The Saints

on

Consecrated Life

Compiled by

Society of the Infant Jesus – Singapore

In Commemoration of

The Year of Consecrated Life Nov 2014 to Feb 2016

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Copyright: © 2014 Society of the Infant Jesus (Singapore) All Rights Reserved. Front Cover Image: Ceiling Fresco – Chapel of Santa Maria del Giglio, Church of Santa Maria Maddalena de 'Pazzi Artist: Bernardino Poccetti (1548–1612) Back Cover Image: Calling of St. Peter and St. Andrew (17th Century) Artist: Michel Corneille the Younger (1642–1708)

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Table of Contents Consecrated Life

A Special Grace 6 Evangelical Counsels – Chastity, Poverty and Obedience

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Vocation Discernment 50 Duty and Commission 80

Vocation Prayers by Saints 98 Index of Illustrations 107

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Consecrated Life

†

A Special Grace

Ceiling Fresco – Chapel of Santa Maria del Giglio,

Church of Santa Maria Maddalena de 'Pazzi Artist: Bernardino Poccetti (1548–1612)

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St Jerome

The Vision of St Jerome (circa 1660)

Artist: Giovanni Battista Langetti (1635–1676)

† St. Jerome † Learn, O spouse of God, a holy pride. Know that you are raised above

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worldlings, and say: I have found him whom my soul sought; I will hold him, and will not let him go.

† St. Clare of Assisi † Sing a new song before the throne of God and of the Lamb, and … follow the Lamb wherever he goes … you have been in an astonishing way espoused to the immaculate Lamb, who, having assumed responsibility for all the vanities of this world, takes away the sins of the world. Happy, indeed, is the one permitted to share in this sacred banquet so as to be joined with all the feelings of [one’s] heart to him whose beauty all the blessed hosts of the Heavens unceasingly admire, whose affection moves, whose contemplation invigorates, whose generosity fills, whose sweetness replenishes, whose remembrance pleasantly brings light, whose fragrance

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will revive the dead, and whose glorious vision will bless all the citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem, because the vision of him is the splendor of everlasting glory, the radiance of everlasting light.

St Mary Magdalene de Pazzi

Vision of St Maria Magdalena di Pazzi (Early 1600s)

Artist: Pedro de Moya (1610–1674)

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† St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi † The Spouse of Jesus should have a high esteem and veneration for her holy state, since after baptism a vocation to religion [religious life] is the greatest grace which God can bestow.

† St. Alphonsus Marie de Ligouri † Sublime, indeed, is the dignity of virgins [celibates]: each of them can glory and say, ‘I am espoused to Him whom the angels serve.

† St. Bernard of Clairvaux † Paradisus Claustralis. Indeed the cloister is a paradise: an acre sheltered by the wall of discipline. No barren soil this; its yield the most precious merchandise. ‘Gracious the sight and full of comfort,

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when brethren dwell united (Psalm 132:1)’: a glorious thing truly. Here you may see one monk weeping over his past sins, another exulting as he praises God. This man is the servant of all, that one busy atoning for his sins. The heart of this one is a bright furnace of divine charity, the heart of his neighbor is a deep founded tower of humility. When everything well with this monk, he is not carried away by vanity, that monk soars aloft above adversity. See how busy one is with his charitable labors, how calm another is in his contemplative repose. Looking round at all these sights you may well cry out: ‘This is God's encampment (Genesis 32:2).’ ‘What a fearsome place is this! This can be nothing other than the House of God; this is the Gate of Heaven (Genesis 28:I7).’

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† St. Laurence Justinian † God has designedly concealed the happiness of the religious state because if it were known, all would relinquish the world and fly to religion [religious life].

St. Lawrence Giustiniani

St. Lawrence Giustiniani Adoring the Baby Jesus

Artist: Luca Giordano

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St Teresa of Avila

The Ecstasy of St Teresa (1st half of 18th Century)

Artist: Francesco Fontebasso (1707–1769)

† St. Teresa of Avila † Though I could not at first bend my will to be a nun, I saw that the religious state

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was the best and safest. And thus, little by little, I resolved to force myself into it. The struggle lasted three months. When I took the habit, Our Lord at once made me understand how He helps those who do ‘violence’ to themselves, in order to serve Him, I was filled with a joy so great that it has never failed me to this day.

† Venerable Mary of Agreda † [Mystical City of God – Words of Our Lady to Mary of Agreda] My daughter, the greatest happiness, which can befall any soul in this mortal life, is that the Almighty call her to his house consecrated to his service. For by this benefit He rescues the soul from a dangerous slavery and relieves her of the vile servitude of the world, where, deprived of true liberty, she eats her bread in the sweat of her brow.

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† St. Alphonsus Marie de Ligouri † The religious state is like the Promised Land; it is Paradise on Earth; it is a Great Grace.

† St. Teresa of the Andes † I still can't convince myself that such incomparable happiness is mine. People who do not have a vocation cannot understand this, since to them there's no happiness in sacrifice; while sacrifice, done for God is the purest bliss.

† St. Bernard of Clairvaux † They [religious] live more purely, they fall more rarely, they rise more speedily, they walk more cautiously, they are aided more powerfully, they receive more graces, they rest more securely, they live more peacefully, they die more

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confidently, they are purified more quickly and they are rewarded more abundantly.

St Bernard of Clairvaux

The Virgin Mary Appears to St Bernard (1447)

Artist: Filippo Lippi (1406–1469)

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† St. Thomas Aquinas † It is better, though easier, to embrace the religious life than to give oneself up in the world to the most rigorous penance during a long period of years. It may be reasonably said, that a person, by entering into religion [religious life], obtains the remission of all sins. For to make satisfaction for all sins, it is sufficient to dedicate oneself entirely to the service of God, by entering religion [religious life], which dedication exceeds all manner of satisfaction. Hence we read in the Lives of the Fathers [of the Church] that they who enter religion [religious life] obtain the same grace as those who receive Baptism.

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Venerable Mary of Agreda

María de Jesús de Agreda (17th Century)

Artist: Unknown

† Venerable Mary of Agreda † [Mystical City of God – Words of Our Lady to Mary of Agreda] Who is so dull and insipid as not to know the dangers of the worldly life, which is hampered by all the abominable and most wicked laws

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and customs introduced by the astuteness of the devil and the perversity of men? The better part is religious life and retirement; in it is found security, outside is a torment and a stormy sea, full of sorrow and unhappiness. Even by itself, the public and sacred act of receiving the habit and entering religion [religious life], although it is not always performed with proper fervor and purity of intention, is enough to rouse the wrath and fury of the infernal dragon and his demons; for they know that this act tends not only to the glory of the Lord and the joy of the holy angels, but that religious life will bring the soul to holiness and perfection.

