Talk about the Saints that inspire you, share some of your favorite quotes

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“He did submit himself unto the elements, unto cold and heat, hunger and thirst, and other insensible creatures, concealing His power and despoiling Himself thereof in the likeness of man, in order that He might teach us weak and wretched mortals with what patience we ought to bear tribulation.”

BL… Angela Of Foligno
 
jazzbaby1 said:
The priest who was essentially the founder of my diocese, Prince Demetrius Gallitzin/Father Augustine Smith. He was a Russian noble; Catherine the Great was his godmother in the Orthodox Church. He converted to the RCC and was disinherited, emigrated to the US and became the first priest to take all of his orders in the US under Bishop John Carroll of Baltimore. He pestered Bishop Carroll until he was allowed to go to the McGuire Settlement in what is now Cambria County in Pennsylvania. He was the only priest for 600 miles for about 20 years. He went into debt for the care of his flock and refused to abandon them even when offered three different Bishoprics. He dreamed of a Catholic oasis in the middle of a state that, while founded on religious tolerance, was suspicious of Catholics in general and him as a noble in particular. He lived in what is now Loretto, Pennsylvania, until his death 40 years after he got there. His case for canonization was opened a few years ago and he is currently Servant of God Demetrius Gallitzin.
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I have never heard of this man, thanks for sharing this story on here.
 
Lief_Erikson said:
Wow! He could no longer work, for work was love to him. That is incredible. It reminds me of St. Therese of Lisieux’s statement, in the agonizing throes of the illness that claimed her life, that she could no longer suffer, because all suffering was now joy to her.

In the same way, St. John could no longer work. Being forced to work for one’s bread was a punishment for sin, but all his work was no longer work but purest love. This was the result of his interior state of being. Being pure from all stains of sin, except perhaps the slightest occasional venial sins, St. John no longer felt that any work was work but love, and therefore joy. And St. Therese could no longer suffer, for she was overjoyed to suffer in Christ’s Cross and therefore all suffering to her no longer hurt, but only made her love all the more and thus rejoice all the more plentifully.
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Therese was influenced by John of the Cross. I always find that interesting keeping in mind that people often think he is too dark, while Therese is often thought of as being “too flowery”.
 
“If we never look at Him or think of what we owe Him and of the death which He suffered for our sakes, I do not see how we can get to know Him or do good works in His service. For what can be the value of faith without works, or works which are not united with the merit of our Lord Jesus Christ? And what but such thoughts can arouse us to love this Lord?”

Teresa Of Avila
 
“We are not justified through ourselves or through our own wisdom or understanding or piety, or through actions done in holiness of heart, but through faith, for it is through faith that Almighty God has justified all men that have been from the beginning of time.”

Clement Of Rome
 
One of my favorite quotes for defending the Eucharist from the Early Church is from St Cyril of Jerusalem (315ad - 386ad) “Since Christ Himself has said [at the last supper], “This is My Body” who shall dare to doubt that It is His Body?”
 
Brian2589 said:
One of my favorite quotes for defending the Eucharist from the Early Church is from St Cyril of Jerusalem (315ad - 386ad) “Since Christ Himself has said [at the last supper], “This is My Body” who shall dare to doubt that It is His Body?”
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I always enjoy reading that one when it pops up on the CAF main page :).
Saint_wannabe said:
Hey Lief, I think that one quote from Jean Baptiste De La Sale speaks very loud to me. I have many friends who have potty mouths and many times when I get together with them, sadly, its not long before I start talking the same way. Sometimes my wife & I will go out for a couple of drinks on the weekend and we see people who we consider friends and every other word thats coming out of their mouths is an f bomb, or their constantly using God’s name in vein. I have said things to these people before and their quite aware where I stand on talk like that, especially using God’s name in vein, but after a couple of drinks, these people are usually up to their old tricks. I know that I’m also a sinner and I have said many things in my lifetime just as offensive if not worse, so I don’t consider myself somehow holier or better than these people. With that being said though, how good is it for me to be sitting there, laughing & joking with them, while they are doing these things?
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That quote speaks to me too. I’ve been tempted to join frivilous conversations with worldly people in the past, but I didn’t have the social know-how to get in. Now I’m glad of that; perhaps God was protecting me by making me ignorant.

St. Francis de Sales talks a good deal about friendship, and how spiritual friendship elevates the soul toward God and spiritual love whereas worldly friendships drag our souls down to the world. It’s logical this gets a good deal of his focus for a while, as we spend a lot of time focused on our friendships and they certainly impact our lives.
ocdsgirl said:
Therese was influenced by John of the Cross. I always find that interesting keeping in mind that people often think he is too dark, while Therese is often thought of as being “too flowery”.
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That is interesting, and I like how you point it out :). I can see how some would consider St. Therese to be “too flowery,” though to think this way, one would certainly have to have read her story in a superficial way. She flogged herself to be united with God’s Passion more perfectly, and she died a horrible death because she prayed that she would be one of God’s victims. She lost loved ones repeatedly and endured horrendous diseases. She also was a tough Mistress of Novices, though very loving. She had the courage of a wild lioness and the faith of a Crusader. Her model was Joan of Arc, so this is no wonder ;). I think that if any of these people who feel her to be “too flowery” went under her direction and experienced her attentions as Mistress of Novices for a few months, they would swiftly change their minds! She’s quite a guide to holiness, following in the footsteps of St. John of the Cross.

And people who feel St. John is too dark have plainly not read his love poetry ;).

People shouldn’t categorize the glorious saints in superficial ways. I love how we can instead immerse ourselves in the spiritual deeps of their lives and teachings.

Saintwannabe, I’m really glad you made and have been filling this thread :). It’s extremely enriching.
 
