January 27: Saint Angela Merici

Saint Angela, valiant woman, inspire us today to be people of faith, people of action, people in love with God and all creation.
May we be makers of peace in a wounded world.
May we be creators of justice in a broken world.
May we be passionate and compassionate in an indifferent world.
You, who traveled the road before us, be with us as you promised.
May the example of your pilgrim heart encourage us on our journey.
Amen


Today, January 27, we celebrate the feast of Saint Angela Merici, patron saint of educators, the poor, and the disabled. Saint Angela followed her calling to serve the Lord by “re-inventing” the religious order. She accepted any woman—regardless of education and financial status—into the service of the Lord, and rather than sequester themselves, the Ursuline Sisters lived and worked among the poorest communities. Her dedication to those in need, and her ability to enact reform and fly in the face of societal convention to achieve great things for the Lord, inspires us still today!

For more on Saint Angela Merici, visit my previous post here, detailing her blessed life of service.

Selected Quotations of Saint Angela Merici

“In the fulfillment of your duties, let your intentions be so pure that you reject from your actions any other motive than the glory of God and the salvation of souls”

"We must give alms. Charity wins souls and draws them to virtue."

"Remember that the Devil doesn't sleep, but seeks our ruin in a thousand different ways."

"Beware of trying to accomplish anything by force, for God has given every single person free will and desires to constrain none; he merely shows them the way, invites them and counsels them."
"Disorder in society is the result of disorder in the family."
"As our Savior says: "A good tree is not able to produce bad fruit." He says: A good tree, that is, a good heart as well as a soul on fire with charity, can do nothing but good and holy works. For this reason Saint Augustine said:
"Love, and do what you will," namely, possess love and charity and then do what you will. It is as if he had said: Charity is not able to sin."
"You will accomplish more by kind words and a courteous manner than by anger or sharp rebuke, which should never be used except in necessity."

"Mothers of children, even if they have a thousand, carry each and every one fixed in their hearts, and because of the strength of their love they do not forget any of them. In fact, it seems that the more children they have the more their love and care for each one is increased."
"Be sincerely kind to every one according to the words of our Lord: "Learn of me, for I am meek and humble of heart." Thus you are imitating God, of whom it is said: "He has disposed all things pleasantly." And again Jesus said: "My yoke is easy and my burden light.""

"Remember the devil never sleeps, but seeks our ruin in a thousand ways."

Litany of St Angela Merici

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.

Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

God the Father of heaven, Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, Have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, and faithful Guardian of our Mother Saint Angela,  Pray for us.
Saint Angela Merici, Pray for us. St. Angela, favoured with the choicest gifts of God from thy infancy, Pray for us.

St. Angela, who didst give thyself to the practice of all the virtues from thy tenderest years, Pray for us.
St. Angela, who didst always preserve a spotless purity, Pray for us.
St. Angela, who by thy love for holy purity, didst merit to receive thy name, Pray for us.
St. Angela, who from childhood found thy delight in solitude, Pray for us.
St. Angela, who led an angelic life in the house of thy parents, Pray for us.

St. Angela, who didst daily hear on thy body the mortification of Jesus, Pray for us.
St. Angela, whose gift it was to reconcile the bitterest enemies, Pray for us.
St. Angela, who at thirteen become a Tertiary of St. Francis and ever remained faithful, Pray for us.
St. Angela, gifted with the graces of prayer and contemplation, Pray for us.
St. Angela, who visited the Holy Land, and there followed the bloody footprints of Jesus, Pray for us.
St. Angela, who triumphed over the illusions of the devil, Pray for us.
St. Angela, who was not afflicted at the loss of thy sight in visiting the holy places, Pray for us.
St. Angela, whose sight was miraculously restored in the Island of Candia, Pray for us.
St. Angela, whom the love of. God had wounded and whom this same love cured, Pray for us.
St. Angela, model of perfect self-denial and true humility, Pray for us.
St. Angela, who, like Jacob, was permitted to see the mysterious ladder, Pray for us.

St. Angela, chosen by God to be the mother of many holy virgins, Pray for us.
St. Angela, Foundress of the illustrious Order of the Ursulines, Pray for us.
St. Angela, to whom God promised that this Order should always subsist, Pray for us.
St. Angela, who, filled with joy, didst give up thy soul in the embrace of the Lord, Pray for us.
St. Angela, whose body remained incorruptible after death, Pray for us.
St. Angela, Patroness of Christian mothers, Pray for us.
St. Angela, Protectress of young girls, Pray for us.
St. Angela, our Mother and Advocate, Pray for us.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world: Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world: Hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world: Have mercy on us.

Pray for us, O glorious Mother Saint Angela:
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

O God,
Who by means of our blessed Mother Saint Angela
didst cause a new Order of holy virgins
to flourish in Thy Church:
grant, through her intercession,
that we may imitate her angelic virtues,
and, forsaking all earthly things,
may be found worthy of eternal bliss.
Through Jesus Christ Our Lord.
Amen.



Year 2: Day 27 of 365
Prayer Intentions: Lives of service to others.
Requested Intentions: Development of a chaste relationship pleasing to the Lord (E); Successful surgery of mother; delivery of daughters’ babies (L); For a friend suffering with depression (M); For a friend entering religious life (R); Success of a parish men’s retreat (H); For a mother who is grieving; for the soul of a dearly departed son (M); Reconciliation of a marriage (M); End to grief after death of son (B&C); End to grief (S); Successful marriage (N); For an RCIA candidate struggling with financial and family stressors (O); Freedom from anxiety regarding medical procedure (J); Return home of an ill mother, peace and financial security (J); Restoration of a marriage; family peace (N); Freedom from persecution (A); For a friend struggling with medical problems and surgery (L); Financial blessings (D); For the success of a project (T); Improved financial stability (A); Improved relationship with business partner (A); For employment (N); Reconciliation of a workplace relationship (R); Healing of son, cousin, and friend (L); Healing of a husband from cancer, end to medical problems (T); Freedom from persecution (E); Successful employment (R); Healing of a father following stroke (S).