated at Auschwitz on August 9, 1942, during the Nazi persecution and died a martyr for the Christian faith after having offered her holocaust for the people of Israel. A woman of singular intelligence and learning, she left behind a body of writing notable for its doctrinal richness and profound spirituality. She was beatified by Pope John Paul II at Cologne on May 1, 1987, and canonized at Rome twelve years later.
(above taken from here)

Feast of St. Dominic..........August 8

Founder of the Order of Preachers , commonly known as the Dominican Order.

"Arm yourself with prayer rather than a sword; wear humility rather than fine clothes. "

St. Dominic

To read about St. Dominic go here

Hugs..........August 7

A hug delights and warms and charms,

it must be why God gave us arms.

Heavenly..........August 6

"It is heaven,

it is Jesus when the tabernacle opens

and the Sacred Host is there."

St. Peter Julian Eymard

Fishers of Men..........August 5

"Be ye fishers of men.
You catch 'em,
He will clean 'em"

Anonymous

Evening Prayer..........August 4

EVENING PRAYER

"Watch O Lord,

with those who wake, or watch,

or weep tonight,

and give your angels and saints

charge over those who sleep.

Tend your sick ones, O Lord Christ.

Rest Your weary ones,

Bless Your dying ones.
Soothe Your suffering ones.
Pity Your afflicted ones,

shield Your joyous ones.
And all for Your loves sake."

St. Augustine

French words have the following meaning:

(At the top:)The Sick-bed

(At the bottom:)O Jesus, Thou hast undergone much suffering here below.

Help me to suffer with Thee and for Thee.

Let the Storm Come..........August 3

"Be firm in your resolutions;

stay in the ship in which I placed you

and let the storm come.

Long live Jesus.

You will not perish.

Walk the way of the Lord in simplicity;

do not tormet your spirit.

Say the truth,

always the truth."

Saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina

Translation:

(At the top:)The Master's Boat(At the bottom:)"My daughter, speak thus in every situation: "Lord, so be it, if it is Thy will. Lord, I am in Thy Hand. Turn me to and fro, in every direction, as Thou pleaseth."[Based on words in "The Imitation of Christ," Section III, Chapter XV.]

Prayer for Priests..........August 2

Let us always remember to pray for our priests.

Double click the prayer below to see it in larger print.

Thank you Father for those who have served, those who are serving, and those who will serve. We are blessed with their dedication.

Thank You Lord..........August 1

"We must never fail to thank our Lord

after we have received some sign of goodness,

some benefit, from Him.

For God loves grateful hearts

and heaps blessings on them.

St. Mary Euphrasia

St. Ignatius of Loyola..........July 31

Patron of Retreats
Founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits)

Prayer of St. Ignatius

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding and my entire will, all that I have and possess. Thou hast given all to me. To Thee, O Lord, I return it. All is Thine, dispose of it wholly according to Thy will. Give me Thy love and Thy grace, for this is sufficient for me.

Hummel, Angel..........July 30

"When tempted, invoke your angel.

He is more eager to help you

than you are to be helped!

Ignore the devil and do not be afraid of him:

He trembles and flees at the sight of your guardian angel."

St. John Bosco

Three Persons-One God..........July 29

"Holy, holy holy!
Lord God almighty!
Early in the morning
Our song shall rise to Thee:
Holy, holy, holy!
Merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons,
Blessed Trinity!

Reginald Heber

Working With Mary..........July 28

Virgin Mother of God and mine,
Let me be completely thine,
Thine in joy, thine in grief,
Thine for time and eternity!

(words taken from another holy card)

Breaking Bread..........July 27

"He was the Word that spoke it,

He took the bread and broke it,

And what the Word did make it,

I do believe and take it."

John Donne - "On the Sacrament"

Holy Family..........July 26

"Father, help us to live

as the Holy Family,

united in respect and love.

Bring us to the joy and peace

of Your eternal home."

Rev. Walter Van de Putte, C.S.SP

Walk With God..........July 25

I'll walk with God from this day on.

