Catholic Nuggets – Page 2 – A Treasure Trove of Catholic Notions You Might Not Know

St. Bernard of Clairvaux

St. Bernard of Clairvaux has numerous titles: preacher, miracle worker, advisor of popes, defender of faith, arbitrator.. and many others. One of the most distinguishable 12th century historical figures, St. Bernard was not only Holy but also known to be a very intelligent theologian. Proclaimed as Doctor of the Church in 1830, Pope Pius XII said in his encyclical Doctor Mellifluus about St. Bernard: “the last of the Fathers, but certainly not inferior to the earlier ones.” St. Bernard’s feast day is August 20th.

Love Has Been Found: Christ’s Suffering

“The Lord repeatedly communicated to me things about His Most Holy Passion. He said that regarding the sufferings He had, we do not know one third of them! But the greatest were those He suffered interiorly. It seems to me that again He had me understand that whoever asked for graces through the merits of His Passion would never be denied anything. In the same way, whoever also asked for any grace through the merits of His Most Holy Wounds would be granted the grace that was asked of Him.”

— The Diary of St. Veronica Giuliani: A Compendium: “Tell Everyone Love has been found!” by Veronica Giuliani

St. John Eudes, Confessor

St. John Eudes, among many other things, was a brilliant writer, preacher and founder of both the Order of Our Lady of Charity in 1641 and Congregation of Jesus and Mary in 1643, also known as Eudists. He is known for many great writings, including The Ideal Confessor, The Apostolic Preacher, and Childhood of the Holy Mother of God. The Congregation for the Causes of Saints is reviewing a cause to declare St. John Eudes a Doctor of the Church. St. John Eudes’ feast day is August 19th.

Love Has Been Found: Christ Suffering

“The Lord appeared to me completely wounded and crowned with thorns. Oh, God! What sorrow I felt at such a great sight! I was pained for the suffering the Lord felt, and at the same time I had intimate sorrow for my sins due to the offenses I had done to Him. I was between these two points: His infinite love and my ingratitude.”

— The Diary of St. Veronica Giuliani: A Compendium: “Tell Everyone Love has been found!” by Veronica Giuliani

Love Has Been Found: Envious Tempter

“While I was doing penance, all hell seemed to break loose. I heard so many noises, screams and screeches, and hissing like snakes. Finally, I seemed to hear a confusion of voices, but I could not understand what they were saying. I only remember that in the end they said, “Cursed are you! We will make you pay for this!” While saying so, the room I was in became completely enflamed; but in an instant it passed. I then seemed to know that the tempter was envious and that he did not want anyone to pray for the conversion of sinners.”

— The Diary of St. Veronica Giuliani: A Compendium: “Tell Everyone Love has been found!” by Veronica Giuliani

Love Has Been Found: Communion

“Every time I went to Communion, I felt so happy, and sometimes I think there were also recollections and raptures. I felt that the Lord kindled within me more and more by giving me certain desires to resolve once and for all to truly love Him. Very often, He gave me certain touches in my heart that stirred me and made me understand the things of this life. From this, I learned that there is no other good than God.”

— The Diary of St. Veronica Giuliani: A Compendium: “Tell Everyone Love has been found!” by Veronica Giuliani

Love has been found – First Communion

“In my First Communion, it seems to me that the Lord had me understand that I was to be His bride. I experienced something I cannot describe. It was as if I were outside myself. In receiving that Most Holy Host, it seemed to me that a fire entered my heart! I felt myself burning. I couldn’t stay still. Meanwhile, I didn’t want to attract attention. I saw that all those who had received Communion with me were there completely composed, and I was amazed that they could remain so still while I felt a fire that made me rejoice. I said to myself, “They are still; I will remain that way, too.” And meanwhile, I felt that I couldn’t take it anymore.”

The Diary of St. Veronica Giuliani: A Compendium: “Tell Everyone Love has been found!” by Veronica Giuliani

Gifts of the Holy Spirit: Wisdom

St. Thomas Aquinas teaches us how the gift of Wisdom is not the same as the wisdom gained through human effort. Wisdom, which is “a right judgment about Divine things,” is not an effect of study or experience, but is an effect of Charity. St. Thomas explains how God’s perfect wisdom is like that of an architect’s understanding of the whole building while the individual craftsmen only see their small part of the operation. The Holy Sprit shares some of this understanding of Divine things with us through the gift of Wisdom.

