Enjoy daily inspiration from St. Therese of Lisieux and news about the Carmelites and the Society of the Little Flower

Saint Anthony of Egypt, religious hermit and Desert Father, considered the founder and father of organized Christian monasticism. His rule (book of observances) represented one of the first attempts to codify guidelines for monastic living. Learn more about his life and legacy.

Saint of the Day – 19 March – Blessed Sibyllina Biscossi (1287-1367) OP Blind Dominican Virgin and Recluse, Penitent, Miracle-worker – also known as Sibyllina of Pavia, Sybil R…

Jeanne Saint Chéron is a member of the Paris Academy of Arts, Sciences and Letters and a member of the Taylor Foundation. In April 2007, she receives the Silver Award from the French Association of Arts, Sciences and Letters.

Padre Pio and the Guardian Angel by Guido Reni Padre Pio had the privilege of having his Guardian Angel visibly beside him all his life. He played with him when he was a child, and the Guardian Angel sang for him when he was sad. "My Guardian Angel has been my friend since my infancy." Padre Pio said about his Guardian Angel: "Little companion of my infancy, angiolino, angioletto, my secretary, inseparable companion, celestial person, celestial messenger, brother, friend, prevents danger, one of the family, translates for me the letters in other languages, I send him to console people suffering, prevents from stumbling, never lives us alone for an instant, from the cradle to the grave, even when we are sinning." Padre Pio said about the Angels: "The Angels envy us for one thing only: they cannot suffer for God." When Padre Pio was a young friar, he wrote a letter to his confessor in which he said: "When I close my eyes and the night comes, I can see the Heaven that appears in front of me. I am encouraged by this vision so I can sleep with a sweet smile on the lips and with a perfect calm on the forehead waiting my small companion of my infancy came to wake up me and start praying together prayers to the beloved of our hearts." Padre Pio often recommended that if people wanted to send him a message or a petition they could send him their guardian angel. Fr. Dominic, who handled the American mail for Padre Pio, asked him: "Padre . . . a woman wants to know if she sends her Guardian Angel to you, does he come?" Padre Pio replied, "Tell her that her Angel is not like she is. Her Angel is very obedient, and when she sends him, he comes!" "It will be a great joy when at the moment of death we will be able to see our Guardian Angel. "Padre Pio once said to a person: "We will pray for your mother, so that the Guardian Angel will be with her in company." "If the mission of our Guardian Angel is a great mission, the mission of mine is for sure greater than the others, because he has to be a teacher and explain to me other languages." "The mission of my Guardian Angel includes explaining me other languages." Padre Pio lived in close contact with his Guardian Angel, who taught him to translate letters in French and Greek. The Angel would keep Padre Pio up at night so that they could both chant God’s praises. Padre Pio’s Angel would also ease the pain that he suffered from beatings that he received from demons. Padre Pio wrote the following to his spiritual director on November 5, 1912: "I cannot tell you the way these scoundrels [the demons] beat me. Sometimes I feel I am about to die. On Saturday, it seemed to me that they intended to put an end to me and I did not know what saint to invoke. I turned to my angel and after he had kept me waiting a while, there he was hovering close to me, singing hymns to the divine Majesty in his angelic voice. . . I rebuked him bitterly for having kept me waiting so long when I had not failed to call him to my assistance. To punish him, I did not want to look him in the face; I wanted to get away, to escape from him. But he, poor creature, caught up with me almost in tears and held me until I raised my eyes to his face and found him all upset. Then he said: "I am always close to you, my beloved young man . . ." "Send the Guardian Angel. He doesn't pay a train ticket and doesn't consume shoes." One winter, a spiritual daughter of Padre Pio was walking along a country road heavily covered with snow in which it was even difficult to walk to the Convent where the good Padre was waiting for her but was uncertain she would reach the Convent in time for the appointment. Full of faith, she prayed to her Guardian Angel to tell Padre Pio she would have arrived at the convent late because of the snow. When she finally reached the convent, she saw Padre Pio smiling, waiting for her behind a window. "For whomever is alone, there is his Guardian Angel." "Your Guardian Angel prays for you; offers to God all the good works you accomplish; your holy and pure desires." A man narrated: "Padre Pio often stopped in the sacristy greeting his spiritual children and friends by kissing them. I looked with holy envy on those so fortunate and I thought: 'Blessed