Quote of the day, 16 December: Blessed Mary of the Angels

Jesus, Mary, Joseph,
most blessed earthly trinity,
I worship and adore you with the deepest affection.
When shall my soul
live all by Jesus,
all for Jesus,
all with Jesus!
You, O Mary, true mother of Jesus,
you, O Joseph, beloved father of Jesus,
obtain for me [the grace] that I
may have a heart only for Jesus.
May it be harder for me
to live without Jesus than to die.
May it be sweeter for me
to die with Jesus than any life.
My most holy father Joseph,
true husband of Mary, worthy father of Jesus,
obtain for me [the grace] that I may always live
as a true servant of Jesus, a true child of Mary.
Into your hands
I commend my poor spirit
and my desolate soul,
In the hour that it will leave this body,
may you receive it in your most holy arms
and place it eternally
in those of Jesus and Mary.
Amen.

Blessed Mary of the Angels (Marianna Fontanella)

Prayer from her writings

Translation from the Italian text is the blogger’s own work product and may not be reproduced without permission.

Featured image: This is a detail from an etching of the Holy Family by Simon Vouet (French, 1590–1649) created in 1633. It comes from the collections of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Image credit: Cleveland Museum of Art (Public domain)

#BlessedMaryOfTheAngels #HolyFamily #Jesus #prayer #surrender

16 December: Blessed Mary of the Angels Fontanella

December 16
BLESSED MARY OF THE ANGELS FONTANELLA
Virgin

Optional Memorial

Born in Turin, Italy, in 1661, she died, after spending her whole life there, in 1717. In 1675 she entered the Discalced Carmelite Convent of St. Christina, and several times filled the offices of Prioress and Novice Mistress. She underwent continual spiritual trials but was constant in her ardent love of God. She was outstandingly faithful to prayer and particularly devoted to St. Joseph, in whose honor a convent was founded through her good offices at Moncalieri.

From the common of virgins

Office of Readings

SECOND READING
From The Way of Perfection by Saint Teresa of Avila
(C 40, nos 3,8 ed. Kavanaugh-Rodriguez 1980, pp. 193-95).

True love for God cannot be hidden

Those who truly love God love every good, desire every good, favor every good, praise every good. They always join, favor, and defend good people. They have no love for anything but truth, and whatever is worthy of love. Do you think it is possible for a person who really loves God to love vanities? No, indeed, he cannot, nor can he love riches, or worldly things, or delights, or honors, or strife, or envy. All of this is so because he seeks only to please the Beloved. These persons go about dying so that their Beloved might love them, and thus they dedicate their lives to learning how they might please him more. Hide itself? Oh, with regard to the love of God—if it is genuine love— this is impossible. If you don’t think so, look at Saint Paul or the Magdalene. Within three days the one began to realize that he was sick with love; that was Saint Paul. The Magdalene knew from the first day; and how well she knew! Love has this characteristic: it can be greater or lesser in degree. Thus, the love makes itself known according to its intensity. When slight, it shows itself but slightly; when strong, it shows itself strongly. But where there is love of God, whether little or great, it is always recognized.

And could one conceal a love that is so strong and just that it always increases and sees no reason to stop since its foundation is made from the cement of being repaid by another love? This other love can no longer be doubted, since it was shown so openly and with so many sufferings and trials, and with the shedding of blood, even to the point of death, in order that we might have no doubt about it.

May it please His Majesty to give us his love before he takes us out of this life, for it will be a great thing at the hour of death to see that we are going to be judged by the One whom we have loved above all things. We shall be able to proceed securely with the judgment concerning our debts. It will not be like going to a foreign country, but like going to our own, because it is the country of one whom we love so much and who loves us.

RESPONSORY

℟ The Lord fulfills the desires of those who fear him, he hears their cry and saves them. * The Lord watches over all who love him.
℣ We know that God makes all things work together for the good of those who love him. * The Lord watches over all who love him.

Morning Prayer

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

Ant. To love God is to be truly wise, and wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord.

