May 3
“This motherhood of Mary in the order of grace continues uninterruptedly from the consent which she gave in faith at the Annunciation and which she sustained without wavering beneath the Cross, until the fulfillment of all the elect.”
-Documents of Vatican II
Lumen Gentium, 62
May 2
“Tradition ascribes to Mary the titles Mother of Divine Grace, Mother most amiable, Mother most admirable, Mother of Mercy… God has chosen her to be treasurer and dispensatrix of all His graces.. . . Since Mary has formed the Head of the predestined, Jesus Christ, it pertains to her to form also the members of the Head, who are the true Christians . . . She has received from God a special power to nourish souls and to make them grow in Him. St. Augustine goes so far as to say that the predestined in this world are enclosed in Mary;s womb and that they come to the light only when their good Mother brings them forth to eternal life. It is to her that the Holy Ghost has said; 'Take root in my elect' (Eccl. xxiv, 13) ---- roots of profound humility, of ardent charity and of all the virtues.”
-Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P.
May 1
“The Blessed Virgin … as Mother of the divine Redeemer here on earth, above all others and in a singular way was the generous associate and humble handmaid of the Lord. She conceived, brought forth, and nourished Christ, she presented him to the Father in the temple, shared her Son’s sufferings as He died on the cross. Thus in a wholly singular way she cooperated by her obedience, faith, hope, and burning charity, in the work of the Savior, in restoring supernatural life to souls. For this reason she is a mother to us in the order of grace.”
- Documents of Vatican II LumenGentium, 61
April 30
Feast of Pope St. Pius V
“… seeing that the Church militant, which God has placed in our hands, in these our times is tossed this way and that by so many heresies, and is grievously troubled and afflicted by so many wars, and by the depraved morals of men, we also raise our eyes, weeping but full of hope, unto that same mountain, whence every aid comes forth, and we encourage and admonish each member of Christ’s faithful to do likewise in the Lord.”
-Pope St. Pius V (on praying the Rosary)
April 29
Feast of St. Catherine of Siena (1347 – 1380)
“You asked for suffering…You were, in effect, asking for love and light and knowledge of the truth. For suffering and sorrow increase in proportion to love. When love grows, so does sorrow … Endure courageously, then."
-From The Dialogue of St. Catherine of Siena
April 28
Feast of St. Louis Grignion de Montfort (1673 – 1716)
“… the greatest saints, the souls richest in graces and virtues, shall be the most assiduous in praying to our Blessed Lady, and in having her always present as their perfect model for imitation and their powerful aid for help.”
-St. Louis de Montfort
April 27
“It is no use walking to preach unless we preach as we walk.”
-St. Francis of Assisi
April 26
“Our Lord and Savior lifted up his voice and said with incomparable majesty: ‘Let all men know that grace comes after tribulation. Let them know that without the burden of afflictions it is impossible to reach the height of grace. Let them know that the gifts of grace increase as the struggles increase.’”
-St. Rose of Lima
April 25
Feast of St. Mark, Evangelist
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life, will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it.”
-Mark 8: 34-35
April 24
"For perfected souls every place is to them an oratory; every moment a time of prayer."
-St. Catherine of Siena
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