Memorial of Saint Francis of Assisi ~ 4 October 2017

Saint Francis, founder of the Franciscan Order, born as Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone (known as as Francesco) at Assisi, Umbria in the circa of 1181 or 1182. Francis was a man of action and his simplicity of life extended to ideas and deeds. Humility was, no doubt, his ruling virtue. Francis wrote the beautiful Canticle of the Sun that expresses his brotherhood with creation in praising God. In the canticle, Francis refers to the sun, wind, air, and fire as his brothers, and to the moon, stars, earth, water, and death as his sisters. He died on 4 October, 1226 at the age of 45. Saint Francis is the patron saint of animals, merchants and the natural environment. Each October, many animals the world over are blessed on his feast day.

Here are two famous story about Francis,

• Francis preached to hundreds of birds about being thankful to God for their wonderful clothes, for their independence, and for God's care. The story tells us the birds stood still as he walked among him, only flying off when he said they could leave.
• A wolf that had been eating human beings. Francis intervened when the town wanted to kill the wolf and talked the wolf into never killing again. The wolf became a pet of the townspeople who made sure that he always had plenty to eat.

Canticle of the Sun

Most High, all-powerful, all-good Lord, 

All praise is Yours, all glory, all honour and all blessings.

To you alone, Most High, do they belong, 

and no mortal lips are worthy to pronounce Your Name.

Praised be You my Lord with all Your creatures,

especially Sir Brother Sun,

Who is the day through whom You give us light.

And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendour,

Of You Most High, he bears the likeness.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars,

In the heavens you have made them bright, precious and fair.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air,

And fair and stormy, all weather's moods,

by which You cherish all that You have made.

Praised be You my Lord through Sister Water,

So useful, humble, precious and pure.

Praised be You my Lord through Brother Fire,

through whom You light the night and he is beautiful and playful and robust and strong.

Praised be You my Lord through our Sister,

Mother Earth

who sustains and governs us,

producing varied fruits with coloured flowers and herbs.

Praise be You my Lord through those who grant pardon 

for love of You and bear sickness and trial.

Blessed are those who endure in peace, 

By You Most High, they will be crowned.

Praised be You, my Lord through Sister Death,

from whom no-one living can escape. Woe to those who die in mortal sin! Blessed are they She finds doing Your Will.

No second death can do them harm. 

Praise and bless my Lord and give Him thanks,

And serve Him with great humility.

October 2017 Prayer Intentions ~ Pope Francis

Workers and the Unemployed ~ That all workers may receive respect and protection of their rights, and that the unemployed may receive the opportunity to contribute to the common good.

Acts 20:35 �In every way I have shown you that by hard work of that sort we must help the weak, and keep in mind the words of the Lord Jesus who himself said, �It is more blessed to give than to receive.��

In any case we clearly see, and on this there is general agreement, that some opportune remedy must be found quickly for the misery and wretchedness pressing so unjustly on the majority of the working class.... 

source: RERUM NOVARUM, Encyclicals of Pope Leo XIII on Capitol and Labor

100 Year Anniversary of Our Lady at Fatima, 1917 ~ 2017

Catholic Church celebrates the 100-year anniversary of the Marian apparitions near the Cova da Iria in Fatima, Portugal. The apparitions of Mary at Fatima, witnessed by three shepherd children, began on 13 May, 1917 and then again on the 13th day of five subsequent months, the final sixth apparition being on 13 October, 1917.

Happy Birthday Mother Mary, Our dearest Divine Mother ~ 8 September 2017

The Catholic Church celebrates today the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

May Our Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, 

mother of Our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ 

intercede for us today and always!

Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated on 8 September nine months after the feast of her Immaculate Conception on 8 December. She was born to be the mother of the Savior of the world, the spiritual mother of all men, and the holiest of God's creatures. Mary was conceived and born immaculate and full of grace. She is the Mother of God and our Mother, too. Let us often call upon the Blessed Virgin as "Cause of our joy", one of the most beautiful titles in her litany. Only three birthdays is celebrated by Church, that is the birth of Jesus Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint John the Baptist. All three born without original sin, Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit, Mary, because she was kept free from the stain of Original Sin by the action of God, and Saint John, because he was blessed in the womb by the presence of his Savior when Mary, pregnant with Jesus, came to aid her cousin Elizabeth in the final months of Elizabeth's pregnancy (the visitation).

Impart to your servants, we pray, O Lord, the gift of heavenly grace, that the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin may bring deeper peace to those for whom the birth of her Son was the dawning of salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Feast of St. Anne ~ 2017 ~ Port Klang, Selangor, Malaysia