him! If I were him! Blessed! Blessed him!' On Christmas 1958, I knelt, in front of Padre Pio for confession. Afterwards, I looked at him and while full of emotion I asked him: 'Father, today is the Christmas day, can I wish you Merry Christmas by giving you a kiss?' And he, with a sweetness that I am not able to describe with the pen, smile at me and said: 'Hurry up, my child, don't make me waste time!' He also embraced me. I kissed him and as a bird, joyful, I went toward the exit full of celestial delights. And what can I say about some slaps on the head? Every time, before leaving from St. Giovanni Rotondo, I desired father Pio gave me a sign of particular predilection. In fact, I also wanted two small slaps on the head as two fatherly caresses. I have to underline that he never refused me anything I wanted to receive from him. One day, there were a lot of people in the sacristy of the small church and father Vincenzo exhorted, with his usual severity: 'don’t push, don’t shake Padre Pio’s hands go back'! I sadly thought: 'This time I will leave without having the blows on the head.' I didn’t want to resign me and I begged my Guardian Angel to become a messenger and to repeat these words to Padre Pio: 'Father, I desire the benediction and the two blows on the head, as usual, one for me and the other for my wife.' Padre Vincenzo was still repeating: 'don’t push Padre Pio . . . stay far from him!' Then Padre Pio started walking. I was in anxiety. I looked at him but I was sad. Suddenly Padre Pio came to me, he smiled and he gave me two taps and it made me also kiss his hand, 'I would like to give you a lot of slaps . . . a lot of slaps,' he told me the first time that I asked him for the small slaps." "Oh, if all men could understand this great gift that God, assigned to us; this celestial spirit." "May the desire to see this inseparable companion incite you to leave this body quickly." "When you seem to be alone, here a friendly soul to whom you can unburden yourself and in whom you can confide your sorrows." A woman was sitting in the square of the church of the Capuchins. The Church was closed. It was late and she prayed with the thought, and repeated with the heart: "Padre Pio, help me! Guardian Angel, please, go to tell Padre Pio to help me, otherwise my sister will die!" From the window above her, Padre Pio’s voice came: "Who is calling me at this time? What is the problem?" The woman told him about her sister’s illness. Padre Pio went in bilocation to the sick woman and healed her. "Do not forget this invisible companion, always present to listen to you; always ready to console you." "For people that live alone there is the Guardian Angel." "Invoke your Guardian Angel that he will illuminate you and will guide you. God has given him to you for this reason. Therefore use him!" Padre Pio, Letter, April 20, 1915: "Often repeat the beautiful prayer: 'Angel of God, my guardian to whom the goodness of the heavenly Father entrusts me, enlighten, protect and guide me now and forever.' " "Invoke often this Guardian Angel, and repeat the beautiful prayer: 'Oh, Angel of God . . .' " Guardian Angel by Pietro da Cortona, 1656 Below is the traditional Catholic prayer to one's Guardian Angel: Angel of God, my guardian dear to whom His love commits me here. Ever this day be at my side to light, and guard, to rule and guide. Amen. In Latin: Angele Dei, qui custos es mei, me, tibi commissum pietate superna, illumina, custodi, rege et guberna. Amen. "What consolation when, at the moment of death, you will see this Angel, who accompanied you through life and was so liberal in maternal care." "Often remember his presence; thank him; pray to him; respect him; be in constant fear of offending the purity of his gaze." "Don’t write to me because I cannot answer you. Send me your Guardian Angel and I will do everything." "Your Guardian Angel has reported to me some sentences that have made me understand your mistrust." When asked, "How do you take care of the so many letters you receive?" The good Padre replied, "The Angel does his job." One time, Padre Pio was asked: "All those Angels around you, don't they bother You?" He answered, "No. They are so obedient." A person asked Padre Pio, "Father, are you able to hear what the Guardian Angels tell you?" And Padre Pio answered, "Of course! Do you think Angels are disobedient as you? Send me your Guardian Angel!" An Italian-American from California used to pray to his Guardian Angel to tell his needs to Padre Pio. One day, after confession he asked Padre Pio if he really heard his Guardian Angel. "Do you think I am deaf?" And he repeated what he had told recently his Guardian Angel to tell Padre Pio. Padre Lino Barbati sent his Guardian Angel to ask Padre Pio for the healing of a person. That person was not getting better. He asked Padre Pio: "Could it be that at times the Guardian Angel doesn't do what we ask him to do?" Padre Pio: "What? Are you thinking that he is disobedient like me and you?" One of the spiritual