Theotokos

26/08/2026

O Saint Teresa, seraphic Virgin, beloved spouse of thy crucified Lord, thou who on earth didst burn with a love so intense toward thy God and my God, and now dost glow with a brighter and purer flame in paradise: obtain for me also, I beseech thee, a spark of that same holy fire which shall cause me to forget the world, all things created, and even myself; for thou didst ever avidly desire to see Him loved by all men. Grant that my every thought and desire and affection may be continually directed to doing the will of God, the supreme Good, whether I am in joy or in pain, for He is worthy to be loved and obeyed forever. Obtain for me this grace, thou who art so powerful with God; may I be all on fire, like thee, with the holy love of God. Amen.

26/08/2026

August 26th: COMMEMORATION OF THE TRANSVERBERATION OF ST. TERESA OF AVILA'S HEART

Today, all Carmelites around the world celebrate the feast of the Transverberation of St. Teresa of Avila, Virgin, and Reformer of the Carmelite Order. The transverberation is a mystical grace wherein the Saint’s heart was pierced with a “dart of love” by an angel. St. John of the Cross, “It will happen that while the soul is inflamed with the Love of God, it will feel that a seraph is assailing it by means of an arrow or dart which is all afire with love. And the seraph pierces and in an instant cauterizes this soul, which, like a red-hot coal, or better a flame, is already enkindled. The soul is converted into an immense fire of Love. Few persons have reached these heights.”

Saint Teresa died in 1582 after proclaiming that she was “a daughter of the Church”. Her body was buried in a wooden coffin. After nine months it was exhumed and to everyone’s amazement, though her clothes were decaying, her body was incorrupt. While the Carmelite nuns reclothed her a delightful perfume spread throughout the monastery. Later, her heart was removed to be enclosed in a crystal vessel and placed in a jeweled silver reliquary. When this was being done they beheld a glorious and wonderful sight: a wound from the angel’s dart was visible! It can still be seen today at the Carmelite Monastery of Alba de Tormes in Spain. Her heart has kept it’s color and since the nineteenth century three sharp thorns are visible at the base of the heart.

In the Liturgy for the feast, the hymn for Evening Prayer is as follows:

Mild messenger of heaven’s high King,
Forth from home’s sheltering walls you set:
‘Christ to the Pagan’s land I’ll bring
Or die a martyr!’ – Ah, not yet: (as a child she set out on foot for Africa, being impatient to see God. She wanted to die a martyr at the hands of the Moors. Fortunately, her Uncle found her and brought her home.)

A sweeter pain, a death more dear
Must win for you a wider fame;
No mortal hand’s to wield the spear
That kindles your consuming flame.

Victim of God’s unbounded Love,
Let our heart’s burn with like desire;
Lead all your retinue above
That none may taste eternal fire.

Jesu, celestial choirs adore
You, Bridegroom of all virgins pure,
And wedding-songs unceasing pour
While endless ages shall endure.

Recommended reading: The Life of St Teresa by Herself, The Way of Perfection by St. Teresa of Avila, The Interior Castle by St. Teresa of Avila, and The Collected Letters of St. Teresa of Avila. All of these can be purchased at the Institute for Carmelite Studies (for books http://www.icspublications.org/ and for audio http://www.carmelclarion.com/)

Jesus, You want your Spirit of Love to blaze like fire throughout the world; may we, like Saint Teresa, be instrumental in keeping that flame of love alight.

You sanctify Your friends and reveal to them the mysteries of Your heart; unite our hearts to yours in a friendship so close and intimate that we may experience the secrets of Your Love, proclaim it to others, and win them to you.

You blessed the pure of heart and promised that they would see You; purify our sight so that we may see you in all things, and through all things be close to You.

You oppose the proud and give wisdom to the simple; make us humble of heart, so that we may receive Your wisdom for the sake of the Church. ~ Intercessions from the Carmelite Proper of the Liturgy of the Hours

03/02/2026

01/02/2026

AM PRAYER LIFE: Perpetual Novena to Santo Niño de Cebu

+ In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

PRAYER TO SANTO NINO
O Senor Santo Nino, you are our king and our God, we worship you. You are our strong defender, we turn to you. You are the patron of Cebu, the Philippines and the world, we come to you; You have made extraordinary wonders through your miraculous image in those chosen islands, remember us. Look down at this poor soul that comes to you for help. Lead us with Your wisdom; discipline us with your truth; console us with your tenderness, protect us with your might.

We consecrate today our thoughts of you, only with you shall they be occupied; our words, only of you shall they speak; our sufferings, that we may endure them for your sake. We beg you Senor Santo Nino, illumine our understanding, kindle our will, cleanse our body, sanctify our soul. We wish what you wish, because you wish, as you wish, as long as you wish.