His helping hand I'll lean upon.

This is my prayer, my humble plea,

May the Lord be ever with me.

There is no death, tho' eyes grow dim.

There is no fear when I'm near to Him.

I'll lean on Him forever

And He'll forsake me never.

He will not fail me

As long as my faith is strong,

Whatever road I may walk along.

Words by Paul Francis Webster

Shipreck of Sin..........July 24

"Noah's ark was a type of Mary. As, by its means, human beings were preserved from the Flood, so are we all saved by Mary from the shipwreck of sin. There is this difference, however. In the ark few were saved, but through Mary the whole human race was rescued from death.

St. Bernard of Clairvaux

All for Mary, through Jesus, for world peace, Queen of Peace, pray for us.

Translation of the French words on the card:

At the top:"The Fruits of Devotion to Mary"

At the bottom:"Escape from the world. We will rest in solitude ... and I will cause you to enjoy a presently unknown peace."

Hearts of Jesus and Mary..........July 23

"By blood I am Albanian.

My citizenship is Indian.

I am a Catholic nun.

As to my calling,

I belong to the world.

As to my heart,

I belong entirely to the heart of Jesus."

Mother Teresa of Calcutta

French translationn:

"Persecutions fortify our souls and merit us Heaven"

Thanks S.B.

Offer Yourself to God..........July 22

Cast me not off in my old age; as my strength fails, forsake me not.

Psalm 71-9

"Do not wait for old age to offer yourself to God.

Offer Him the flower of your youth,

which will be pleasing to Him

and which He will accept with the greatest of love."

St. Catherine of Siena

Ask for Graces..........July 21

"Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament

has His hands full of graces,

and He is ready to

bestow them on anyone

who ask for them."

St. Peter of Alcantara

Hands and Heart..........July 20

"Show me your hands.

Do they have scars from giving?

Show me your feet.

Are they wounded in service?

Show me your heart.

Have you left a place for divine love?"

Fulton J. Sheen

Our Example..........July 19

"Words call us but examples draw us."

Author Unknown

What an example we have in Jesus!

In Latin, at the top:"In the Cross, salvation"

In German, at the bottom:"My pain is ever before my face."

Madlener (artist) He Is..........July 18

He is Light,

Longevity,

and Lord.

He is Goodness,

Kindness,

Gentleness,

and God.

His is Holy,

Righteous,

Mighty,

Powerful,

and Pure.

Author Unknown

Our Lady of Treille, France..........July 17

Our Lady of Treille, France

Patron of Lille, France

"Hold Him fast,

O sweet Lady::

hold Him Whom thou lovest,

............"

St. Aefred of Rievaulx

Let us always look for Jesus...

He will be in Mary's arms.

"Lille had been known for the miraculous statue of the Virgin protected by an iron trellis (hence the name 'Notre-Dame de la Treille' – Our Lady of the Trellis) since the Middle Ages."

Our Lady of Mount Carmel..........July 16

O God,

the order of Carmel was singularly honored

when the title of the most blessed ever-virgin Mary, your mother, was given to it.

Grant that we who commemorate this solemn feast today may be shielded by her protection

and attain everlasting happiness; who lives and rules with God the Father.

To read more about Our Lady of Mount Carmel
click here.

Translation:
The Latin words on the card mean (literally),
"Queen, Ornament of Carmel."

Prayer..........July 15

"When we pray,

the voice of the heart must be heard

more than the proceedings from the mouth."

St. Bonaventure

Translation:

"Jesus, Jesus, come to me. Oh, how I myself long for Thee!"

Feast of Bl. Kateri Tekakwitha..........July 14

From the Litany of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha

Kateri, lily of purity, pray for us.

Kateri, bright light for all Indians, pray for us.

Kateri, lover of the cross of Jesus, pray for us.

Kateri, leader of many Indians to the true faith through your love for Mary, pray for us.

Kateri, who loved Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, pray for us.

Kateri, who traveled many miles to learn the faith, pray for us.

Kateri, who loved to pray the rosary for all people, pray for us.

