1.
There are not one hundred people in the United States who hate The Catholic Church, but there are millions who hate what they wrongly perceive the Catholic Church to be.
Fulton J. Sheen
'In the United States, there are not a hundred individuals who detest The Catholic Church, yet there are millions who loathe what they mistakenly envision the Catholic Church to be.'
2.
Faith is what gets you started. Hope is what keeps you going. Love is what brings you to the end.
Mother Angelica
Trust is what propels you forward. Optimism is what maintains momentum. Affection is what guides you to the conclusion.
3.
Take care of your body as if you were going to live forever; and take care of your soul as if you were going to die tomorrow.
Saint Augustine
Preserve your physical being as if you had eternal life; and safeguard your spiritual self with the urgency of a single day.
4.
Love God, serve God; everything is in that.
Clare of Assisi
Adore the Lord, revere the Lord; all is encompassed therein.
5.
Do everything calmly and peacefully. Do as much as you can as well as you can. Strive to see God in all things without exception, and consent to His will joyously. Do everything for God, uniting yourself to him in word and deed. Walk very simply with the Cross of the Lord and be at peace with yourself.
Saint Francis de Sales
6.
Be a Catholic: When you kneel before an altar, do it in such a way that others may be able to recognize that you know before whom you kneel.
Maximilian Kolbe
Bow reverently before the altar so that it is apparent to onlookers that you are aware of whom you kneel before.
7.
We always find that those who walked closest to Christ were those who had to bear the greatest trials.
Teresa of Avila
Those who treaded the path of righteousness alongside Christ endured the most trying tribulations.
8.
A man who governs his passions is master of his world. We must either command them or be enslaved by them. It is better to be a hammer than an anvil.
Saint Dominic
A person who reigns in their desires is the ruler of their own domain. We must either enforce them or be subjugated to them. It is preferable to be a force than a target.
9.
Do not forget that true love sets no conditions; it does not calculate or complain, but simply loves.
Pope John Paul II
Do not forget that genuine affection imposes no stipulations; it does not analyze or grumble, but merely cherishes.
10.
Whenever anything disagreeable or displeasing happens to you, remember Christ crucified and be silent.
John of the Cross
Whenever something unpleasant happens to you, recall Jesus on the cross and stay quiet.
11.
First they came for the Jews, but I did nothing because I'm not a Jew. Then they came for the socialists, but I did nothing because I'm not a socialist. Then they came for the Catholics, but I did nothing because I'm not a Catholic. Finally, they came for me, but by then there was no one left to help me.
Martin Niemoller
12.
The spirit of humility is sweeter than honey, and those who nourish themselves with this honey produce sweet fruit.
Anthony of Padua
The essence of modesty is more delightful than nectar, and those who partake in this elixir yield luscious fruit.
13.
We've had enough of exhortations to be silent! Cry out with a hundred thousand tongues. I see that the world is rotten because of silence.
St. Catherine of Siena
'Let us no longer remain quiet! Utter a cacophony of voices. It is evident that the world has become depraved due to our reticence.'
14.
The way Jesus shows you is not easy. Rather, it is like a path winding up a mountain. Do not lose heart! The steeper the road, the faster it rises towards ever wider horizons.
Pope John Paul II
The journey Jesus outlines is not a flat, even path. It is more like ascending a steep incline, but don't be discouraged! The steeper the climb, the quicker you will reach higher planes of understanding.
15.
The gate of heaven is very low; only the humble can enter it.
Elizabeth Ann Seton
The entrance to paradise is humble; only the meek can pass through.
16.
A Catholic may sin and sin as badly as anyone else, but no genuine Catholic ever denies he is a sinner. A Catholic wants his sins forgiven - not excused or sublimated.
Fulton J. Sheen
A Catholic may transgress grievously, like any other individual, but no true believer of the faith will ever deny their wrongdoings. A Catholic seeks absolution for their sins - not justification or camouflage.
17.
God is not satisfied with appearance. God wants the garment of justice. God wants his Christians dressed in love.
Oscar Romero
God desires His believers to be clothed in righteousness and adorned with compassion.
18.
If I were not a Catholic, and were looking for the true Church in the world today, I would look for the one Church which did not get along well with the world; in other words, I would look for the Church which the world hated.
Fulton J. Sheen
19.
We must sow the seed, not hoard it.
Saint Dominic
We must plant the kernel, not store it.
20.
It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.
Saint Peter
It is unfeasible for us to remain silent regarding what we have witnessed and heard.
21.
Be at peace with your own soul, then heaven and earth will be at peace with you.
St. Jerome
Cultivate harmony within yourself, then the universe will reciprocate.
22.
Whenever you begin any good work you should first of all make a most pressing appeal to Christ our Lord to bring it to perfection.
Benedict of Nursia
Initiate every good venture by imploring Christ our Lord to ensure its success.
23.
Remember that nothing is small in the eyes of God. Do all that you do with love.
Therese of Lisieux
Recall that in the sight of God, nothing is insignificant. Do all deeds with passion.
24.
Do not try to excuse your faults; try to correct them
John Bosco
Do not attempt to justify your mistakes; strive to rectify them.
