Greetings and blessings, beloved family and Happy First Sunday of Lent!
FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT (YEAR C)
SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ MARCH 9, 2025
MEMORIAL OF SAINT FRANCES OF ROME, RELIGIOUS; SAINT DOMINIC SAVIO, CONFESSOR AND SAINT CATHERINE OF BOLOGNA, RELIGIOUS| Daily Saints and Reflections | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
NOVENA TO SAINT JOSEPH: Begins tomorrow, March 10–18, 2025 (Novena Links below)
Today is the First Sunday of Lent, the first of the six Sundays of the season of Lent before we enter into the Holy Week, as we all prepare ourselves for the coming of the great mystery of the Passion of the Lord and all of His saving works, and the glorious celebration at Easter. We’re called to make good use of this season of Lent to remind ourselves to be more faithful and committed to God, resisting the temptations of sin.
Thanking God for His love and the gift of this day and praying for God’s grace and mercy on us all as we embark on our Lenten journey. Let us draw closer to God and be renewed by prayer, fasting, penance and giving to the poor. We pray for justice, peace, love, and unity in our families and our world that is torn apart by war, terrorism, and countless other acts of violence against human life. May God keep us all safe and well during these challenging times and may the good Lord grant us His grace as we continue to serve Him in spirit and in truth during this Lenten Season. Wishing us all a reflective and spiritually enriching and grace-filled Lenten Season ~ Amen 🙏🏽
Holy Mass for the Jubilee of the World of Volunteering | Presided over by His Eminence Cardinal Michael Czerny | Live from the Vatican | March 9, 2025 | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/03/09/holy-mass-for-the-jubilee-of-the-world-of-volunteering-presided-over-by-his-eminence-cardinal-michael-czerny-live-from-the-vatican-march-9-2025/
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN | “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | Pray “Holy Rosary Novena From Lourdes” | Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/03/09/catholic-daily-mass-daily-tv-mass-march-9-2025/
LENTEN PRAYERS AND REFLECTIONS | FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/03/09/lenten-prayers-and-reflections/
Holy Rosary for the Health of Pope Francis | Presided over by H.E Cardinal Michael Czerny S.I | From St. Peter’s Square | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/03/09/holy-rosary-presided-over-h-e-cardinal-michael-czerny-s-i/
NOVENA TO SAINT JOSEPH: Begins tomorrow, March 10–18, 2025 (in preparation for the Solemnity of Saint Joseph on March 19, 2025. Novena Links below.
Novena to St. Joseph – Full | EWTN – https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/devotions/st-joseph-full-novena-13879
Novena for the Solemnity of St. Joseph – United States Conference of Catholic Bishops | https://shorturl.at/tvKPT
LENT: | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/03/03/lent/
THE LITURGICAL YEAR IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/12/03/the-liturgical-year-in-the-catholic-church/
PRAYER FOR POPE FRANCIS: May we all unite as one voice to lift up the Vicar of Christ in prayer today as his health continues to improve after a prolonged respiratory crisis. We continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis’ speedy recovery and God’s Divine healing and intervention.