† St. Alphonsus Marie de Ligouri † A religious will save by his prayers, labors and mortifications, more souls in

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one year than in the whole of his life out of religion [religious life]: and, as to his own personal merits, he will gain more in one year by practicing obedience than in ten years by living in the world according to his own will.

† St. Teresa of the Andes † If I used to consider my vocation as above all others, now I appreciate it doubly; because I have seen and experienced for myself that the holiness of a [religious] is greater than any other holy ideal. Sometimes, it seems to me that I am dreaming.

† Pope St. John Paul II † As a way of showing forth the Church's holiness, it is to be recognized that the consecrated life, which mirrors Christ's own way of life, has an objective

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superiority. Precisely for this reason, it is an especially rich manifestation of Gospel values and a more complete expression of the Church's purpose, which is the sanctification of humanity.

St. Athanasius of Alexandria

St Athanasius Icon (End 17th Century)

Artist: Unknown

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† St. Athanasius of Alexandria † Now if a man chooses the way of the world, namely marriage, he is not indeed to blame; yet he will not receive such great gifts as the other [religious life]. For he will receive, since he too brings forth fruit, namely thirty fold. But if a man embraces the holy and unearthly way, even though as compared with the former it be rugged and hard to accomplish, nonetheless it has the more wonderful gifts: for it grows the perfect fruit, namely a hundredfold.

† St. Basil the Great † In this privileged state [the religious life] there is a happy and wonderful exchange; for goods of this world are given up and in their place the goods of Heaven are received. Treasures that will pass away are surrendered in exchange for treasures that last forever. Articles of

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no value are swapped for articles of priceless value.

St. Basil the Great

Mass of St Basil (1743)

Artist: Pierre Subleyras (1699–1749)

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† St. Alphonsus Marie de Ligouri † I hold it as certain that the greater number of the seraphic thrones left vacant by the fall of the unhappy associates of Lucifer, will be filled by religious.

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Consecrated Life

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Evangelical Counsels

Ceiling Fresco – Chapel of Santa Maria del Giglio,

Church of Santa Maria Maddalena de 'Pazzi Artist: Bernardino Poccetti (1548–1612)

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† St. Thomas Aquinas † We find the three ways to perfection in religious life, embodied in the three vows of perpetual poverty, chastity, and obedience. Religious follow the first road to perfection by the vow of poverty, whereby they renounce all property. By the vow of chastity, whereby they renounce marriage, they enter on the second road to perfection. They set forth on the third road to perfection, by the vow of obedience, whereby they sacrifice their own will. Now these three vows well beseem the religious life.

† St. Thomas Aquinas † The difference, says St. Gregory, in his Commentary on Ezekiel, between a sacrifice and a holocaust is, that, whereas every holocaust is a sacrifice, every sacrifice is not a holocaust. In a sacrifice a part of the victim was

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immolated; but in a holocaust the entire offering was consumed. When, therefore, a man vows one thing to God, and does not vow another, he offers a sacrifice. When, however, he dedicates to the Almighty all that he has, all that he takes pleasure in, and his entire life, he is offering a holocaust.” This he does, most perfectly, by the three religious vows. Hence, it is clear that the name of religious is strictly applied, according to the very meaning of the word, to those who pay their vows as a holocaust to God.

† Pope St. John XXIII † Even if by virtue of the clerical state itself, the evangelical counsels are not imposed on ecclesiastics [clergy or religious] in order that they may be really able to attain this holiness of life,

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nevertheless, these same counsels are open to them, just as to all the Christian faithful, as the surest way to reach the desired goal of Christian perfection.

Pope St. John XXIII

Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli (1959)

Photographer: Unknown

† St. Thomas Aquinas † Faith sees virginity as imitating the example of Christ and the counsel of St.

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Paul. Reason sees virginity as rightly ordering goods, preferring a Divine good to human goods, the good of the soul to the good of the body, and the good of the contemplative life to that of the active life.

St. Robert Bellarmine

Saint Robert Bellarmine (16th Century)

Artist: Anonymous Italian School

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† St. Robert Bellarmine † All who want to be continent [celibate] are able to be, because sufficient help to be continent, or to obtain this grace by prayer, is denied to no one.

† Venerable Pope Pius XII † This doctrine of the excellence of virginity and of celibacy and of their superiority over the married state was, as we have already said, revealed by our Divine Redeemer and by the Apostle of the Gentiles [St. Paul]; so too, it was solemnly defined as a dogma of divine faith by the holy Council of Trent, and explained in the same way by all the holy Fathers and Doctors of the Church.

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† Pope St. John Paul II † Jesus calls attention to the gift of divine light necessary to ‘understand’ the way of voluntary celibacy. Not all can understand it, in the sense that not all are ‘able’ to grasp its meaning, to accept it, to put it into practice. This gift of light and decision is only granted to some. It is a privilege granted them for the sake of a greater love. We should not be surprised then if many, not understanding the value of consecrated celibacy, are not attracted to it, and often are not even able to appreciate it. This means that there is a diversity of ways, charisms, and functions, as St. Paul recognized, who spontaneously wished to share his ideal of virginal life with all. Indeed he wrote: ‘I wish that all were as I myself am. But each,’ he adds,

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‘has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another’ (1 Cor 7:7).

† Pope St. John Paul II † St. Augustine does not see in this resolution [of Mary to remain always a virgin] the fulfillment of a divine precept, but a vow freely taken. In this way it was possible to present Mary as an example to ‘holy virgins’ throughout the Church's history....The Angel does not ask Mary to remain a virgin, it is Mary who freely reveals her intention of virginity. In this commitment is found her choice of love that leads her to dedicate herself totally to the Lord by a life of virginity. In stressing the spontaneity of Mary's decision, we should not forget that God's initiative is at the origin of every vocation. In directing herself to the life of virginity, the maiden of Nazareth was

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responding to an interior vocation, that is, to an inspiration of the Holy Spirit that enlightened her about the meaning and value of the virginal gift of herself.

† Pope St. John Paul II † On man’s part an act of deliberate will is required, aware of the duty and of the privilege of consecrated celibacy. It is not a question of simply abstaining from marriage, nor an unmotivated and almost passive observance of the norms imposed by chastity. The act of renunciation has a positive aspect in the total dedication to the kingdom, which implies absolute devotion to God “who is supremely loved” and to the service of his kingdom. Therefore, the choice must be well-thought out and stem from a firm,

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conscious decision that has matured deep within the individual.

St. Francis of Assisi

St Francis Consoled by an Angel (circa 1593)

Artist: Giuseppe Cesari (1568–1640)

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† Francis of Assisi † St. Francis’ answer to a bishop who disapproved of his Order's poor lifestyle: ‘If we had any possessions, we would need to have weapons and laws to protect them, since possessions are a cause of disputes and strife, and in many ways we would be hindered from loving God and our neighbor. Therefore in this life we wish to have no temporal possessions.’

