St. Charles Borromeo

Today is the feast day of Saint Joseph of Cupertino, also known as the “Flying Friar.” He was an Italian Franciscan friar and mystic known for his reported miraculous levitations, being able to communicate with animals, bilocation (being in two places at once), and ability to “read souls.” At the mention or sight of almost anything holy, he would become so distracted with love that he would begin to fly. This happened so frequently other Franciscan friars would walk around with him to prevent him from floating away. St. Joseph Cupertino experienced over 70 recorded instances of rising into the air during prayer or Mass. His superiors eventually kept him secluded in private rooms for the remainder of his life because the miracles that accompanied Joseph became a distraction to both the monastery and to others who came seeking novelty….. sooo he was not allowed to offer Mass or pray in public, or even to eat his meals with his brothers. His order eventually isolated him and he had little contact with other members of his community. Finally, Father Joseph consented to isolation, and used solitude to commune with God on an even deeper level. He fell ill at the age of 60 and died on this date in 1663. Saint Joseph Cupertino, patron saint of aviation, pray for us!

The Catholic Church dedicates the entire month of September to the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary, with her official feast day celebrated on September 15th. The Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows of Mary invites Catholics to meditate upon seven particular sorrows traditionally associated with the life of the Mother of Jesus. THE SEVEN SORROWS 1. Simeon’s Prophecy 2. Flight into Egypt 3. Loss of Jesus in the Temple 4. Meeting Jesus on the Way to Calvary 5. Standing Beneath the Cross 6. Receiving Jesus’ Body from the Cross 7. Burial of Jesus This devotion is not about glorifying suffering for its own sake. It is about contemplating Mary’s faithfulness to God while accompanying her Son through suffering, and ultimately allowing that meditation to lead us more deeply into the mystery of Christ’s Passion. 1. HOW TO PRAY THE CHAPLET Begin with the Sign of the Cross. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. On the introductory medal or appropriate opening bead, pray: PRAYER My God, I offer You this Chaplet in honour of the sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Your Mother, and in union with her suffering at the Passion of Your Son. Grant me the grace of true repentance, a sincere heart, and the strength to remain faithful to You in times of suffering. May this devotion help me to contemplate the Passion of Christ more deeply and to imitate the faith and perseverance of His Mother. Amen. The chaplet then proceeds through seven sorrows. For each sorrow, traditionally an Our Father is prayed followed by seven Hail Marys, while meditating on that particular sorrow. 2. FIRST SORROW THE PROPHECY OF SIMEON Luke 2:25–35 Mary brings the infant Jesus to the Temple, where Simeon receives Him and recognizes Him as God’s promised salvation. But Simeon also tells Mary: “And you yourself a sword will pierce.” The joy surrounding the birth of Jesus is therefore accompanied by a mysterious prophecy of suffering. Mary receives the words in faith, beginning a journey whose full meaning will become clear at Calvary. Pray: Our Father… Hail Mary… 7 times 3. SECOND SORROW THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT Matthew 2:13–15 Herod seeks the life of the Child Jesus. Joseph is warned in a dream, and the Holy Family leaves for Egypt. Mary, together with Joseph, experiences the insecurity of becoming a refugee in order to protect the life of her Son. This sorrow reminds us that God’s chosen path does not always remove danger or hardship. Sometimes faithfulness means getting up and walking through uncertainty because God has entrusted something precious to us. Pray: Our Father… Hail Mary… 7 times 4. THIRD SORROW THE LOSS OF JESUS IN THE TEMPLE Luke 2:41–50 After travelling to Jerusalem for the Passover, Mary and Joseph discover that Jesus is not among their travelling companions. For three days they search for Him. When they finally find Him in the Temple, Mary expresses the anguish of those days: “Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” Mary’s sorrow reveals the very human pain of a mother separated from her child. Yet the episode also points toward the mystery of Jesus’ unique relationship with His heavenly Father. Pray: Our Father… Hail Mary… 7 times 5. FOURTH SORROW MARY MEETS JESUS ON THE WAY TO CALVARY Cf. John 19:25; traditional Christian meditation Jesus is condemned and led to His crucifixion. The Gospel of John explicitly places Mary at the Cross, while the traditional devotion to the Seven Sorrows contemplates her encounter with Jesus on the road to Calvary as the fourth sorrow. Imagine the anguish of seeing her Son carrying the instrument of His execution. Mary cannot remove His suffering. She cannot stop the Cross. But she remains with Him. This is one of the deepest lessons of the devotion: Sometimes love cannot take another person’s suffering away. But love can remain present. Pray: Our Father… Hail Mary… 7 times 6. FIFTH SORROW MARY STANDS BENEATH THE CROSS John 19:25–30 At Calvary, Mary stands near the Cross while Jesus suffers and dies. She does not flee. She remains. The woman who once held the infant Jesus in her arms now watches Him give His life upon the Cross. The Church sees Mary’s presence at Calvary as a profound expression of her perseverance in faith and her union with her Son’s suffering. Lumen Gentium describes Mary as persevering in her union with Christ “unto the Cross.” Pray: Our Father… Hail Mary… 7 times 7. SIXTH SORROW JESUS IS TAKEN DOWN FROM THE CROSS Cf. John 19:38–40 After Jesus dies, His body is taken down from the Cross. Christian tradition has long contemplated Mary receiving the lifeless body of her Son in her arms. Pope Francis also identifies this as the sixth sorrow in the traditional sequence. The scene is often represented in Christian art through the Pietà. The same Mother who once carried the newborn Christ now embraces His dead body. Yet even here, Mary’s faith does not disappear. Pray: Our Father… Hail Mary… 7 times 8. SEVENTH SORROW JESUS IS LAID IN THE TOMB John 19:40–42 Jesus’ body is wrapped and placed in a new tomb. The stone is closed. The disciples are left with grief, silence and apparently shattered hopes. But the story does not end there. The seventh sorrow leads us to the threshold of the Resurrection. Mary’s sorrow therefore teaches us something Christianity can never forget: Even when God seems silent, His plan is still unfolding. Pray: Our Father… Hail Mary… 7 times 9. FINAL PRAYER Virgin Most Sorrowful, pray for us that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Let us pray. Lord Jesus Christ, we ask You, both now and at the hour of our death, to intercede for us before the throne of Your mercy through the Blessed Virgin Mary, Your Mother, whose soul was pierced by the sword of sorrow during Your Passion. ©Catholic Dailies

Saints and Feast Days in September. The month devoted to the Seven Sorrows of Mary.

Great refresher for Works of Mercy!