25.
It is not hard to obey when we love the one whom we obey.
Ignatius of Loyola
It is not difficult to comply when we cherish the one to whom we adhere.
26.
Our religion seems foolish to you, but so does yours to me. The Baptists and Methodists and Presbyterians and the Catholics all have a different God. Why cannot we have one of our own?
Sitting Bull
'It appears absurd to you that we practice our faith, yet yours appears just as ridiculous to us. The Baptists and Methodists and Presbyterians and the Catholics all possess a unique conception of deity. Why can't we have a distinct version ourselves?'
27.
I will go peaceably and firmly to the Catholic Church: for if Faith is so important to our salvation, I will seek it where true Faith first began, seek it among those who received it from God Himself.
Elizabeth Ann Seton
28.
There is no evil to be faced that Christ does not face with us. There is no enemy that Christ has not already conquered. There is no cross to bear that Christ has not already borne for us, and does not now bear with us.
Pope John Paul II
29.
Without the burden of afflictions it is impossible to reach the height of Grace. The gift of Grace increases as the struggle increases.
Rose of Lima
It is impossible to attain true Grace without enduring hardships. As the effort intensifies, so too does the blessing of Grace.
30.
The greatest obstacle in the apostolate of the Church is the timidity or rather the cowardice of the faithful.
Pope Pius X
The most significant hindrance in the mission of the Church is the meekness or rather the trepidation of the believers.
31.
Teach us to give and not to count the cost.
Ignatius of Loyola
Impel us to offer without tallying the repercussions.
32.
People who love each other fully and truly are the happiest people in the world. They may have little, they may have nothing, but they are happy people. Everything depends on how we love one another.
Mother Teresa
'Those who are deeply and passionately devoted to each other are the most content people in the world. They may lack material possessions, but they still possess joy. All that matters is how fondly we cherish one another.'
33.
The true friends of the people are neither revolutionaries, nor innovators, but traditionalists.
Pope Pius X
The true adherents of the population are neither radicals, nor pioneers, but conservatives.
34.
O Lord, if I could fly to my people and tell them of your goodness at the top of my voice, oh how many souls would be won!
Josephine Bakhita
'Oh Heavenly Father, if I had the ability to soar to my kin and vociferously proclaim your benevolence, how many lives would be saved!'
35.
Christ beside me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ within me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me.
Saint Patrick
'Jesus encompassing me, Jesus onward of me, Jesus supporting me, Jesus inside me, Jesus underneath me, Jesus over me.'
36.
If, then, you are looking for the way by which you should go, take Christ, because He Himself is the way.
Thomas Aquinas
If, then, you are in search of guidance, take Jesus as your guide because He is the path.
37.
Do not walk through time without leaving worthy evidence of your passage.
Pope John XXIII
Do not traverse life without leaving indelible proof of your journey.
38.
He should first show them in deeds rather than words all that is good and holy.
Benedict of Nursia
He should first demonstrate through actions rather than rhetoric all that is righteous and virtuous.
39.
Be ever engaged, so that whenever the devil calls he may find you occupied.
St. Jerome
Remain constantly active so that whenever temptation arises you will already be preoccupied.
40.
Give something, however small, to the one in need. For it is not small to one who has nothing. Neither is it small to God, if we have given what we could.
Gregory of Nazianzus
Contribute something, however insignificant, to the destitute. For it is not insignificant to one without anything. Neither is it inconsequential to God, if we have done our best.
41.
If you follow the will of God, you know that in spite of all the terrible things that happen to you, you will never lose a final refuge. You know that the foundation of the world is love, so that even when no human being can or will help you, you may go on, trusting in the One that loves you.
Pope Benedict XVI
42.
Say the Holy Rosary. Blessed be that monotony of Hail Mary's which purifies the monotony of your sins!
Josemaria Escriva
'Recite the Sacred Chaplet. Praised be that recitation of Hail Marys which cleanses the repetition of your transgressions!'
43.
If a future Pope teaches anything contrary to the Catholic Faith, do not follow him.
Pope Pius IX
If a future Pontiff espouses ideas that do not conform to Catholic doctrine, do not obey him.
45.
You always leave the Rosary for later, and you end up not saying it at all because you are sleepy. If there is no other time, say it in the street without letting anybody notice it. It will, moreover, help you to have presence of God.
Josemaria Escriva
46.
Darkness can only be scattered by light, hatred can only be conquered by love.
Pope John Paul II
47.
A single Mass offered for oneself during life may be worth more than a thousand celebrated for the same intention after death.
Anselm of Canterbury
48.
Only after the Last Judgment will Mary get any rest; from now until then, she is much too busy with her children.
John Vianney
49.
The man of impure speech is a person whose lips are but an opening and a supply pipe which hell uses to vomit its impurities upon the earth.
John Vianney
50.
Go to the Madonna. Love her! Always say the Rosary. Say it well. Say it as often as you can! Be souls of prayer. Never tire of praying, it is what is essential. Prayer shakes the Heart of God, it obtains necessary graces!
Pio of Pietrelcina