WORLD PRAYERS FOR POPE FRANCIS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/02/26/world-prayers-for-pope-francis/
Almighty God, we thank you for the loving service of Pope Francis and the hope he has inspired in so many in Your great mercy. Have mercy on him in his illness now, we pray, and guide the medical staff in his care. Grant him peace and healing. Through Christ our Lord. Amen🙏🏽
On this special feast day, as we begin our Lenten journey, with special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, we pray for the sick and dying and all those who mourn the loss of their loved ones and celebrate their memorial anniversary today. We pray for our loved ones who have recently died, and we continue to pray for the repose of their gentle souls and souls of all the faithful departed, may the Lord receive them into the light of Eternal Kingdom. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their gentle souls and souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen 🙏 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯
“Blessed are those who have died in the Lord; let them rest from their abors for their good deeds go with them.” ~ Rev 14:13
PRAYER FOR THE DEAD: In your hands, O Lord, we humbly entrust our brothers and sisters. In this life, you embraced them with your tender love; deliver them now from every evil, and bid them eternal rest. The old order has passed away: welcome them into paradise, where there will be no sorrow, no weeping or pain, but fullness of peace and joy with your Son and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen🙏
THE HOLY FATHER, POPE FRANCIS’ MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2025: FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH – For families in crisis: Let us pray that broken families might discover the cure for their wounds through forgiveness, rediscovering each other’s gifts, even in their differences. (https://popesprayerusa.net/popes-intentions/)
Pray “Holy Rosary for Peace with Pope Francis” | “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteries | Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/01/30/holy-rosary-for-peace-with-pope-francis/
Please find below links to the websites for Daily Reflections, Foundation and interesting topics and articles about our Catholic faith and doctrines | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2025/01/30/daily-reflections-and-prayer-links/
DAILY SAINTS AND REFLECTIONS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Frances of Rome, Religious (Patron Saint of Benedictine oblates; Automobile drivers; Widows); Saint Dominic Savio (Patron Saint of choirboys, choristers the falsely accused, and juvenile delinquents) and Saint Catherine of Bologna, Religious (artists, the liberal arts, against temptations and of Bologna). Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for the safety and well-being of our children, all automobile drivers, travellers and artist, we pray for God’s guidance and protection. We pray for the sick and the dying. We lift up our prayers for the Church, for captives, prisoners, and persecuted Christians, for the conversion of sinners, and for all who have lost the joy of living in God’s loving presence. We also remember those who suffer from violence, oppression, and unrest in our communities and around the world. May the intercession of the Saints guide us toward peace, justice, and unity especially in Africa, the Middle East, and in regions afflicted by conflict.
Saint Frances of Rome, Saint Dominic Savio and Saint Catherine of Bologna ~ Pray for us 🙏🏽
We thank God for blessing us all with the gift of His precious son, may we be saved by the name of our Savior Jesus Christ! May the good Lord grant us His grace during this Ordinary Time as we continue to serve Him in spirit and in truth. 🙏🏽
PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ POPE FRANCIS:
Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!
A PRAYER FOR PEACE: Lord Jesus Christ, You are the true King of peace. In You alone is found freedom. Please free our world from conflict. Bring unity to troubled nations. Let Your glorious peace reign in every heart. Dispel all darkness and evil. Protect the dignity of every human life. Replace hatred with Your love. Give wisdom to world leaders. Free them from selfish ambition. Eliminate all violence and war. Glorious Virgin Mary, Saint Michael the Archangel, Every Angel and Saint: Please pray for peace. Pray for unity amongst nations. Pray for unity amongst all people. Pray for the most vulnerable. Pray for those suffering. Pray for the fearful. Pray for those most in need. Pray for us all. Jesus, Son of the Living God, have mercy on us. Jesus, hear our prayers. Jesus, I trust in You! Amen 🙏🏽
Prayers for Peace | https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/prayers-for-peace/
A PRAYER TO WALK HUMBLY THROUGH LENT: Father, In Micah 6:8, You say, “O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” Today we choose to walk humbly with You. We choose to live by Your Holy Spirit and to follow Your lead. Help us to hear You clearly, for we do not want to walk by pride or self-sufficiency, we want to walk with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen 🙏🏽
God of goodness and mercy, hear my prayer as I begin this Lenten journey with you. Let me be honest with myself as I look into my heart and soul, noticing the times I turn away from you. Guide me as I humbly seek to repent and return to your love. May humility guide my efforts to be reconciled with you and live forever in your abundant grace. Transform me this Lent, heavenly Father. Give me the strength to commit myself to grow closer to you each day. Amen 🙏🏽
LENTEN FAST AND ABSTINENCE (Lenten Fast and Abstinence regulations from the USCCB): Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of fasting and abstinence for Catholics. In addition, Fridays during Lent are obligatory days of abstinence.