The Confiteor

The Confiteor is a beautiful prayer said at the beginning of Mass in the Roman Rite. It is the Act of Penance stipulated by the General Instruction of the Roman Missal. It is a formal general confession the entire congregation recites. In the traditional Latin Mass, the Confiteor was recited twice; once by the priest for himself and then the servers would say it on behalf of the people (the congregation would pray it in silence). Many priests choose a different, approved formula but for centuries the Confiteor was the standard penitential prayer at the beginning of Mass.

Gifts of The Holy Spirit: Piety

Piety- “Be brave and try to detach your heart from worldly things. Do your utmost to banish darkness from your mind and come to understand what true, selfless piety is. Through confession, endeavor to purify your heart of anything which may still taint it. Enliven your faith, which is essential to understand and achieve piety.” – St. John Bosco

The Shape of Jesus’ Crown of Thorns

Most Christian art depicts Jesus’ Crown of Thorns as a Western style circlet type crown. We learn from several sources, however, the crown forced on Jesus was likely a cap shape and covered His entire head. The Shroud of Turin, for example, shows what appear to be puncture wounds all over Jesus’ head. The 5th Century priest St. Vincent of Lérins wrote that the Crown of Thorns was “in the shape of a pileus, so that it touched and covered His head in every part.” A pileus is a felt cap that covered the entire head. The thorns would have punctured and irritated a network of nerves in the head causing excruciating pain, which would have been majorly exacerbated by the Roman soldiers who were striking the crown with a reed, driving the thorns into these sensitive nerves.

Saint Jacinto Castañeda Puchasóns

AKA St. Hyacinth, St. Jacinto, a Dominican, is one of the Vietnamese Martyrs. He was ordained in the Philippines where he was sent to the missions. After preaching in the Philippines for a time, he took a treacherous trip to Fukien, China, where St. Peter Sanz was recently martyred. After evangelizing there, St. Jacinto was eventually deported to Vietnam. He was imprisoned for 3 years and eventually tortured and beheaded. St. Jacinto’s memorial is 7 November, the day he was beheaded. He is also remembered November 24 as one of the Martyrs of Vietnam.

St. Jude the Apostle

St. Jude, AKA Judas Thaddaeus, is considered the patron saint of lost or desperate causes. St. Jude is believed to be the author of the Epistle of Jude in the New Testament. While preaching the gospel with St. Simon, St. Jude was beat with a club and suffered martyrdom (St. Simon also suffered martyrdom by being sawed into pieces). They share October 28th as their feast day. Tradition holds that in the middle ages St. Jude was often confused with Judas Iscariot, so devotion to him was scarce. The few who did invoke St. Jude’s help found his help (prayers to our Lord) to be impossibly effective. Hence, he’s known to be the patron of impossible causes.

The Nature of the Catholic Faith

“The nature of the Catholic faith is such that nothing can be added to it, nothing taken away. Either it is held in its entirety or it is rejected totally. This is the Catholic faith which, unless a man believes faithfully and firmly, he cannot be saved.” Pope Benedict XV

Gifts of the Holy Spirit: Wisdom

Wisdom: “A spiritual gift which enables one to know the purpose and plan of God” (CCC, 2nd Ed.). This gift is obtained through insistent prayer for deeper faith. Some say wisdom is the perfection of faith. Faith will lead you to the Teachings and Traditions of the Catholic Church related to God and things of God.

Mercedarians and Trinitarians, Ransoming Captives

During the late 1100’s and early 1200’s, Muslim piracy and kidnapping of Christians was so common that two religious orders were founded with a mission to ransom Christian salves / captives: the Mercedarians and Trinitarians. These orders would not only raise the money to buy or ransom the Christian slaves, but would undertake dangerous missions deep in to enemy territory to complete their missions. Mercedarians even took a vow to exchange their own lives as ransom to free the captives. These two orders rescued many Christian captives and also produced many great saints, St. Peter Nolasco, St. Raymond Nonnatus, and St. John of Matha to name a few.