† Francis of Assisi † Poverty is the way to salvation, the nurse of humility, and the root of perfection. Its fruits are hidden, but they multiply themselves infinite ways. We should have no more use or regard for money in any of its forms than we have for dust. Those who think it is worth more, or who are greedy for it,

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expose themselves to the danger of being deceived by the devil. Grant me the treasure of sublime poverty: permit the distinctive sign of our Order to be that it does not possess anything of its own beneath the sun, for the glory of your name, and that it has no other patrimony than begging.

† St. Thomas Aquinas † Among temporal goods the first we should renounce are external goods, which are called riches, and the Lord counseled this when he said, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” (Matt. 19:21). The utility of this counsel is shown by what follows. The first evidence for this is what in fact happened next. For when

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the young man who was asking about perfection heard this response, he went away sad. And as St. Jerome says in his commentary on Matthew, ‘The cause of his sadness is stated: He had many possessions, which were thorns and thistles that choked the seed of the Lord’s words.’ And St. John Chrysostom, explaining the same passage, says that, ‘those who possess little are not hindered in the same way as are those who abound in riches; for the increase of wealth enkindles a greater fire [of desire for wealth], and avarice grows stronger.’ St. Augustine, too, says in his letter to Paulinus and Therasia that “we are more firmly fettered by love for the earthly things that we possess, than by desire for the things we seek; for why did this young man go away sad, except because he had many possessions? For it is one thing not to want to acquire things that

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we do not have, but quite another to give up the things we already have. For these things may be repudiated as extrinsic to ourselves, but to give up those things we already have is [experience] like giving up the limbs of our body.’

St. John Chrysostom

St. John Chrysostom (16th Century)

Artist: Unknown

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† Pope St. John Paul II † Jesus does not condemn the possession of earthly goods absolutely: he is instead anxious to remind those who own them of the twofold commandment of love of God and love of neighbor. But he asks much more of anyone who can and wishes to understand so. The Gospel is clear on this point: Jesus asks those he called and invited to follow him to share his own poverty by renouncing their possessions, however great or few they may be…This poverty is asked of those who are willing to follow Christ in consecrated life.

† St. Ignatius of Antioch † There are three sorts of obedience; the first, obedience when a strict obligation is imposed upon us, and this is good; the second when the simple word of the

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superior, without any strict command, suffices for us, and this is better; the third, when a thing is done without waiting for an express command, from a knowledge that it will be pleasing to the superior, and this is the best of all.

See God in your superiors; so shall you learn to revere their will and follow their commands. Be well assured that obedience is the safest guide and most faithful interpreter of the Divine Will. Pour out your hearts to them as freely as water, mindful that they are charged with the direction of your souls… Above all, do not be your own master, relying on your own prudence, contrary to the caution of the wise man.

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St. Ignatius of Antioch

St. Ignatius of Antioch (Before 17th Century)

Artist: Unknown

† St. John Climacus † He who follows his own ideas in opposition to the direction of his superiors needs no devil to tempt him, for he is a devil to himself.

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St. John Climacus

St. John Climacus of the Ladder

Artist: Unknown

† St. Bernard of Clairvaux † The obedience which we render to a superior is paid to God who says, He that hears you hears Me, so that

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whatever he who holds the place of God commands, supposing it is not evidently contrary to God's law, is to be received by us as if it came from God Himself; for it is the same thing to know His Will, either from His Own, from an Angel's, or from a man's mouth.

† St. Thomas Aquinas † The vow which, of all the three religious vows, belongs most peculiarly to the religious life, is that of obedience. This is clear for several reasons. First, because, by obedience man sacrifices to God his own will; by chastity, on the other hand, he offers his body, and by poverty his external possessions. Now, since the body is worth more than material goods the vow of chastity is superior in merit to that of poverty, but the vow of obedience is of more value than either of the other two.

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Secondly, because it is by his own will that a man makes use either of his body or his goods: therefore, he who sacrifices his own will, sacrifices everything else that he has. Again, the vow of obedience is more universal than is that of either poverty or chastity, and hence it includes them both. This is the reason why Samuel preferred obedience to all other offerings and sacrifices, saying, ‘Obedience is better than sacrifices (1 Kings 15:22).’

† St. Albert the Great † He that is truly obedient does not wait for a command, but as soon as he knows what his superior wishes to have done immediately sets himself to work, without expecting an order.

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St. Albert the Great

Saint Albert the Great (1352)

Artist: Tommaso da Modena (1326–1379)

† St. Francis de Sales † Obedience is a consecration of the heart, chastity of the body, and poverty of all worldly goods to the Love and Service of God. Blessed indeed are the obedient, for

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God will never permit them to go astray. The devil doesn’t fear austerity but holy obedience.

† St. Teresa of Avila † I often thought my constitution would never endure the work I had to do, [but] the Lord said to me: ‘Daughter, obedience gives strength.’

† St. Catherine of Siena † All that is done by obedience is meritorious . . . It is obedience, which, by the light of Faith, puts self-will to death, and causes the obedient man to despise his own will and throw himself into the arms of his superior. Placed in the bark of obedience, he passes happily through the stormy sea of this life, in peace of soul and tranquility of heart. Obedience and faith

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disperse darkness; he is strong because he has no longer any weakness or fears, for self-will, which is the cause of inordinate fear and weakness, has been destroyed.

St. Catherine of Siena

St. Catherine of Siena (circa 1475)

Artist: Giovanni di Paolo (1395–1482)

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† St. Philip Neri † Obedience is a short cut to perfection. They who are living under obedience, if they really wish to advance in the ways of God, must give themselves up always and in all things into the hands of their superiors; and they who are not living under obedience must subject themselves to some learned and discreet confessor, whom they may obey in the place of God, disclosing to him, with perfect candor and simplicity, the affairs of their soul; and they should never come to any resolution without his advice. Nothing gives greater security to our actions, or more effectually cuts the snares the devil lays for us, than to follow another person's will, rather than our own, in doing good. He who always acts under obedience may be assured that he will not have to give an account of his actions to God.

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St. Philip Neri

Vision of St Philip Neri (circa 1700)

Artist: Giuseppe Passeri (1654–1714)

† St. Faustina Kowalska † Jesus: ‘My daughter, know that you give Me greater glory by a single act of obedience than by long prayers and mortifications.’

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Consecrated Life

†

Vocation Discernment

Ceiling Fresco – Chapel of Santa Maria del Giglio,

Church of Santa Maria Maddalena de 'Pazzi Artist: Bernardino Poccetti (1548–1612)

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St. Augustine of Hippo

The Triumph of St. Augustine (1664) Artist: Claudio Coello (1642–1693)

† St. Augustine of Hippo † Be ye not slow, that are able, whom God doth inspire to seize upon higher

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callings [religious life]. One thing is done by thy profession, another thing will be perfected by the aid of God. Look to Him who doth guide thee, and thou wilt not look back to the place whence He is leading thee forth.