For members of the Latin Catholic Church, the norms on fasting are obligatory from age 18 until age 59. When fasting, a person is permitted to eat one full meal, as well as two smaller meals that together are not equal to a full meal. The norms concerning abstinence from meat are binding upon members of the Latin Catholic Church from age 14 onwards
Members of the Eastern Catholic Churches are to observe the particular law of their own sui iuris Church. If possible, the fast on Good Friday is continued until the Easter Vigil (on Holy Saturday night) as the “paschal fast” to honor the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus, and to prepare ourselves to share more fully and to celebrate more readily His Resurrection. 🙏🏽
SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS
Bible Readings for today’s Holy Mass, First Sunday of Lent | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading
Today’s Bible Readings: First Sunday of Lent (Year C), Sunday March 9, 2025
Reading 1, Deuteronomy 26:4-10
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 91:1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15
Reading 2, Romans 10:8-13
Gospel, Luke 4:1-13
Gospel (USA) Luke 4:1–13
“Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert and was tempted”
“Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days, to be tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over he was hungry. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” Jesus answered him, “It is written, One does not live on bread alone.” Then he took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a single instant. The devil said to him, “I shall give to you all this power and glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I may give it to whomever I wish. All this will be yours, if you worship me.” Jesus said to him in reply, “It is written: You shall worship the Lord, your God, and him alone shall you serve.” Then he led him to Jerusalem, made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written: He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you, and: With their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.” Jesus said to him in reply, “It also says, You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.” When the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time.”
In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus is tempted to take a variety of shortcuts or easy options. Jesus endured a very difficult test immediately after His Baptism. He left the river Jordan where He had been Baptized and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness where He was tested or tempted for forty days. The Gospel reading suggests that during these forty days Jesus was tested in a very fundamental way. His very baptismal identity was put to the test. Who He was and what His life was about was at issue. Will He use his power to satisfy his own physical appetites or will he use it to serve others? Will He compromise on His worship of God so as to gain worldly power and honours for Himself? Will He take the short cut to gaining followers by relying on spectacular stunts, thereby putting God to the test? Jesus came through that testing time because He did not face it alone. God was with Him in the test. He was supported by the word of God, and he was strengthened by the Spirit of God, whom He had received at his baptism. In the wilderness of temptation, he remained true to his baptismal identity. Like Jesus, we have all been baptized. We have each received the Holy Spirit at our baptism, as He did. Our own baptismal identity will certainly be put to the test from time to time, as His was. Our baptism has made us sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters of Christ, temples of the Holy Spirit, members of Christ’s body the church. Because of our baptism, we have a certain set of beliefs. In the words of today’s second reading, we believe in our hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead, we confess with our lips that Jesus is Lord. Who we are as baptized Christians and what we believe will often be put to the test. We may not be led into the physical wilderness as Jesus was after His baptism, but the world in which we live can be experienced as something of a wilderness when it comes to living out our baptism and being true to our baptismal identity. We often experience pressure from our culture to be someone other than what our baptism calls us to be; our peers can tempt us to live in a way that is at odds with our baptismal calling. As he was tempted to take various paths that were contrary to what God wanted for Him, we will be tempted in a similar way. As His faithfulness to God’s call was severely tested, so also will our faithfulness be tested.
