St. Alphonsus Mary Liguori, pray for us!

Born at Naples of noble parents, Alphonsus Mary Liguori as very young man took delight in caring for the sick in the public hospitals and in devoting his spare time to prayer in churches. In obedience to his father he became a lawyer; but when he had experienced the dangers of this kind of career, he abandoned the profession. 

He renounced his right of inheritance as oldest son and became a priest, attacking vice with such zeal that he obtained the conversions of a great number of sinners. He took special pity on the poor and those living in rural districts and founded the Congregation of Priests of the Most Holy Redeemer to preach the Gospel to them. Lest anything should turn him from his determination, he bound himself by a perpetual vow never to waste any time. Constant in contemplating the Passion of the Lord and the holy Eucharist, he was outstanding in his devotion to the holy Mother of God, being more than once refreshed by signs of her heavenly protection. He wrote many books of religious instruction and of devotion by which he strove to gain souls for Christ. 

He consistently refused the ecclesiastical honours offered to him, but was compelled by the Holy See to accept the Bishopric of the Church of Santa Agata dei Goti, where he was generous to the poor and made himself all things to all men. He also brought nuns back to a more perfect form of life. Serious chronic illnessses led him to resign the episcopal office and return to his disciples. Finally, at the age of ninety years, radiant with innocence of life and penance, he died a most peaceful death in the year 1787. Pope Pius IX declared him a Doctor of the universal Church, and Pius XII established him as the heavenly patron before God of all confessors and moral theologians.

"There is Nothing Shorter than Time, but there is Nothing more Valuable. There is Nothing Shorter than Time; because thePast is no-more, the Future is 'Uncertain', and the Present is but a 'Moment'. This is what Jesus Christmeant, when He said: "A Little While, and now you shall not see Me". We may say the same of our Life, which, according to Saint James, is but a 'Vapor', which is soon Scattered Forever. "For what is your Life? It is a Vapor which Appeareth for a Little While" - James 4:14. But theTime of this Life, is as Precious, as it is Short; for, in every Moment, if we Spend it Well, we can acquire Treasures of Merits for Heaven; but, if we EmployTime Badly, we may in each Moment 'Commit' Sin, and 'Merit' Hell. I mean this Day to show you how Precious is every Moment of the Time which God gives us, not to Lose it, and much less to Commit Sin, but to Perform Good Works, and to Save our Souls."

Sermons of St. Alphonsus Liguori- 

http://copiosa.org/liguori_sermons/

St. Ignatius of Loyola, pray for us

A Spaniard, born at Loyola in Cantabria, Ignatius first served in the court of the Most Catholic King and then in the army. In the defence of Pampeluna, he was wounded. As he lay in a long convalescence, the chance reading of some holy books gave him a burning desire to follow in the footsteps of Christ and the Saints. He went to Montserrat, hung up his arms before the Altar of the Blessed Virgin, and spent a whole night in prayer, thus entering on his new profession of holy warfare. 

The austerity of his life was extraordinary. He was ignorant of letters but, refreshed by brilliant illuminations from God, he composed the Exercises, a wonderful book approved by the Apostolic See and also by its usefulness to everyone. At Paris he was joined by nine companions of different nations all studying at the university, and there at Montmartre he laid the first foundations of the Society of Jesus which were later completed at Rome. To the three customary vows was added one to carry out the command of the Apostolic See concerning the Missions. 

Ignatius gave aid in increasing the beauty of churches, in teaching catechism, and in fostering attendance at sermons and the reception of the sacraments. He was most zealous for the spread of the Christian religion everywhere, and exercised a wonderful power over demons. In the sixty-fifth year of his age, he went to receive the embrace of his Lord, whose greater glory he had always sought in all things. Pius XI appointed and declared him the heavenly patron of all spiritual exercises or retreats.

The Life of St. Ignatius by artist Carlos Saenz de Tejada- http://www.wikipaintings.org/en/Tag/st-ignatius-loyola

Ignatius writes the Spiritual Exercises in the cave at Manresa