From: trudie.Miller@cox.net   
      
   December 26th - St. Vincentia (Vincenza Maria) Lopez y Vicuña (AC)   
      
   Born at Cascante, Spanish Navarre, March 22, 1847; died December 26, 1896;   
   beatified in 1950; canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1975; feast day formerly on   
   January 18.   
      
   Vincentia, daughter of a lawyer, was sent to Madrid for her education, where   
   she lived with her aunt Eulalia de Vicuña. Vicentia was a strong-willed   
   woman, who refused to marry the man with whom her parents matched her,   
   because she wished to follow her aunt's example. After much persuasion, they   
   allowed her to dedicate herself to the service of God when she was 19.   
   Shocked at the dangers and difficulties encountered in the lives of domestic   
   servants, she elected to serve them. To this end, Vicentia, Eulalia, and a   
   group of followers began to live a communal life in 1871. They drew up a   
   constitution. In 1878, the Daughters of Mary Immaculate for Domestic Service   
   was founded to look after the needs of serving girls, when Vincentia and   
   three others pronounced their vows. The institute soon spread throughout   
   Spain, then to other parts of Europe and Latin America. Papal approval for   
   the order was given in 1888 (Benedictines, Delaney, Encyclopedia).   
      
      
   Saint Quote   
   It was as if you opened to me the heart in your most sacred body; I seemed   
   to see it directly before my eyes. You told me to drink from this fountain,   
   inviting me, that is, to draw the waters of my salvation from your   
   wellsprings, my Savior. I was most eager that streams of faith, hope and   
   love should flow into me from that source. I was thirsting for poverty,   
   chastity, obedience. I asked to be made wholly clean by you, to be clothed   
   by you, to be made resplendent by you.   
   -St. Peter Canisius   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   But Peter and the apostles answering, said: We ought to obey God, rather   
   than men. The God of our fathers hath raised up Jesus, whom you put to   
   death, hanging him upon a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand, to   
   be Prince and Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins.   
   (Acts 5:29-31)   
      
      
   Also Today:   
   December 26th - St. Stephen the Deacon   
      
   "Now Stephen, full of grace and fortitude, did great wonders and miracles   
   among the people.   
      
    "Now there arose some of that which is called synagogue, of the Libertines,   
   and of the Cyreneans, and of Alexandrians, and those of Cilicia and Asia,   
   disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the   
   spirit that spoke ..   
      
   "Now hearing these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed with   
   their teeth at him. But he being full of the Holy Ghost, looking up   
   steadfastly to Heaven, saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right   
   hand of God. And he said: Behold I see the heavens opened, and the Son of   
   man standing at the right hand of God.   
      
   "And they, crying out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and with one   
   accord rushed violently upon him. And casting him out of the city, they   
   stoned him and the witness laid down their garments at the feet of a young   
   man, whose name was Saul.   
      
   "And they stoned Stephen, invoking and saying: Lord Jesus, receive my   
   spirit.   
      
   "And falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, saying: Lord, lay   
   not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep in   
   the Lord" (Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59).   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   NOVENA TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS   
      
   O most holy Heart of Jesus, fountain of every blessing, I adore You, I loved   
   You, and with a lively sorrow for sins, I offer You this poor heart of mine.   
   Make the humble, patient, Pure and wholly obedient to Your will. Grant, good   
   Jesus, that I may live in You and for You. Protect me in the midst of   
   danger; comfort me in my afflictions; give me health of body, assistance in   
   my temporal needs, Your blessing on all that I do, and the grace of a holy   
   death.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)