Reflecting on the today’s Gospel as we are at the beginning of the seven week season of Lent. Lent is a season when we face the reality that our baptismal identity is always being put to the test, when we remind ourselves of the struggle we are always engaged in to be faithful to the call of our baptism. If remaining faithful to His baptism was a struggle for Jesus, it will certainly be a struggle for us. You could say that Lent is a season when we look temptation in the eye as it were, when we try to identity the particular ways in which we are being pulled away from the path the Lord is asking us to take. It is a season when we try to grow in our freedom to say ‘no’ to the subtle, and not-so-subtle, seductions of every day living. It is a time when we take an honest look at ourselves, and at the direction our lives are taking. This is not something we can do overnight. The season of Lent is nearly seven weeks long. We are given time, because when it comes to getting the basics right, like who we want to be and how we want to live, we need time. The same resources that were available to Jesus in the wilderness are available to us as we enter this Lenten time. When Jesus was tempted, he fell back on the word of God to help Him through. That same word of God has been given to us as a resource in coping with the various assaults on our baptismal identity. Lent is a good time to make greater use of that resource. Perhaps one Lenten exercise we might consider is to read the Sacred Scriptures each day of the week in a prayerful and reflective way for a few minutes, inviting the Lord to speak to us through them. We might begin our daily reading of those Scripture readings with the prayer, ‘Speak Lord, your servant is listening’. The Holy Spirit also helped Jesus to be faithful to His baptismal call. We might conclude our prayerful reading of the Scriptures with the prayer, ‘Come Holy Spirit; keep me faithful to my baptismal calling’. As we begin our Lenten journey together, we ask the Lord to help us to travel it well, so that when Easter comes we can wholeheartedly renew our baptismal promises together.
In our first reading this Sunday, from the Book of Deuteronomy, we heard of the words of Moses, the leader of the Israelites, who exhorted the people of God on how they ought to offer their sacrifices and present them before the Lord. In today’s reading, the priest offering the sacrifice recounted the great deeds that the Lord had done for the people and for their ancestors, guiding them all through the various trials and tribulations in life, and how He has moved His hands to guide them all, performing great deeds, signs and wonders in their midst, freeing them from all of their enemies and from those who have persecuted them, as evidenced in the great signs of the time of the Exodus from Egypt. Essentially, through those words of the priests, the people were constantly being reminded of the great and wonderful graces that they have all received from God, all the love that God has constantly shown to them. This is a reminder of the great love of God, the enduring love that had transcended even the rebelliousness and the sins of the people, who have often disobeyed and rebelled against Him. He did not forget those whom He loved when they called upon Him, and He came to their help and gave them all His blessings, and bringing them to the Land of Promise, fulfilling the Covenant which He had made with their forefathers, with Abraham and his descendants. And therefore, it is also a reminder for all of us that if we sincerely seek God’s mercy and love, we shall be forgiven by Him, and we shall once again be found in His loving embrace and Presence.
In our second reading from the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Church and the faithful people of God in Rome, we heard of the salvation which God had reassured all of us, His faithful ones, by the sure guarantee that He has given to all of us through His Son, Whom He had sent into our world to be our Saviour, so that everyone who believes in Him, all of us may receive through Him the sure path towards the eternal life and true happiness that can be found in God alone. And everyone, regardless of their background and origin, be it they are Jews or Greeks, or any other differences or categories that we often differentiate ourselves by, all of us are truly beloved by God, and God will bless and grant us His salvation if we are to put our trust and faith in Him. This is yet again another reminder of the universal nature of God’s love, which is given freely to everyone without bias or preference. Everyone is equally beloved by God, be it those who are rich or poor, privileged or nobody, powerful or weak, healthy or sick, man or woman, and no artificial human divisions or groupings, prejudices and biases affect His love for all of us, love that He has genuinely shown us from the very beginning of time. God Who created us all out of love wants us all to be reconciled to Him, to be guided back to Him through our repentance and sincere desire for purification of our souls, for the atonement of our faults and mistakes, which He had accomplished once and for all, for all time and for all creation through His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour, Who has triumphed and conquered sin and death.