I realize these aren’t words from a saint as the thread calls for but they are the words of our Lord from the book He and I which I found particularly profound and beautiful.

“…But I am perfect Poise, the same yesterday, today and forever. I am the Presence, the loving Look. The entire cosmos is cradled in Me. I am this second of time and I am Eternity. I am the lavishness of Love, the One who calls so you may come without fear and throw yourself upon My heart…”

"Do you at last believe with all your heart that I created you to make you eternally happy? It was out of pure love that I made you - not for My own interest but for yours: to give you infinite bliss."

“With what tenderness We (the Trinity) carry you…infinite tenderness! Unnumbered delicate touches that would astonish and might even scandalize you if you could see them. A God! to love His creatures so much… Yes, and even more. Love - that is Our treasure. Believe with all your heart in this holy extravagance and give yourself up to it unceasingly…”
 
“Because the martyrs were devout men and women, fire, flame, wheel and sword seemed to be flowers and perfume to them. If devotion can sweeten the most cruel torments and even death itself, what must it do for virtuous actions?”

Francis De Sales
 
oksoitworked said:
The Blessed Virgin, St. Faustina, and St. Pio, for helping my unbelief and breaking my sins.

Maybe it’s because I just haven’t read enough about the saints but in general I can’t really identify with any of them. They’re all so humble, heroic, and virtuous … no smug douches, cowards, or idiots among the bunch 😊

“The rich man who gives to the poor does not bestow alms but pays a debt.”
  • St. Ambrose of Milan
“When the devil reminds you of his past, remind him of his future.”
  • St. Theresa of Avila
“If God causes you to suffer much, it is a sign that He has great designs for you, and that He certainly intends to make you a saint. And if you wish to become a great saint, entreat Him yourself to give you much opportunity for suffering; for there is no wood better to kindle the fire of holy love than the wood of the cross, which Christ used for His own great sacrifice of boundless charity.”
  • Saint Ignatius of Loyola
Considering that when the Saints lived in this world they were at liberty to roam the earth, do you really think that in Heaven God would have them tied to a post?
  • St. Thomas More
There is no surer way to know that one is a saint than to see him lead a holy life and yet suffer desolation, trials and tribulations.
  • St. Louis Gonzaga
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Yeah, sometimes it is very hard to relate with many of the Saints, but we can also learn much from their writings, teachings, quotes and the way that many of them lived their lives. It sometimes blows my mind to hear people like Padre Pio talking about how he had doubts that God could have mercy on his sinful soul. How is that supposed to make me feel??? lol. I also try to keep in mind though that many of the truly great Saints didn’t start out that way, and Saints like Louis DeMontfort were known for their bad tempers, etc. That in itself brings me comfort.
 
“Do you not shudder to admit a soul like mine to so sacred a ministry, to raise to the priestly dignity one clad in foul garments, a man whom Christ has excluded from the banquet of guests? A priest’s soul should be resplendent with light, like a torch illuminating the whole world, while mine is so obscured by the dark mist rising from an impure conscience that, being always dispirited, it never dares to look its divine Master confidently in the face.”

John Chrysostom
 
“Meekness was the method that Jesus used with the apostles. He put up with their ignorance and roughness and even their infidelity. He treated sinners with a kindness and affection that caused some to be shocked, others to be scandalized, and still others to gain hope in God’s mercy. Thus, he bade us to be gentle and humble of heart.”

John Bosco
 
While traveling to one of her convents, Teresa of ávila was knocked off her donkey and fell into the mud. “Lord, you couldn’t have picked a worse time for this to happen. Why would you let this happen?”

The response in prayer that she heard was, “That is how I treat my friends.”

A bit cheesed off, Teresa snapped back “And that is why you have so few of them!”
 
Bob_Crowley said:
While traveling to one of her convents, Teresa of ávila was knocked off her donkey and fell into the mud. “Lord, you couldn’t have picked a worse time for this to happen. Why would you let this happen?”

The response in prayer that she heard was, “That is how I treat my friends.”

A bit cheesed off, Teresa snapped back “And that is why you have so few of them!”
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Thank you for sharing that. I had heard Father John Corapi tell this story before and I laughed pretty hard when I heard it.
 
“Let none of you take a merely natural attitude toward his neighbor, but love one another continually in Jesus Christ.”

Ignatius Of Antioch
 
My favourite is the saint whose feast day is my birthday – St Lawrence. His bravery as a martyr for the faith inspires me, but it is his words to his torturers that give me strength as well as my sense of humour. His accusers murdered him by roasting him on grill over a hot flame. In the face of death he looked at them and said “You can turn me over now, I’m done on this side” or some such.

It is not only a funny crack at those who sought to break him down, but also a another way of saying to God, just as our Lord did, “Father into your hands I commend my spirit”

God bless

Tony
 
St. Therese the Little Flower…“Do small things with Great Love for the Lord!” I love that one by her, and try to put it into practice during my day of ordinary hum drum chores. If you’re sweeping the kitchen floor with “Great Love for the Lord” and offer that to Him…you will always do a GREAT JOB at sweeping that floor!
 
What a great and inspirational thread!

3 quotes from St. Francis de Sales:

*****“Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections, but instantly set about remedying them-every day begin the task anew.”

“Do not wish to be anything other than what you are”

“He who complains, seldom does so without sinning.” *****
 
Madeline616 said:
What a great and inspirational thread!

3 quotes from St. Francis de Sales:

*****“Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections, but instantly set about remedying them-every day begin the task anew.”

“Do not wish to be anything other than what you are”

“He who complains, seldom does so without sinning.” *****
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Yes, that’s a keeper! 😃

‘Do good when you remember, and what you forget will be revealed to you; and do not surrender your mind to blind forget-fullness.’

St. Mark the Ascetic
 
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