PRAYER

Lord,
you have told us that you live forever
in the hearts of the chaste.
By the prayers of the virgin Blessed Mary of the Angels
help us to live by your grace
and to become temples of your Spirit.

Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, forever and ever.

Evening Prayer

CANTICLE OF MARY

Ant. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.

Catholic Church 1993, Proper of the Liturgy of the Hours of the Order of the Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel and the Order of Discalced Carmelites (Rev. and augm.), Institutum Carmelitanum, Rome.

#blessedMaryOfTheAngels #discalcedCarmelite #liturgyOfTheHours #virgin

Blessed Mary of the Angels: Misery to Mercy

This punishment is better left to Your mercy.

Blessed Mary of the Angels

Blessed Mary of the Angels Fontanella’s life offers a remarkable example of faith and intercession. In 1714, she had a vision of Christ angered by humanity’s sins and ready to send a plague as punishment. Moved by compassion, she interceded fervently for the people of Turin, offering herself as an instrument of mercy.

Christ, handing her a scourge, invited her to punish the people herself. Instead, she placed the scourge back in His hands, saying: “This punishment is better left to Your mercy.” Her prayers were heard, and the plague was diverted to the livestock instead of the people. “Let us thank God,“ she said, “who has deigned to turn the plague of men into one for animals.”

Blessed Mary’s humility and courage remind us of the power of prayer and trust in God’s providence, even in the face of grave challenges. Her story continues to inspire devotion, as even Saint John Bosco wrote her biography, celebrating her sanctity and her intercessory power.

Discover more about her remarkable life by listening to our podcast episode embedded below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaCZqZJHZ-4

Translation from the Italian text is the blogger’s own work product and may not be reproduced without permission.

Featured image: Detail from a portrait of Blessed Mary of the Angels by an unknown artist, likely from 18th century Italy. Image credit: piemonteis.org (Public domain)

#BlessedMaryOfTheAngels #JesusChrist #MariannaFontanella #mercy #plague #Podcast #prayer #Turin

In 1714, Blessed Mary of the Angels' prayers turned a plague into mercy. Learn how her faith inspired Turin—and St. John Bosco! #BlessedMaryoftheAngels

http://carmelitequotes.blog/2024/12/15/s2ep40fontanella/

Quote of the day, 16 December: Blessed Mary of the Angels

One day, my mother sent me to see her. Finding one of our [Discalced Carmelite] Fathers on the same balcony, he called out to me (and asked) if I wanted to come near him so that he could shield me from the abundant rain that was falling. I accepted his offer. I began to greet him and thank him, with all the polite pleasantries of the world.

He began to ask me if I wanted to become a religious. I answered that my age still allowed me time to think about it. But the good religious, not satisfied with this answer, pressed me insistently, saying that I had all the appearance of one called to this life.

I let myself be persuaded and replied, “Yes.”

He then asked, “Where?”

I said, “At Saluzzo,” but my heart did not find peace. I feared they would say that I did not have a true vocation, as I couldn’t find a convent that suited (satisfied) me.

I had barely voiced this thought before I even fully considered it—something entirely contrary to my nature, as I am usually very reserved in sharing my thoughts. But God allowed it for my good.

The good religious then asked me, “What about joining one of ours?”

I replied, “I don’t know them.”

He began to explain the life they led and how they wore habits made of the same cloth as the one he was wearing. As he described their observance, I felt my desire growing within me.

At that moment, another downpour came. This good religious placed his cloak over my head. Oh, God! What an effect this cloak had on my soul! It felt as though I were under the mantle of the Blessed Virgin Mary. I pleaded with her to accept me as her daughter and not to deny me this grace. I made the same petition to the Holy Shroud, and with such tenderness of heart that the tears from my eyes did what the rain from heaven could not—they drenched me completely.

Blessed Mary of the Angels

From her writings

Note: The friar mentioned above was Father Francesco Antonio di San Andrea, O.C.D., and “Saluzzo” refers to the Cistercian Monastery of La Stella in Rifredo, near Saluzzo, where the Blessed initially entered religious life at age 12. This monastery was her first experience of monastic life before she eventually entered the Carmel of Santa Cristina in Turin in 1676. In 1703, she founded the Carmel of St. Joseph in Moncalieri.