As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures this Sunday, the very first Sunday of the season of Lent, we are reminded of the need for us to be careful in living our lives so that we do not allow ourselves to be swayed by the temptations that are ever always present around us, all the wickedness and evils that may lead us astray in the journey towards God. As we continue to progress through this time and season of Lent, we need to remind ourselves of the many challenges and trials that we may have to endure and encounter in our path so that we will not be easily distracted and lose our focus in the Lord. We have to keep in mind that the Lord wants us all to be holy like Him, and to be worthy of Him, and this is why during this season and time of Lent, we seek to purify ourselves and rid ourselves of all the corruptions of sin. Hopefully after carefully discerning together our path in life, we may come to realisation that sin and the temptations to sin are serious obstacles preventing us from coming back to God, our loving Father and Creator. Each and every one of us should make good use of the time and opportunities which the Lord Himself has provided to us so that by our sincere efforts in seeking Him and His forgiveness, God may be kind to show us His love, His compassion and mercy, allowing us to be fully and truly reconciled and reunited with Him. We should humble ourselves and resist the temptations of pride, ambition, ego, desires and all the attachments to worldly pleasures, vices and all those distractions that can keep us away from God. May the Lord continue to guide us throughout this Lenten journey, so that our observances of Lent, our practices such as fasting, abstinence, prayer and almsgiving, among others, may truly benefit us and strengthen us all in our faith and in our relationship with the Lord, our most loving God, as we journey towards the pinnacle of the story of our salvation at Holy Week and Easter. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and be with us always and may He empower us all throughout this Lenten season so that we may continue to serve Him and to walk in His presence, now and always. May the good Lord continue to bless our efforts and good works in bringing ourselves ever closer to His loving embrace, so that we may one day be worthy to be at His Holy Presence, to share forever His eternal joy and glory, having been forgiven from our many sins and faults, and be reunited with our loving Father, to live forever in His Presence. Amen 🙏🏽
SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT FRANCES OF ROME, RELIGIOUS; SAINT DOMINIC SAVIO, CONFESSOR AND SAINT CATHERINE OF BOLOGNA, RELIGIOUS – FEAST DAY ~ MARCH 9TH: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Frances of Rome, Religious (Patron Saint of Benedictine oblates; Automobile drivers; Widows); Saint Dominic Savio (Patron Saint of choirboys, choristers the falsely accused, and juvenile delinquents) and Saint Catherine of Bologna, Religious (artists, the liberal arts, against temptations and of Bologna). Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for the safety and well-being well-being of our children, all automobile drivers, travellers and artist, we pray for God’s guidance and protection. We also pray for all widows and widowers and all those who are mourning, please Lord comfort them and help them to abide in you forever even as they go through this difficult time. We continue to pray for all Healthcare professionals, the sick and the dying. We particularly pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis and all those suffering from respiratory diseases, heart diseases, mental disorders, cancers and other terminal diseases, we pray for God’s divine healing and intervention. Amen 🙏🏽
Saint Frances of Rome, Saint Dominic Savio and Saint Catherine of Bologna ~ Pray for us 🙏🏽
Saint(s) of the Day | March 9th | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/
SAINT FRANCES OF ROME, RELIGIOUS: St. Frances (1384-1440) was born to a noble family in Rome. As a young girl her desire to become a nun was refused by her father, who instead arranged her marriage at the age of 12. St. Frances accepted this as God’s will for her life and in obedience to her parents, she entered into a marriage contract with a wealthy nobleman named Lawrence Ponziani. In the matrimonial state the St. Frances led a very pious life, she was married for 40 years and had three children. As St. Frances became acquainted with her in-laws she found that the wife of her brother-in-law felt the same calling to the religious life that she did. From this point on, the two women began to work to help the poor. St. Frances never allowed her spiritual exercises or charitable work to interfere with her family life or domestic duties. She had to endure many trials, particularly during the great schism, when her husband was banished; but she suffered all with exemplary patience, blessing the holy will of God. After the schism St. Francis’s husband recovered his estates.