† St. Thomas Aquinas † It is to be said that those who draw others to religious life not only do not sin, but merit a great reward, for it is said in the last chapter of James, ‘He who turns a sinner from the error of his way, frees his soul from death, and covers a multitude of sins,’ and it is said in Daniel 12, ‘They who lead many to justice, as stars in perpetual eternities.’

† St. Thomas Aquinas † That satan transforms himself into an angel of light, and many times suggests

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good things with the intention of deceiving, is true. Therefore given that the devil incited someone to enter religious life, this would be a good work, and fitting to the good angels. Hence there would not be a danger if someone consented to him in this; but he would have to be watchful to resist him when he began to [try to] lead him to pride or to other vices. For it frequently happens that God uses the malice of demons for the good of the saints. Yet it should be known that if the devil suggests to someone that he enter religious life, or if another man suggests this to him, this suggestion has no efficacy unless he is drawn interiorly by God; for by entering religious life, one sets out to follow Christ, [and no one can come to Christ unless the Father draws him (Cf. John 6:44)].

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St. Thomas Aquinas

Scenes from Life of St Thomas Aquinas (1489–1491)

Artist: Filippino Lippi (1457–1504)

† St. Thomas Aquinas † “The entrance into religious life [cannot] be considered in relation to the strength

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of the one who is to enter it. And thus also there is not a place for doubt about the entrance into religious life, since those who enter religious life do not trust that they can persevere in it by their own power, but by the help of the divine power, according to Isaiah 40:31, ‘They who hope in the Lord will renew their strength; they will take wings as eagles, they will run and not toil, they will walk and not faint.’

St. Benedict of Nursia

Saint Benedict in Glory (1748)

Artist: Johann Jakob Zeiller (1708–1783)

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† St. Thomas Aquinas † St. Benedict, in his rule, mandates that easy entrance is not to be offered to those coming, but it should be tested whether the spirits are from God. It is to be said that to those who are drawn to religious life, a time of probation is still reserved, in which they experience the difficulties of religious life. And so an easy journey is not given them to the entrance of religious life.

† St. Ignatius of Loyola † If a person thinks of embracing a secular life, he should ask and desire more evident signs that God calls him to a secular life, than if there were question of embracing the evangelical counsels [chastity, poverty, obedience]; for Our Lord Himself has evidently exhorted us to embrace His counsels.

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St. Ignatius of Loyola

Miracle of St. Ignatius (1617–1618)

Artist: Peter Paul Rubens (1577–1640)

† St. Francis de Sales † Many enter religion [religious life] without knowing why they do so. They

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come into a convent parlor, they see nuns with calm faces, full of cheerfulness modesty and content, and they say to themselves, ‘What a happy place this is! Let us come to it. The world frowns on us; we do not get what we want there.’ Others come in order to find peace, consolation and all sorts of sweetness, saying in their minds: ‘How happy religious are! They have got safe away from all their home worries; from their parents continual ordering about and fault-finding – let us enter religion [religious life].’ These reasons are worth nothing. Let us consider whether we have sufficient courage and resolution to crucify and annihilate ourselves, or rather to permit God to do so. You must understand what it is to be a religious. It is to be bound to God by the continual mortification of ourselves, and to live

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only for Him. Our heart is surrendered always and wholly to His Divine Majesty; our eyes, tongue, hands and all our members serve Him continually. Look well into your heart and see if you have resolution enough to die to yourself and to live only for God. Religion [religious life] is nothing else than a school of renunciation and self mortification.

† St. Francis de Sales † To know whether God wants us to be a religious, we must not wait for the Divine Majesty to speak to us in some sensible way or that he send from Heaven some Angel to point out his will for us. Even less so is there any need to have some private revelations about it. There is no need to have ten or twelve theologians ponder whether this is a true

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inspiration or not or whether it must be carried out. However, we must cultivate and correspond with the first movement of inspiration. Then we must not be troubled if any distaste or coldness comes after that. For, if we always try to keep our will very firm in wanting to discover the good that has been shown to us, God will not fail to make all turn out well to his glory. Nor ought we to care much from what quarter the first movement comes. The Lord has many ways of calling His servants.

† St. Francis de Sales † A true vocation is nothing other than the firm and constant will possessed by the person called, to want to serve God in the manner and in the place where the Divine Majesty calls her. This is the best

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mark one could have to know when a vocation is true. when I say a firm and constant will of serving God, I do not say, that a person should from the beginning, perform everything required of his vocation, and that he should be perfect at once, and never feel tempted, unsettled, unshaken in his undertaking; I do not say, that he should never experience any doubts as to his religious calling, or should not waver, at times, in a kind of irresolution about his vocation: for this may happen from the weakness and repugnance of human nature, and the temptations of the devil, the arch-enemy of all good. Oh no! That is not what I mean to say; for everyone is more or less subject to passions, changes and vicissitudes; and a person will love one thing today, and another thing tomorrow. No two days of our life are alike. Today is different from yesterday, and tomorrow will be unlike

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either. It is not, then, by these different movements and feelings that we ought to judge of the firmness and constancy of the will, but we should consider rather, whether amid this variety of movements, the will remains firm and unshaken, so as not to give up the good it has embraced; so that to have a mark of a good vocation, we do not need sensible constancy; but a constancy which is in the superior part of the soul, and which is effective.

† St. Francis de Sales † I have already shown elsewhere that religious orders have been called hospitals in every age and religious are known by a Greek word which means healers because they are in a hospital to heal one another like the lepers of St. Bridget.

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We need not expect that those who enter religious life will be immediately perfect; it is enough for them to tend to perfection, and to embrace the means for growing in perfection. Our community, no more than any other religious community, is not a group of perfect women but rather a group of women who are aiming at and tending toward perfection. It is a school where we come to learn about the means that we must use to become perfect. And in order to do this, it is necessary to have this firm and constant will such as I spoke of, to embrace all the means of growing in perfection that are proper to the vocation in which one is called. If you see that she has this constant will of wanting to serve God and to grow in perfection, you may give her your vote; for if she is willing to receive the helps that our Lord will infallibly give her, she will persevere.

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Consider a daughter who has strong passions; she is quick-tempered, she commits many faults; if together with this, she really wants to be healed, and wants people to correct her, mortify her, and give her the proper remedies for her healing, however much taking these things causes her anger and difficulty, you must not refuse her your vote.

St. Bridget of Ireland

Blessings of St Bridget (1524)

Artist: Lorenzo Lotto (1480–1556)

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St. Francis de Sales

St. Francis de Sales in the Desert

Artist: Marcantonio Franceschini (1648–1729)

† St. Francis de Sales † If your assistance is truly necessary to your father or mother to enable them to

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live, it is no time to practice the counsel of retiring into a monastery, for charity ordains that you now put into execution its command of honoring, serving, aiding and helping your father or your mother.