St. Clare’s Eucharistic Miracle

In the early 1200’s, Moorish allies of the Holy Roman emperor Frederick II were attacking Assisi. The city was distraught and had no chance of defending itself against its attackers. St. Clare, who was very sick at the time, asked the convent chaplain to elevate the Monstrance holding the Blessed Sacrament high in a window while she fervently prayed for protection. Miraculously, the invaders were were struck with fear and they fled leaving Assisi unharmed.

Noah and Jesus

God initiates a new creation using water. 40 days and 40 nights of rain destroyed everything except for Noah and his family. In this new creation Noah was instructed to be fruitful and multiply. Jesus spent 40 days and 40 nights preparing for his mission, which leads to a new creation through baptism of water, where our new creation begins. We spend 40 days and 40 nights preparing for Easter, at which time we celebrate a pivotal aspect of God’s new creation, i.e. Jesus’ resurrection. We are also commanded to be fruitful and multiply through Jesus’ commandment to “make disciples of all nations.”

Assumption of The Blessed Virgin Mary

Many traditions and legends surround the Virgin Mary’s physical Assumption into heaven. Evidence for these relevant and captivating customs and beliefs varies. We know for certain, however, based on Pope Pius XII’s Munificentissimus Deus: “The Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.” While the reality of this historical event wasn’t recognized dogmatically until 1950, we have 2nd century references to Mary’s Assumption.

Protecting the Vicar of Christ

The well known Swiss Papal Guard has a fascinating history. Established in 1506, the Swiss Guard is not only one of the oldest standing military units but is also the smallest military in the world (only about 125 soldiers). They literally protect the pope with their lives. In 1527, for example, 150 of the 189 guards gave their lives protecting Pope Clement VII as Emperor Charles V was sacking Rome. Today the Swiss Guard sports vintage armor and weapons for ceremonial appearances, but do not be fooled by the spears and swords (which they are trained to use). Plain-clothed guards armed with Glock 19s, MP7s, and other modern firepower are always present to protect our Pope.

Catholic Doctrine, Dogma, or Discipline

It can be confusing when discussing the various terms related to Catholic Teaching. Doctrine is Church Teaching in matters of faith and morals that Catholics must believe and follow (Catholics have no choice). Some doctrine is taught by the Church but not considered infallible, some doctrine is infallibly taught by the Church, and finally some doctrine is taught infallibly and also considered divinely revealed by God–AKA Dogma. Church discipline is also considered teaching, but, unlike Doctrine, it can be changed with approval of appropriate Church authority.

Don’t Bury St. Joseph

Some people bury a statue of St. Joseph upside down in their yards in order to expedite the sale of their homes. There are different instruction sets related to this superstition but the idea is St. Joseph doesn’t want to be in that position. He will help sell your home quickly so you’ll go and retrieve him. You can even purchase home selling kits that include a small statue and instructions. This idea is superstitious folklore and certainly not Catholic. Leave St. Joseph where you can see him and pray to him daily to ask for his prayers and intervention.

Keep Your Fingers Together

You might see a priest hold his thumbs and forefingers together after touching the host during the Offertory and Consecration in order to protect and preserve even the smallest particles of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. He will touch nothing else [other than the Eucharist] until these fingers can be rinsed during the cleansing of the Sacred Vessels. This was stipulated in the Rubrics of the Traditional Latin Mass. It is no longer mandatory in the Novus Ordo but many priests recognize how appropriate and correct it is to have this reverence for the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ and how this reverence can spread to their flocks. All priests should consider picking up this beautiful and appropriate habit.

The “Golden Tongued” St. Peter Chrysologus

We know little about St. Peter Chrysologus, a 5th century saint and Doctor of the Church, but we know he was famous for his short and efficacious homilies. He was able to pack an incredible amount of moral guidance and sound doctrine in five minute homilies, lessons and insights we still treasure to this day. You might say he was building a trove of Catholic Nuggets. Feast: July 30

A Bloody Beginning

Tradition holds that all of the apostles (the first Bishops of the Catholic Church), with the exception of Judas and St. John, the son of Zebedee, were martyred, including St. Paul. We are comforted in our faith and can withstand persecution because these Pillars of our Church lead the way and died for what they witnessed. They would not have given up their lives to spread the Good News if they did not literally witness the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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