In St. Frances’ time, Rome was at war and the city was in chaos from political disarray and widespread disease. After the plague swept through Rome, two of her three children died from the plague. After the death of her children from the plague, St. Frances began to turn again to charitable work. She responded by converting her home into a hospital for the sick and poor. She gave up all her wealth to the sick and poor and began to go door to door raising money to aid the sick and the poor. She drove with a wagon into the streets and collected the sick and stranded in order to care for them. She miraculously cured many people, and also began the city’s first orphanage. She inspired many women to join her in this life of prayer and good works. As St. Frances became more deeply involved in charitable work, she began to realize the great need for it in the world and began to seek permission from the Pope to form a charitable society of women to do this work. In 1425, she eventually founded a congregation of lay oblates, to which she gave the Rule of St. Benedict, attached to the Benedictine monastery known as the Oblates of St. Frances of Rome (the Oblate Congregation of Tor di Specchi). The women followed the ideals of the Benedictine order and carried on active charity and assistance of the poor. After setting up the foundation of this society, St. Frances continued to live with her husband until his death. After her husband’s death she entered religious life and received the habit in this community in 1437, and began to live as though she were the lowest of the sisters. Soon after, she was chosen superior of the group. God conferred upon her numerous favors in the supernatural order. One of the great mystics of her time, she dictated 97 visions and was visibly guided by her guardian angel throughout her life. She died March 9, 1440, at the age of fifty-six and was canonized in 1608 by Pope Paul V. St. Frances of Rome is the Patron Saint of many causes, including Benedictine oblates, motorists, pilots, women, widows, and against plague and the death of children. On her feast day many priests bless cars due to her patronage of cars and automobile drivers.
PRAYER: God, in St. Frances You have given us a singular example of both the monastic and the conjugal was of life. Help us to persevere in serving You so that in all the vicissitudes of life we may both look to You and follow You. Amen🙏
SAINT DOMINIC SAVIO, CONFESSOR: St. Dominic Savio (1842-1857) was only fifteen when he died but he had already attained a high degree of sanctity. A pupil of the great St. John Bosco who loved him like a son, St. Dominic organized the Company of the Immaculate Conception to help St. John in running the Oratory. Though St. Dominic’s life was one of poverty, work, and suffering, it was filled with the cheerfulness and joy of sanctity. This model for youths once wrote to a friend: “Here we make sanctity consist in being joyful all the time and in faithfully performing our duties.” St. Dominic Savio was born in Riva di Chieri, Italy, on April 2, 1842. He looked so frail and weak on the morning of his birth that his father rushed him that same evening to the parish church for Baptism. But St. Dominic survived and began serving Mass when he was five years old, one of his greatest joys. He was often seen at five o’clock in the morning in front of the church on his knees in rain or snow, waiting for the doors to be opened. When, at the age of seven, he made his First Holy Communion, he formed the motto, “Death, but not sin!”, the resolution to die rather than sin, as he had frequently expressed his determination and ambition to become a Saint. The village pastor at Mondonio, recognizing in Dominic a soul of predilection, arranged to have him enter Don Bosco’s Oratory at Turin. Don Bosco soon noted Dominic’s consuming quest for sanctity, and pointed out to the boy that the path to holiness is not necessarily among hair shirts and tortures of the flesh, but in the cheerful bearing and offering of each day’s small crosses. Steering the lad away from artificial practices, his loved master showed him that for a soul avid of penance, there is a superabundance to be had for the taking, through acceptance of the monotony and tribulations inseparable from the perfect fulfillment of the duties of one’s state of life.
After a few months of life in the environment of the Oratory and under the saintly care of Saint John Bosco, Dominic’s soul was fired with the zeal of his master, whose rule of life, Give me souls, Lord; You take the rest, the boy adopted for his own. Following the example of Don Bosco, who in season and out of season sought those souls wherever they were to be found, Dominic also went after them in his own little world. In the Oratory he founded and directed the Immaculate Conception Sodality, a group of boys who by prayer, word and example carried on an apostolate among their classmates and proved to be of valuable assistance to Don Bosco in his work. On one occasion Dominic broke up a vicious duel with stones. Standing between the boy-duelists with dramatic suddenness, he flashed a crucifix and said: This is Friday. Today Christ died for love of us. Can you look at Him and still hate each other? When Dominic’s health began to fail he was forced to leave the Oratory. Don Bosco and the boys were very sorry to see him leave; he had been a good friend to all. Don Bosco said of him: His cheerful character and lively disposition made him extremely popular even among those boys who were no great lovers of their faith. His death at his home on March 9, 1857, was sweet and peaceful. As he was dying, he burst out into an ecstatic exclamation, ”Oh, what a beautiful sight I see!” Saint Dominic Savio is the youngest Confessor in the Church’s calendar of saints, and stands out as a hero of school-boy virtue, the shining model of holiness. He was Beatified on March 5, 1950 by Pope Pius XII and Canonized on June 12, 1954 by Pope Pius XII. He’s the Patron Saint of choirboys, choristers the falsely accused, and juvenile delinquents. St. Dominic Savio’s feast is now celebrated on May 6th.