† St. Francis de Sales † If I say that, in order to become a religious, one should have a good mind, I do not mean those great geniuses, who are generally vain and self-conceited, and in the world are but receptacles of vanity. Such men do not embrace the religious life to humble themselves, but to govern others, and direct everything according to their own views and inclinations, as if the object of their entrance into religion was to be lecturers in Philosophy and Theology.

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St. Jane Frances de Chantal

St Jane de Chantal Artist: Unknown

† St. Jane Frances de Chantal † When they [with great geniuses] are not given to devotion, submission and mortification, serve to ruin a whole religious community, nay even a whole religious Order. ‘We must pay special attention to these,’ says St. Francis de Sales, I do not say they should not be

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received, but I do say, that we should be very cautious about them; for in time and by God’s grace, they may greatly change; and this will undoubtedly come to pass, if they are faithful in making use of those means which are given them for their cure.

† Venerable Mary of Agreda † [Mystical City of God – Words of Our Lady to Mary of Agreda] Through the hardness of their heart and the total forgetfulness of themselves men do not know this truth and are not attracted by its blessings [of entering religious life]. But thou, 0 soul, be not deaf to the voice of the Most High, attend and correspond to it in thy actions: I wish to remind thee, that one of the greatest snares of the demon is to counteract the call of the Lord, whenever he seeks to attract and incline the soul to a life of perfection in his service.

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† Venerable Mary of Agreda † [Mystical City of God – Words of Our Lady to Mary of Agreda] It very often happens, that they who have received the habit with earthly and human motives, are afterwards visited by divine grace, which perfects them and sets all things aright. If this is possible even when the beginning was without a good intention, how much more powerful and efficacious will be the light and influence of grace and the discipline of religious life, when the soul enters under the influence of divine love and with a sincere and earnest desire of finding God, and of serving and loving Him?

† St. Alphonsus Marie de Ligouri † Let the confessor test well the [religious] vocation of his penitent, asking whether

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the penitent has some obstacle to it, due to incapacity, poor health, or the need of his parents. And let him especially weigh his purpose, to see if it is right, i.e., in order to unite himself more closely to God, or to amend the falls of his previous life, or to avoid the dangers of the world. But if the primary end is worldly—in order to lead a more agreeable life, or to free himself from relatives of an unfeeling character, or to please his parents, who push him to this—let him beware of permitting him to enter religious life. For in that case, it is not a true vocation, and entering in this way, without a true vocation, will have a bad outcome. But if the end is good, and no obstacle is present, then neither the confessor, nor anyone else, as St. Thomas Aquinas teaches, should or can without grave

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fault impede him, or attempt to dissuade him from the vocation.

† St. Alphonsus Marie de Ligouri † There is a true [religious] vocation whenever the following three things concur: First, a good end, namely, to get away from the dangers of the world, the better to insure eternal salvation, and to unite oneself more closely to God. Secondly, that there is no positive impediment due to poor health, lack of talents, or some necessity on the part of one’s parents, in regard to which matters the subject ought to quiet himself by leaving all to the judgment of the superiors, after having exposed the truth clearly. Thirdly, that the Superiors admit him. Now, whenever these three conditions

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are truly present, the novice ought not to doubt that his vocation was a true one.

† St. Alphonsus Marie de Ligouri † How singular a thing it is, when there is question of entering religious life to lead a life more perfect and more free from the dangers of the world, the men of the world say that it is necessary to deliberate a long time before putting such resolutions in execution, in order to ascertain whether the vocation comes from God or from the devil. The saints, however, do not talk thus. St. Thomas Aquinas says that if the vocation to religion [religious life] should even come from the devil, we should nevertheless follow it, as a good counsel, though coming from an enemy.

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† St. Alphonsus Marie de Ligouri † A final caution to him who wishes to enter religious life: let him resolve to become holy, and to suffer every exterior and interior pain, in order to be faithful to God, and not to abandon his vocation. And if he is not so resolved, I exhort him not to deceive the superiors and himself, and not to enter; for this is a sign that he is not called, or else what is even worse, that he does not want to respond to the call as he ought. Hence, with so bad a disposition it is better for him to remain outside, in order to dispose himself better, and to resolve to give himself entirely to God, and to suffer all for God.

† Pope St. John Paul II † In the hidden recesses of the human heart, the grace of a vocation takes the form of a dialogue. It is a dialogue between Christ and an individual, in

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which a personal invitation is given. Christ calls the person by name and says, ‘Come, follow Me.’ This call, this mysterious inner voice of Christ, is heard most clearly in silence and prayer. Its acceptance is an act of faith.

Pope St. John Paul II

John Paul II Portrait – Seminary Church of Lublin

Photographer: Unknown

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† Pope St. John Paul II † Sometimes a vocation is an obvious call from God, as in the case of Abraham, as the Book of Genesis tells us. God speaks directly to him, ‘Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk. . . to a land that I will show you’ (Genesis 12:1). And ‘Abraham went as the Lord directed him’ (Genesis 12:4). Usually, however, the Lord must wait for the person's response. He created people free and rational beings, capable of asking God the essential questions and of asking about what path to choose in life, the path of one's vocation. God wants to answer this question, but he does so as Christ replied to the young man in the Gospel. The young man speaking to the Good Master has another question, however. Considering that in his life up to this point he has observed the

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commandments, the young man asks, ‘What do I still lack?’ (Mt 19:20). Why is he the one to ask such a question? In this case, his heart has also been prepared by God's grace. A person can seek a better path in life, and for every question about this path, Christ has an answer for each person. Therefore, the young man in the Gospel hears Christ's reply, ‘If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in Heaven. Then come, follow me’ (Mt 19:21). The call to the way of perfection takes shape from Him [Christ] and through Him in the Holy Spirit, who continually ‘recalls’ to new people, men and women, at different times of their lives but especially in their youth, all that Christ has said and especially what He ‘said’ to the young man who asked him, ‘Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?’

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Through the reply of Christ, who ‘looks upon’ His questioner ‘with love’, the strong leaven of the mystery of the Redemption penetrates the consciousness, heart and will of a person who is searching with truth and sincerity. Thus the call to the way of the evangelical counsels always has its beginning in God: ‘You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide.

† Venerable Pope Pius XII † Let no one, who is unwilling, be driven to the pursuit of this kind of consecrated life; but, if one wishes it, let there be no one who will dissuade him, much less prevent him from undertaking it.