Kateri, humble servant to the sick, pray for us.

Kateri, whose scarred face in life became beautiful after death, pray for us.

Heart of a Mother..........July 13

"The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you always find forgiveness."

Honore De Balzac

Looking Down to Heaven..........July 12

"Every mother, when she picks up the young life

that has been born to her, looks up to the heavens

to thank GOD for the gift which made the world young again.
But here was a Mother,

a Madonna,

who did not look up.

She looked down to Heaven

for this was Heaven in her arms.

Bishop Fulton J. Sheen

Disease..........July 11

"The biggest disease today is not leprosy or tuberculosis,
but rather the feeling of being
unwanted, uncared for and deserted
by everybody."

Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Painting by Edward Ostendorf

Borrowed Time..........July 10

"When God gave you to me

He never said that you were mine,

that I could keep you always--only borrowed for a time. Now, He's called you home,

I'm sad and I shed tears.

Yet, I'm glad He loaned you to me and we had

these many years."

(words on the back of a memorial death card)

Hands of a Priest..........July 9

Meditation of St. Francis of Assisi

Let everyone be struck with fear,

the whole world tremble,

and the heavens exult

when Christ, the Son of the living God,

is present on the altar in the hands of a priest!

O wonderful loftiness

and stupendous dignity!

O sublime humility

The Way To Go..........July 8

"If then,

you are looking for the way

by which you should go,

take Christ,

because He Himself

is the way."

St.Thomas Aquinas

Earthly Possessions..........July 7

"Live in the world as if only God and your soul were in it; then your heart will never be made captive by any earthly thing."

Saint John of the Cross

Translation:
At the top: "Dreams of Youth" In the beam of light:"

And then afterwards ..."At the bottom:

"O God, divert my heart from vanity!

... Show me your truth, that sun shining past everything which slips away."

Feast of St. Maria Goretti..........July 6

St. Maria Goretti

Patroness of Youth

"...raised to sainthood by Pope Pius XII, with her mother, brothers, and sisters present, a unique event in the history of the Church. By that time her prayers for her murderer had long since been heard and answered. After eight years of unrepentant imprisonment, Alexander had a complete change of heart; released for good behavior after twenty-seven years, he hastened to beg forgiveness of the Saint's mother and then became a Capuchin laybrother, who gave evidence at the canonical inquiry about Blessed Maria and lived to see her canonized."

"Lives of the Saints for every day of the year"

Angel..........July 5

"Make yourself familiar with the angels,

and behold them frequently in spirit,

for without being seen, they are present with you."

St. Francis De Sales

God Bless America.........July 4

"If My people, which are called by My name,
shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face,
and turn from their wicked ways;
then will I hear from heaven,
and will forgive their sin,
and will heal their land."

II CHRONICLES 7:14

Feast of St. Thomas Apostle..........July 3

Unfortunately always thought of as "Doubting Thomas."

Yet because of that doubt he proclaimed words that

we use today to give our utmost praise to God.

"My Lord and My God"

Thank you St. Thomas for those words of love and praise.

Prayer..........July 2

"Do not turn to prayer hoping to enjoy spiritual delights;

rather come to prayer totally content to receive nothing

or to receive great blessings from God's hand,

whichever should be your heavenly Father's will

for you at that time."

Madame Jeanne Guyon

The German words at the bottom of the card are from

verse 10 of Psalm 143 (numbered 142 in older Catholic bibles).

They mean:"Teach me to do Thy will, for Thou art my God."

Jesus Fishing..........July 1, 2008

Fisher of Men

"...............the call which Peter and his brother Andrew heard from Jesus continues to resound in the world: 'Put out into the deep and lower your nets for a catch.' And after the miracle of a huge catch of fish, the Lord revealed to Peter that he would become 'a fisher of men'

(Lk 5:4 and 10)."--- .....From "Doctrinal Note on Some Aspects of Evangelization" -- Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith -- December 3, 2007

Translation of
Latin at bottom of card
With a lifegiving sweetness,
You draw in those who are saved,
the innocent fish from the hostile waves of a wicked sea