Translation from the Italian text is the blogger’s own work product and may not be reproduced without permission.

Featured image: Detail from an anonymous portrait of Blessed Mary of the Angels. Image credit: santibeati.it / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

#BlessedMaryOfTheAngels #Moncalieri #rain #ShroudOfTurin #Torino #vocation

Caught in a downpour, Blessed Mary of the Angels found her Carmelite vocation under a friar’s cloak, invoking the Virgin’s maternal care. #BlessedMaryoftheAngels

http://carmelitequotes.blog/2024/12/15/fontanellavoc/

16 December: Blessed Mary of the Angels Fontanella

December 16
BLESSED MARY OF THE ANGELS FONTANELLA
Virgin

Optional Memorial

Born in Turin, Italy, in 1661, she died, after spending her whole life there, in 1717. In 1675 she entered the Discalced Carmelite Convent of St. Christina, and several times filled the offices of Prioress and Novice Mistress. She underwent continual spiritual trials but was constant in her ardent love of God. She was outstandingly faithful to prayer and particularly devoted to St. Joseph, in whose honor a convent was founded through her good offices at Moncalieri.

From the common of virgins

Office of Readings

SECOND READING
From The Way of Perfection by Saint Teresa of Avila
(C 40, nos 3,8 ed. Kavanaugh-Rodriguez 1980, pp. 193-95).

True love for God cannot be hidden

Those who truly love God love every good, desire every good, favor every good, praise every good. They always join, favor, and defend good people. They have no love for anything but truth, and whatever is worthy of love. Do you think it is possible for a person who really loves God to love vanities? No, indeed, he cannot, nor can he love riches, or worldly things, or delights, or honors, or strife, or envy. All of this is so because he seeks only to please the Beloved. These persons go about dying so that their Beloved might love them, and thus they dedicate their lives to learning how they might please him more. Hide itself? Oh, with regard to the love of God—if it is genuine love— this is impossible. If you don’t think so, look at Saint Paul or the Magdalene. Within three days the one began to realize that he was sick with love; that was Saint Paul. The Magdalene knew from the first day; and how well she knew! Love has this characteristic: it can be greater or lesser in degree. Thus, the love makes itself known according to its intensity. When slight, it shows itself but slightly; when strong, it shows itself strongly. But where there is love of God, whether little or great, it is always recognized.

And could one conceal a love that is so strong and just that it always increases and sees no reason to stop since its foundation is made from the cement of being repaid by another love? This other love can no longer be doubted, since it was shown so openly and with so many sufferings and trials, and with the shedding of blood, even to the point of death, in order that we might have no doubt about it.

May it please His Majesty to give us his love before he takes us out of this life, for it will be a great thing at the hour of death to see that we are going to be judged by the One whom we have loved above all things. We shall be able to proceed securely with the judgment concerning our debts. It will not be like going to a foreign country, but like going to our own, because it is the country of one whom we love so much and who loves us.

RESPONSORY

R./ The Lord fulfills the desires of those who fear him, he hears their cry and saves them. * The Lord watches over all who love him.
V./ We know that God makes all things work together for the good of those who love him. * The Lord watches over all who love him.

Morning Prayer

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

Ant. To love God is to be truly wise, and wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord.

PRAYER

Lord,
you have told us that you live forever
in the hearts of the chaste.
By the prayers of the virgin Blessed Mary of the Angels
help us to live by your grace
and to become temples of your Spirit.

Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, forever and ever.

Evening Prayer

CANTICLE OF MARY

Ant. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.

Catholic Church 1993, Proper of the Liturgy of the Hours of the Order of the Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel and the Order of Discalced Carmelites (Rev. and augm.), Institutum Carmelitanum, Rome.

#BlessedMaryOfTheAngels #DiscalcedCarmelite #ff0000 #LiturgyOfTheHours #noviceMistress #prioress #virgin