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Venerable Pope Pius XII

Pope Pius XII Coronation Photographer: Unknown

† Venerable Pope Pius XII † When one thinks upon the maidens and the women who voluntarily renounce marriage in order to consecrate themselves to a higher life of charity, of contemplation, and of sacrifice, a luminous word comes immediately to

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the lips: Vocation! This vocation, this call of love, makes itself felt in very diverse manners. But also the young Christian woman, remaining unmarried in spite of herself, who nevertheless trusts in the providence of the Heavenly Father, recognizes in the vicissitudes of life the voice of the Master: ‘Magister adest et vocat te’ (John 11:28). It is the master, and he is calling you! She responds, she renounces the beloved dream of her adolescence and her youth: to have a faithful companion in life, to form a family! And in the impossibility of marriage she recognizes her vocation; then, with a broken but submissive heart, she also gives her whole self to more noble and diverse good. Qui potest capere, capiat: he that can take, let him take it, We would wish to cry out today to Catholic young men and women, taking the word of Christ in its sense of invitation and encouragement.

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Consecrated Life

†

Duty & Commission

Ceiling Fresco – Chapel of Santa Maria del Giglio,

Church of Santa Maria Maddalena de 'Pazzi Artist: Bernardino Poccetti (1548–1612)

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St. Clare of Assisi

Clare of Assisi Holding a Lily

Artist: Giotto di Bondone (1266–1337)

† St. Clare of Assisi † The vision of him [Christ] is the splendor of everlasting glory, the radiance of

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everlasting light, and a mirror without tarnish. Look into this mirror every day, …, spouse of Jesus Christ, and continually examine your face in it, so that in this way you may adorn yourself completely, inwardly and outwardly, clothed and covered in multicolored apparel, adorned in the same manner with flowers and garments made of all the virtues as is proper, dearest …spouse of the most high King. Moreover, in this mirror shine blessed poverty, holy humility, and charity beyond words, as you will be able, with God's grace, to contemplate throughout the entire mirror. Look closely, I say, to the beginning of the life of this admired one [Christ], indeed at the poverty of him who was wrapped in swaddling clothes and placed in a manger. O marvelous

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humility! O astonishing poverty! The King of the angels, the Lord of heaven and earth is laid to rest in a manger! Consider also the midst of his life, his humility, or at least his blessed poverty, the countless hardships, and the punishments that he endured for the redemption of the human race. Indeed, ponder the final days of this mirrored one, contemplate the ineffable love with which he was willing to suffer on the tree of the cross and to die there a kind of death that is more shameful than any other. That mirror [Christ] suspended upon the wood of the cross from there kept urging those passing by of what must be considered, saying: O all you who pass by this way, look and see if there is any suffering like my suffering. In response let us with one voice and in one spirit answer him who is crying out and lamenting: I will remember this over and

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over and my soul will sink within me. Therefore, seeing this, …, you must burn ever more strongly with the fervor of charity! Furthermore, as you contemplate his indescribable delights, riches, and everlasting honors, and heaving a sigh because of your heart's immeasurable desire and love may you exclaim: Draw me after you, Heavenly Spouse, we shall run in the fragrance of your perfumes!

† St John of the Cross † Trials will never be lacking in religious life, nor does God want them to be. Since he brings souls there to be proved and purified, like gold, with hammer and the fire, it is fitting that they encounter trials and temptations... and the fire of anguish and affliction.

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St. John of the Cross

Saint John of the Cross

Artist: Frei Jesuíno do Monte Carmelo (1764–1819)

† St. Alphonsus Marie de Ligouri † God has given us the goods of the Earth, not only that we may enjoy them, but

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also that we may have the means of ... showing him our love by the voluntary renunciation of his gifts, and by the oblation of them to his glory. To abandon, for God’s sake, all worldly enjoyments, has always been the practice of holy souls.

St. Alphonsus Marie de Ligouri

Saint Alphonsus Liguori (18th Century)

Artist: Unknown

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† St. Alphonsus Marie de Ligouri † If they who give a cup of cold water in his name shall not be left without abundant remuneration, how great and incomprehensible must be the reward which religious who aspire to perfection shall receive for the numberless works of piety which they perform every day; for so many meditations, offices, and spiritual readings; for so many acts of mortification and of divine love which they daily refer to God’s honor? Do you not know that these good works which are performed through obedience, and in compliance with the religious vows, merit a far greater reward than the good works of seculars?

† Venerable Mary of Agreda † Our Lady to Venerable Mary of Agreda on how to live out her religious state:

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‘But I...find so few who console with me and try to console my Son in His sorrows....Consider then thy duty, my dearest, and raise thyself above all earthly things and above thyself; for I am calling thee and choose thee to imitate and follow me into the solitude in which I am left by man....Flee from the dangerous intercourse with creatures. I remind thee that there is no exercise more profitable and useful to the soul than to suffer....Therefore, my daughter, embrace the cross, and do not admit any consolation outside of it in this mortal life. By contemplating and feeling within thyself the sacred Passion, thou wilt attain the summit of perfection and attain the love of a spouse.’

† St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus † I am very happy, my dear little sister, that you do not feel a sensible attraction

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to come to the Carmel; that is a treat from Jesus, who wants to receive a gift from you. He knows that it is much sweeter to give than to receive. We have only the brief moment of our life to give to the good God.

St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus

Therese von Lisieux (1888–1896)

Photographer: Unknown

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† St. Teresa of the Andes † We [religious] no longer belong to the world. Jesus has taken us from the world, that we may follow Him more closely, and He says to us, ‘If anyone would come after Me, let him take up his cross and follow Me.’ And so, Sister, let's walk after Him. Love demands this, since He has chosen us to make us entirely His own. And when the weight of the cross weighs us down, let us call upon Jesus to help us. We do not belong to the worldly spirit any longer, for Jesus has taken from us the spirit of the world in order to clothe us with His Divine Spirit. And what is that spirit...? The spirit of the Cross, the renunciation of our selfish impulses and demands of the flesh; the denial of our appetites and tastes, comforts, etc.

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† St. Teresa of the Andes † The cloister is the ante-chamber of heaven and in it God alone exists for the soul. A soul that doesn't live in God in the cloister profanes it. The cloister is totally pervaded by God. It's His dwelling place. Religious souls are the angels who constantly adore Him.

St. Teresa of the Andes

Teresa de los Andes

Photographer: Unknown

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† St. Faustina Kowalska † Today, the Lord gave me knowledge of His anger toward mankind which deserves to have its days shortened because of its sins. But I learned that the world's existence is maintained by chosen souls; that is, the religious orders. Woe to the world when there will be a lack of religious orders!

† St. Faustina Kowalska † Jesus told me, ‘In convents too, there are souls that fill My Heart with joy. They bear My features; therefore the Heavenly Father looks upon them with special pleasure. They will be a marvel to Angels and men. Their number is very small. They are a defense for the world before the justice of the Heavenly Father and a means of obtaining mercy for the world.

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The love and sacrifice of these souls sustain the world in existence. The infidelity of a soul specially chosen by Me wounds My Heart most painfully. Such infidelities are swords which pierce My Heart.’