children of Padre Pio said: "It seems that Padre Pio always listens to everybody who calls him." One evening, a group of friends arrived at San Giovanni Rotondo. They summarized the graces that they would have asked of Padre Pio, and they asked their Guardian Angels to bring their request to Padre Pio as soon as possible. The next day, after the Holy Mass, Padre Pio reproached them: "You do not leave me in peace even at night!" Watching Padre Pio’s smile they understood their prayer had been accepted. Padre Eusebio Notte was with Padre Pio from 1960 to 1965 Padre Eusebio said: "I was going to London by plane, against Padre Pio’s suggestion not to use this mean of transport. When we were flying over the Channel, a violent storm put the aeroplane in danger. Amid the general terror I prayed and, without knowing what to do, I sent my Guardian Angel to Padre Pio. When I went back to St. Giovanni Rotondo I met Padre Pio who said to me, 'Are you well? Is everything OK?' I answered, 'I thought I’d die,' the saintly padre responded, 'then why don't you obey?' I responded 'But I have sent you my Guardian Angel . . . ' Padre Pio then said, 'Fortunately, he arrived just in time!' " An Italian Lawyer named Attilio De Sanctis from Fano was driving back home to Bologna with his wife and two children. During the trip he fell asleep at the wheel. He woke up a few miles from home. He said, "Who drove my car?" The wife said, "You were still, and didn't answer to us, and you avoided several collisions at last second. Your driving was different from usual." Two months later he visited Padre Pio, who told him from afar: "You were asleep and the Guardian Angel drove your car." The mystery was solved. "Father, my income doesn't allow me to come to see you as often as I'd like." "Who told you to come here? Don't you have your Guardian Angel? Tell him what you want, send him here, and you will have an answer right away." Padre Alessio Parente Padre Alessio approached Padre Pio with some letters in his hand in order to ask him something but Padre Pio told him abruptly, "Boy, leave me alone, don't you see that I am busy?" Padre Alessio went away mortified. Later, Padre Pio apologized and explained: "Didn't you see all those Angels who were with me? They are the Guardian Angels of my spiritual children who brought me their messages. I had to report to them the answers they needed." Joe Peterson and Joe Peluso in 1988 visiting Padre Pio's birthplace Joe Peterson was stationed in Foggia, Italy during WWII and met Padre Pio several times. When he returned to the States in Yonkers, N.Y., he lectured about Padre Pio throughout the Northeast for 40 years to more than 4,000 parishes, religious classes, and Catholic high schools. He was a member of the Padre Pio Foundation's Board of Directors. Joe Peluso, from a very small town in Pennsylvania, was stationed in Foggia, Italy during WWII and met Padre Pio on October 6, 1944. He visited with him several times for the next ten months, until his Army unit was transferred to France on July 15, 1945. He met also Padre Pio's father Grazio, his brother Michael, and Michael's daughter Pia, and her fiance Mario. He returned to Italy in 1988 as member of the Padre Pio Foundation of America in Cromwell, CT, for a documentary on Padre Pio's birthplace. "Joe, when the war is over and you return to the United States, tell the American people that for those who would like me to be their spiritual father, my answer is yes. I accept all Americans as my spiritual children. I only have two requirements - that they lead very good Catholic lives and that they regularly receive the sacraments. And please, tell them never to embarrass me in front of Jesus and Mary. You must tell them, Joe." Joe made a slide show presentation of Padre Pio's life and over the years he showed it to thousands of people. Joe died in 1996 after having spent 50 years sharing the message of Padre Pio with more people than he could have imagined. "Joe, pick a name for your Guardian Angel and call him by the name always. When you send him to me, he will come instantly." "All of Paradise is close to the altar when I say Mass." "The angels attend my Mass In legions." "The angels around the altar adore and love." "The Holy Virgin assists me." Images courtesy of caccioppoli.com

Explore BuildYourRosarycom's 6990 photos on Flickr!

Today, January 24, we celebrate the feast day of Saint Francis de Sales (1567-1612), bishop, Doctor of the Church. Known as the “gentleman,...

Martyrdom of St Peter, by Michelangelo Merisi known as Caravaggio, 1600 - 1601, 17th Century, oil on canvas, cm 230 x 175 - Italy, Lazio, Rome, Santa Maria del Popolo Church, Cerasi Chapel. All. Martyrdom old elderly man Saint apostle St Peter crucified t

'A mother's heart is always full of pity for the erring and the sinner and the fallen.' Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen Painting: Madonna, Herman Richir; in US public domain due to age

Get to know Freyja, the Norse goddess of love, war, and magic.