Nine unusual saints whose inspiring lives have significance for modern men and women

I've only managed the first saint and I want to drink the whole book in. ... (what a way to put it) - I was looking at a pile of books, somewhere, and the caption had me intrigued. One of the nine saints in this book included "Blessed Claude de la Columbière (confessor of St Margaret Mary Alacoque!)", someone whose prayers [Act of Confidence and The True Friend Prayer] I love a lot and whom I have been wanting to find out more of (Deo Gratias et Mariae!) and I was surprised also when I turned to the back of this book and what they describe of him, "repeatedly endured despondency and desolation of soul;" - very important saint for our times, even though he lived in the 1600s [1641-1682]!

For our encouragement, a series of quotes that I want to remember, from various sources, as attributed, which I got from this book are here: 

The foolish things of the world hath God chosen that He may confound the wise and the weak things of the world hath God chosen that He may confound the strong and the base things of the world and the things that are contemptible hath God chosen and things that are not that He might bring to nought things that are that no flesh should glory in His sight.

- I Corinthians 1:27-29 

"virtue is made perfect in infirmity" 

- II Corinthians 12:9

If man has a soul, as the greatest philosophers maintain, and if that soul is immortal and divine, then must it needs be that the more it has been steeped in reason, and true love, and the pursuit of truth, and the less it has been stained by vice and passion, so much the more surely it will rise above this earth and ascend into the skies.

- Cicero 

"How long?" he cried, "how long shall this be? It is always to-morrow and to-morrow. Why not this hour an end to all my meanness?"

- St Augustine of Hippo

"Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof." 

- St Paul to the Romans 13:14

"Keep this in mind, my brother; practise it and preach it with meekness that shall never fail. Love the men you fight; kill only their lie. Rest on truth in all humility; defend it but with no cruelty. Pray for those whom you oppose; pray for them while you correct them." 

- St Augustine of Hippo

This, then, is the other side of the life of one of the most successful of the chosen servants of God. There is a greater greatness than the greatness of success; and that is the greatness of failure. For that is the greatness of being, without the encouragement of doing; the greatness of sacrifice, of which others less great may reap the fruits.

- Archbishop Alban Goodier, SJ, on Saint Francis Xavier

I hope to expand this list and please pray that I can finish this book soon, Deo volente!

†Deo Optimo Maximoque!

†Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam!

A Note to Parents and Teachers

Parents and teachers should be vigilant that nothing is introduced into the curriculum which violates a child’s innocence and even attempts to instill in the child gravely wrong ways of thinking.

http://sspx.org/en/news-events/news/burke-no-such-thing-partial-catholicism-3591

O Holy Ghost, please help us as we go on this journey, as you always have. What responsibility we have and how hard it is to not violate a child's innocence because it is very hard not to heed the call of worldly and senseless pleasures. 

ACT of CONFIDENCE

By Saint Claude de la Columbiere

My God, I am so intimately convinced that Thou dost watch over all those that hope in Thee, and that we can want for nothing while we expect all from Thee, that I am resolved to live without anxiety in the future, casting all my care on Thee. "In peace I will sleep and I will rest for Thou hast wonderfully established me in hope." (Ps IV, 9,10) 

Men may turn against me: sickness may take away my strength, and the means of serving Thee; I may even lose Thy grace by sin, but I will never lose my hope. I will keep it even to the last moment of my life, and all the demons in hell shall try in vain to tear it from me. In peace I will sleep and I will rest.

Others may look for happiness from their riches or their talents; they may rely upon the innocence of their lives, the rigour of their penance, the number of their good works, or the fervour of their prayers; but for me, O Lord, my confidence shall be my confidence itself. For Thou hast wonderfully established me in hope.

This confidence has never decieved anyone. No one hath hoped in the Lord and been put to shame. I am sure that I shall be eternally happy, because I hope firmly to be so, and it is from Thee, O Lord, that I hope it. In Thee, O Lord, have I hoped; I shall not be confounded forever.

I know that I am frail and changeable; I know the power of temptation against the most firmly based virtues: I have seen the stars of heaven and the pillars of the firmament fall; but not even this can make me fear. As long as I hope, I am safe from every evil, and I am sure of always hoping because I hope for this unchanging hope. For Thou, O Lord, hast wonderfully established me in hope.

In fine, I am sure that I cannot hope too much in Thee; and that I cannot obtain less than I hope for from Thee. Thus I hope that Thou wilt uphold me (and my family) in the greatest dangers, protect me (and my family) in the most violent assaults, and make my weakness triumph over my most formidable enemies. I hope that Thou wilt love me always, and that I also shall love Thee with unfailing love; and to carry my hope at once as far as it can go, I hope for Thee from Thyself, my Creator, both in time and eternity. Amen.

Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Anne, Therese, I love You; Save Souls!

Jesu mitis et humilis corde, Fac cor nostrum secundum Cor tuum. (ter)

Deus propitius esto mihi peccatori.