PRAYER: Lord God, You alone are holy and no one is good without You. Through the intercession of St. Dominic help us to live in such a way that we may not be deprived of a share in Your glory. Amen🙏
SAINT CATHERINE OF BOLOGNA, RELIGIOUS: St. Catherine (1413-1463)
was an Italian nun and artist born as Catherine de’ Vigri on September 8, 1413 in Bologna, Italy. She was the member of an aristocratic family and the daughter of a diplomat to the Marquis of Ferrara. St. Catherine was raised in the court of the marquis as a companion to the Princess Margarita. At the court she received a good education in reading, writing, and the arts. She was particularly skilled in painting, playing the viola, and Latin. The marquis’ daughter, Princess Margarita soon married, Roberto Malatesta, Prince of Rimini, and wanted St. Catherine to continue serving her. But St. Catherine felt called to religious life and chose to leave the court. In 1426, at 13-years-old, she entered the convent of Corpus Domini at Ferrara and became a Franciscan Tertiary. During this time, her convent disagreed in whether to continue following the Augustinian rule or to instead adhere to the Franciscan rule. A Rule is a specific expression of the Christian life which calls the men or women of a particular religious order to a daily pattern of prayer, work and charity. St. Catherine was determined to live a life of perfection, and was admired by her companions for her holiness. In 1432, St. Catherine and other young women of Ferrara founded a monastery of the Order of Poor Clares, an order founded by St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi. St. Catherine was openly willing to serve the more humble roles in the convent. She was a laundress, a baker and a caretaker for the animals. Through her efforts with Pope Nicholas V, the Poor Clare convent at Ferrara erected an enclosure, and St. Catherine was appointed Superioress. That office made her responsible for providing pastoral care and spiritual oversight to all of sisters. The reputation of the Community for its holiness and austerity became widespread. In 1456, St. Catherine returned to Bologna with her superiors and the governors there requested she found a second monastery of the same Order and be the Abbess of the convent.
St. Catherine continued to paint and to write beautiful spiritual guides and poetry. She wrote the Treatise on the 7 Spiritual Weapons Necessary for Spiritual Warfare. And, her painting of St. Ursula remains on display in a Venice gallery. Throughout her life, St. Catherine experienced visions of both Jesus Christ and Satan, which she documented in her treatise. In one instance, she had the baby Jesus placed in her arms by the Blessed Virgin Mary. During the Lenten season of 1463, St. Catherine became seriously ill, and on March 9th she passed away. She was buried without a coffin and her body was exhumed eighteen days later because of many cures attributed to her at her graveside and the sweet scent coming from her grave. Her body was discovered incorrupt and remains so today. That means it has not decayed. St. Catherine is dressed in her religious habit seated upright on a golden throne behind glass in the chapel of the Poor Clares in Bologna. Her skin has since been blackened due to exposure from oil lamps and soot. Saint Catherine was beatified in 1524 by Pope Clement VII and canonized on May 22, 1712 by Pope Clement XI. She is the Patron Saint of artists, the liberal arts, against temptations and of Bologna.
PRAYER: Dear saintly Poor Clare, Saint Catherine of Bologna, so rich in love for Jesus and Mary, you were endowed with great talents by God and you left us most inspiring writings and paintings for wondrous beauty. You did all for God’s greater glory and in this you are a model for all. Make artists learn lessons from you and use their talents to the full.