St. Faustina Kowalska

Faustyna Kowalska

Photographer: Unknown

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† St. Faustina Kowalska † By prayer and mortification, we will make our way to the most uncivilized countries, paving the way for the missionaries. We will bear in mind that a soldier on the front line cannot hold out long without support from the rear forces that do not actually take part in the fighting but provide for all his needs; and that such is the role of prayer, and that therefore each one of us is to be distinguished by an apostolic spirit.

† St. Faustina Kowalska † Towards the end of the Way of the Cross which I was making, the Lord Jesus began to complain about the souls of religious and priests, about the lack of love in chosen souls, ‘I will allow convents and churches to be destroyed.’

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I answered, Jesus, but there are so many souls praising You in convents. The Lord answered, ‘That praise wounds My Heart, because love has been banished from convents. Souls without love and without devotion, souls full of egoism and self-love, souls full of pride and arrogance, souls full of deceit and hypocrisy, lukewarm souls who have just enough warmth to keep them alive. My Heart cannot bear this. All the graces that I pour out upon them flow off them as off the face of a rock. I cannot stand them, because they are neither good nor bad. I called convents into being to sanctify the world through them. It is from them that a powerful flame of love and sacrifice should burst forth. And if they do not repent and become enkindled by their first love, I will deliver them over to the fate of this world.

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How can they sit on the promised throne of judgment to judge the world, when their guilt is greater than the guilt of the world? There is neither penance nor atonement. O heart, which received Me in the morning and at noon are all ablaze with hatred against Me, hatred of all sorts! O heart specially chosen by Me, were you chosen for this, to give Me more pain? The great sins of the world are superficial wounds on My Heart, but the sins of a chosen soul pierce My Heart through and through.’ When I tried to intercede for them, I could find nothing with which to excuse them and, being at the time unable to think of anything in their defense, my heart was seized with pain, and I wept bitterly. Then the Lord looked at me kindly and comforted me with these words, ‘Do not cry. There are still a great number of souls who love Me very much,

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but My Heart desires to be loved by all and, because My love is great, that is why I warn and chastise them.’

† Pope St. John Paul II † The consecrated life proclaims and in a certain way anticipates the future age, when the fullness of the Kingdom of Heaven, already present in its first fruits and in mystery, will be achieved and when the children of the resurrection will take neither wife nor husband, but will be like the angels of God (Mt. 22:30).

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Consecrated Life

†

Vocation Prayers

Ceiling Fresco – Chapel of Santa Maria del Giglio,

Church of Santa Maria Maddalena de 'Pazzi, Artist: Bernardino Poccetti (1548–1612)

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St. Francis of Assisi Great and glorious God, and my Lord Jesus Christ, enlighten the darkness of my mind. Give me a right faith, a firm hope and a perfect charity. Grant that I may know you, Lord in order that I may always and in all things, act according to your most holy and perfect will.

St. Catherine of Siena Lord, take me from myself and give me to yourself.

St. Ignatius of Loyola Teach us, Good Lord, To serve you as you deserve; To give and not to count the cost; To fight and not to heed the wounds; To labor and not to ask for any reward, save that of knowing that we do Thy will. Through Jesus Christ Our Lord.

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St. Ignatius of Loyola Lord, I freely yield all my freedom to you. Take my memory, my intellect and my entire will. You have given me anything I am or have; I give it all back to you to stand under your will alone. Your love and your grace are enough for me; I shall ask for nothing more.

Pope St. John Paul II Jesus, Son of God, in whom the fullness of the Divinity dwells, You call all the baptized to "put out into the deep", taking the path that leads to holiness. Waken in the hearts of young people the desire to be witnesses in the world of today to the power of your love. Fill them with your Spirit of fortitude and prudence, so that they may be able to discover the full truth about themselves and their own vocation.

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Our Savior, sent by the Father to reveal His merciful love, give to your Church the gift of young people who are ready to put out into the deep, to be the sign among their brothers of Your presence which renews and saves. Holy Virgin, Mother of the Redeemer, sure guide on the way towards God and towards neighbor, You who pondered his Word in the depth of your heart, sustain with your motherly intercession our families and our ecclesial communities, so that they may help adolescents and young people to answer generously the call of the Lord.

Pope St. John Paul II Lord Jesus, Christ, Good Shepherd of our souls, you who know your sheep and know how to reach our hearts, open the minds and hearts of those young people who search for and await a word of truth for their lives; let them understand that only in the mystery of your Incarnation do they

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find full light; arouse the courage of those who know where to seek the truth, but fear that what you ask will be too demanding. Stir in the hearts of those young people who would follow you, but who cannot overcome doubts and fears, and who in the end follow other voices and other paths which lead nowhere. You who are the Word of the Father, the Word which creates and saves, the Word which enlightens and sustains hearts, conquer with your Spirit the resistance and delays of indecisive hearts; arouse in those whom you call the courage of love's answer: "Here I am, send me!"

Pope St. John Paul II O Holy Family of Nazareth, community of love of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, model and ideal of every Christian family, to you we entrust our families.

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Open the heart of every family to the faith, to welcoming the Word of God, to Christian witness, so that it become a source of new and holy vocations. Touch the hearts of parents, so that with prompt charity, wise care, and loving devotion they be for their sons and daughters sure guides towards spiritual and eternal values. Stir up in the hearts of young people a right conscience and a free will, so that growing in "wisdom, age and grace", they might welcome generously the gift of a divine vocation. Holy Family of Nazareth, grant that all of us, contemplating and imitating the assiduous prayer, generous obedience, dignified poverty and virginal purity lived out in your midst, might set about fulfilling the will of God and accompanying with far-sighted sensitivity those among us who are called to follow more closely the Lord Jesus, who "has given himself for us" (Gal 2:20).

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Venerable Pope Pius XII Prayer For Religious Vocations O Lord Jesus Christ, sublime model of all perfection, Thou art ever urging onward all privileged souls in their high aspiration towards the goal of religious life; and, moreover, Thou dost also strengthen them through the powerful force of Thy example and the efficacious influence of Thy grace so that they may be able to follow Thee in such a noble way of life; grant then that many, recognizing Thy sweet inspirations, may have the will to correspond with them by embracing the religious state and so enjoy in it Thy special care and tender predilection. Grant in like manner that there may never be wanting those angels of Thy charity, who will represent Thee day and night at the cradle of the orphan, at the bedside of the suffering, by the side of the aged and the sick, who perhaps have no one on

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earth to whom they may look for sympathy and a helping hand. Grant that humble schools, like lofty pulpits, may ever re-echo Thy voice, teaching the way to heaven and the duties proper to each one's state in life. May no land, ever so wild and remote, be deprived of the preaching of the Gospel, whereby the invitation is extended to all peoples to enter into Thy Kingdom. Increase and multiply the flames which are to spread throughout the world that fire in which the immaculate holiness of Thy Church is to shine forth in all its splendor. May there flourish in every place, gardens of chosen souls who by contemplation and penance make reparation for the sins of men and invoke Thy mercy upon them. Grant that the continuous self sacrifice of these hearts, the snow-white purity of these souls and their eminent virtues may keep ever alive the perfect example of the

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children of God which Thou didst will to make manifest to men by Thy coming into this world. To these armies of Thy dearly beloved souls send a large number of good vocations, souls steadfast and firm in their resolve to make themselves worthy of their high calling and to become a credit to the holy institute to which they aspire, by exact religious observance, by diligence in prayer, by constant mortification and by the perfect conformity of their will with Thine in all things. Enlighten, O Lord Jesus, many generous souls with the fiery glow of the Holy Spirit, who is substantial and eternal love, and by the powerful intercession of Thy most dear Mother Mary, stir up and preserve in them the fire of Thy love, unto the glory of the Father and the same Holy Spirit, who together with Thee live and reign forever and ever.

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Index of Illustrations Ceiling Fresco – Chapel of Santa Maria del Giglio Artist: Bernardino Poccetti (1548–1612) Photographs by Sailko CC-BY-SA-3.0; CC-PD-Mark; PD-Art (PD-old-100) Fresco – Royal Monastery, San Lorenzo de El Escorial Artist: Luca Giordano (1692-1693) Photograph by Jose Luis Filpo Cabana CC-BY-SA-3.0; CC-PD-Mark; PD-Art (PD-old-100) The Vision of St Jerome (circa 1660) Artist: Giovanni Battista Langetti (1635–1676) CC-PD-Mark; PD-Art (PD-old-100) Vision of St Maria Magdalena di Pazzi (Early 1600s) Artist: Pedro de Moya (1610–1674) CC-PD-Mark; PD-Art (PD-old-100) St. Lawrence Giustiniani Adoring the Baby Jesus Artist: Luca Giordano CC-PD-Mark; PD-Art (PD-old-100) The Ecstasy of St Teresa (1st half of 18th Century) Artist: Francesco Fontebasso (1707–1769) CC-PD-Mark; PD-Art (PD-old-100) The Virgin Mary Appears to St Bernard (1447) Artist: Filippo Lippi (1406–1469) CC-PD-Mark; PD-Art (PD-old-100) María de Jesús de Agreda (17th Century) Artist: Unknown CC-PD-Mark; PD-Art (PD-old-100) St Athanasius Icon (End 17th Century) Artist: Unknown CC-PD-Mark; PD-Art (PD-old-100) Mass of St Basil (1743) Artist: Pierre Subleyras (1699–1749) CC-PD-Mark; PD-Art (PD-old-100)

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Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli (1959) Photographer: Unknown CC-BY-SA-3.0 Saint Robert Bellarmine (16th Century) Artist: Anonymous Italian School CC-PD-Mark; PD-Art (PD-old-100) St Francis Consoled by an Angel (circa 1593) Artist: Giuseppe Cesari (1568–1640) CC-PD-Mark; PD-Art (PD-old-100) St. John Chrysostom (16th Century) Artist: Unknown CC-PD-Mark; PD-Art (PD-old-100) St. Ignatius of Antioch (Before 17th Century) Artist: Unknown CC-PD-Mark; PD-Art (PD-old-100) St. John Climacus of the Ladder Artist: Unknown CC-PD-Mark; PD-Art (PD-old-100) Saint Albert the Great (1352) Artist: Tommaso da Modena (1326–1379) CC-PD-Mark; PD-Art (PD-old-100) St. Catherine of Siena (circa 1475) Artist: Giovanni di Paolo (1395–1482) CC-PD-Mark; PD-Art (PD-old-100) Vision of St Philip Neri (circa 1700) Artist: Giuseppe Passeri (1654–1714) CC-PD-Mark; PD-Art (PD-old-100) The Triumph of St. Augustine (1664) Artist: Claudio Coello (1642–1693) CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Scenes from Life of St Thomas Aquinas (1489–1491) Artist: Filippino Lippi (1457–1504) CC-PD-Mark; PD-Art (PD-old-100)

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Saint Benedict in Glory (1748) Artist: Johann Jakob Zeiller (1708–1783) CC-PD-Mark; PD-Art (PD-old-100) Miracle of St. Ignatius (1617–1618) Artist: Peter Paul Rubens (1577–1640) CC-PD-Mark; PD-Art (PD-old-100) Blessings of St Bridget (1524) Artist: Lorenzo Lotto (1480–1556) CC-PD-Mark; PD-Art (PD-old-100) St. Francis de Sales in the Desert Artist: Marcantonio Franceschini (1648–1729) CC-PD-Mark; PD-Art (PD-old-100) St Jane de Chantal Artist: Unknown CC-PD-Mark; PD-Art (PD-old-100) John Paul II Portrait – Seminary Church of Lublin Photographer: Unknown CC-BY-SA-3.0 Pope Pius XII Coronation Photographer: Unknown; Scanner: Joachim Specht PD-Self Clare of Assisi Holding a Lily Artist: Giotto di Bondone (1266–1337) Photograph by Jebulon CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Saint John of the Cross Artist: Frei Jesuíno do Monte Carmelo (1764–1819) CC-PD-Mark; PD-Art (PD-old-100) Saint Alphonsus Liguori (18th Century) Artist: Unknown Photograph by Mary Henryetta Carson CC-PD-Mark; PD-Art (PD-old-100) Therese von Lisieux (1888–1896) Photographer: Unknown

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CC-PD-Mark; PD-Art (PD-old-100) Teresa de los Andes Photographer: Unknown CC-PD-Mark Faustyna Kowalska Photographer: Unknown CC-PD-Mark The dream of St. Joseph Artist: Pierre Parrocel (1670–1739) Photographer: José Luiz CC-BY-SA-3.0; CC-PD-Mark; PD-Art (PD-old-100) The Annunciation (1610–1630) Artist: Giovanni Lanfranco (1582–1647) CC-PD-Mark; PD-Art (PD-old-100) Calling of St. Peter and St. Andrew (17th Century) Artist: Michel Corneille the Younger (1642–1708) Photograph by Caroline Léna Becker CC-PD-Mark; PD-Art (PD-old-100) CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0): Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/deed.en) CC BY-SA 3.0: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en) CC-PD-Mark: Creative Commons Public Domain Mark PD-Art: Public Domain Art PD-old-100: Public domain works whose authors have been dead for 100 or more years PD-Self: Public domain images that have been released into the public domain by their creators All the image files have all been identified as being in the public domain and free of known restrictions under copyright law, including all related and neighbouring rights.

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Obedience of St. Joseph

The dream of St. Joseph

Artist: Pierre Parrocel (1670–1739)

“Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit;…when Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the

angel of the Lord commanded him” Matthew 1:20,24

“Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there till I tell you… And he rose and

took the child and his mother by night, and departed to Egypt.” Matthew 2:13-14

2