Amen🙏
DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF MARCH | MONTH OF ST. JOSEPH: The month of March is dedicated to St. Joseph, the foster father of Jesus Christ. “His was the title of father of the Son of God, because he was the Spouse of Mary, ever Virgin. He was our Lord’s father, because Jesus ever yielded to him the obedience of a son. He was our Lord’s father, because to him were entrusted, and by him were faithfully fulfilled, the duties of a father, in protecting Him, giving Him a home, sustaining and rearing Him, and providing Him with a trade”. “This patronage must be invoked as ever necessary for the Church, not only as a defense against all dangers, but also, and indeed primarily, as an impetus for her renewed commitment to evangelization in the world and to re-evangelization,” wrote St. John Paul II in Redemptoris Custos (Guardian of the Redeemer). St. John Paul II further said, “Because St. Joseph is the protector of the Church, he is the guardian of the Eucharist and the Christian family. Therefore, we must turn to St. Joseph today to ward off attacks upon the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist and upon the family. We must plead with St. Joseph to guard the Eucharistic Lord and the Christian family during this time of peril.”
As the weeks of Lent progress let us not be tired of doing our good works and penance, but continue with the enthusiasm of the catechumens on their way to Easter and Baptism. May our Lenten observance be a joyful journey — and not a forced march. 🙏🏽
https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=12540
PRAYER INTENTIONS: We thank God for His infinite mercy and for calling each of us to a life of grace and discipleship. May we be strengthened in faith and guided by His love as we continue our Lenten journey. We pray for the sick and the suffering, especially those battling chronic illnesses, mental health struggles, and terminal diseases. May God, in His boundless mercy, grant them healing, comfort, and peace.We pray for all who feel lost, rejected, or burdened by sin. May they encounter the merciful love of Christ and find the courage to follow Him. We lift up to God all those who are struggling with addiction, financial difficulties, and personal hardships—may He be their refuge and strength.
We ask for the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and Saints John of God, patron of the sick and the suffering, that they may intercede for all in need of physical, emotional, and spiritual healing. We pray for the souls in Purgatory and the faithful departed—may they rest in the eternal light of Christ.
We continue to pray for Pope Francis, all bishops, priests, and religious, that they may be strengthened in their mission to shepherd God’s people. May more hearts be open to vocations to the priesthood and religious life. We pray for the persecuted Church and all Christians facing trials for their faith—may they be filled with courage and trust in the Lord.
May peace, love, and unity flourish in our families, our communities, and the world. We pray for all who suffer due to violence, war, and injustice. May God grant deliverance from impossible causes and restore hope to those in despair. 🙏🏽
Let us pray:
My penitential Lord, though You were perfect in every way and always enjoyed full communion with Your Father, You allowed Your human nature to experience the hunger of fasting so that You could infuse that penitential act with Your divine grace. My tempted Lord, You resisted all temptation in Your life by choosing every good virtue and living them to perfection. Please help me to see the virtues I need the most right now, and give me the strength I need to run toward them this Lent with all my heart. My temperate and courageous Lord, You confronted all temptation with courage and strength. You fasted throughout the forty days and forty nights so as to teach us how to navigate the ups and downs of life. Please give me the virtues of temperance and courage, and bestow the Holy Spirit upon me so that I may follow You into the desert of my own life. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏🏽
Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary and Saint Frances of Rome, Saint Dominic Savio and Saint Catherine of Bologna ~ Pray for us 🙏🏽
Thanking God for the gift of this day and praying for us all during this season of Lent, let us be renewed by prayer, fasting, and giving to the poor. We pray for justice, peace, love and unity in our families and our world. May God keep us all safe and well during these challenging times and may this season of Lent bring us all true salvation in Christ as we remain united in peace, love and faith. Have a blessed, safe, fruitful and grace-filled Sunday and Lenten Season ~ Amen🙏
Blessings and Love always, Philomena 💖