Grant us, Senor Santo Nino that we may feel love toward you, be strict toward ourselves be zealous toward our fellowmen, and rightly despise the things of the world. Help us to overcome sensuality with strict discipline, avariciousness with generosity, anger with gentleness, indolence with zealous industry. Make us wise in counsel, courageous in danger, patient in adversity, humble in prosperity.

Teach us, dear Santo Nino, how worthless is the world, how sublime is heaven, how brief is time, how long is eternity. Grant us, lastly, that we may remember you, adore you, love you and serve you here on earth that we may be happy with you forever and ever in heaven. Amen

(Recite three times Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be to the Father in honor of Santo Nino. Ask Senor Santo Nino the favor you want to obtain in this Novena.)

SUPPLICATION TO SANTO NINO DE CEBU

In every need let us come to You with humble trust.
Santo Nino, help us.

In all our doubts, perplexities, and temptations,
Santo Nino, help us.

In hours of loneliness, wearinessand trials,
Santo Nino, help us.

In the failure of our plans and hopes,
Santo Nino, help us.

In disappointments, troubles and sorrows,
Santo Nino, help us.

When others fail us, and Your Grace alone can assist us.
Santo Nino, help us.

When We throw ourselves on Your Tender love as our only Refuge,
Santo Nino, help us.

When our heart is cast down by failure,
Santo Nino, help us.

When We are ill, and our head and hands cannot work and We are lonely,
Santo Nino, help us.

When we feel impatient, and our cross irritates us,
Santo Nino, help us.

Always, always, in spite of weakness, falls and shortcomings of every kind.
Santo Nino, help us.

Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world:
Spare us, O Jesus

Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world:
Graciously hear us, O Jesus

Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world:
Have mercy upon us, O Jesus

Jesus, Hear us.
Jesus,Graciously hear us.

LET US PRAY
O Santo Nino, who has said, "ask and you shall receive; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you," Give we beseech you, to us who ask the gift of your divine love, that we may love you with our whole heart, in word and work, and never cease from showing forth your praise.

Make us, O Lord, to have a perpetual fear and love of Your Holy Name, for you never fail to govern them whom you solidly establish in Your love; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

CONCLUDING PRAYER
O miraculous Santo Niño, we come before Your sacred image, moved by love and by hope, we beseech You to look mercifully into my troubled heart. Let Your tender love, so alleviate our sufferings. Take from us, if it be Your will, all afflictions and never let us surrender to despair. Grant us, Señor Santo Niño the special grace we ask from You today, in all humility and with a loving trust, and for the sake of Your sacred infancy, hear always our prayers, be generous with Your aid and consolation, that we may praise You and the Father, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

+ In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

13/11/2025

Blessed Mother Eliswa, an Inspiration to those who Strive to Uphold the Dignity of Women: Pope Leo XIV.

The Holy Father remembered Mother Eliswa, who was proclaimed 'Blessed' at the Vallarpadam Basilica on Saturday, November 8, and is also the foundress of the Third Order of the Discalced Carmelites (TOCD), at the conclusion of the General Audience held at St. Peter's Square on Wednesday, November 12. The Holy Father declared that Mother Eliswa's courageous commitment to the liberation of poor girls is an inspiration to all those who work to uphold the dignity of women in the Church and in society.

28/08/2025

From August 29, 2021, to September 7, 2021, joins the entire catholic faithful of our nation for the Nine Days of Meditations, Prayers and Holy Mass in Honor of Our Celestial Patroness, Blessed Virgin Mary - Mother of Good Health, whose Nativity feast ,we celebrate on September 8,2021

REMEMBER: The Nine Days Novena will be published from tomorrow on our Facebook Status. Kindly Bear with us.

Viva la Virgen
Viva Nuestra Señora de la Salud de Vailankanni

Ave Maria.....
Mariye Vazhga.....

22/08/2025

"If we trust as we should in Mary, we shall recognize in her, the Virgin Most Powerful ‘who with virginal foot did crush the head of the serpent.'”

18/08/2025

The Church of Our Lady of Arabia in Kuwait has been elevated to the status of a Minor Basilica, with Bishop Aldo Berardi calling it “the first of its ...

26/07/2025

FROM THE VISION OF BL. ANNE CATHERINE EMMERICH (One of the Patron Saints of the Apostolate) - FROM THE LIFE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY:

2.2 ST. ANNE RECEIVES THE PROMISE OF FERTILITY AND TRAVELS TO THE TEMPLE.
... Towards evening she threw a large shawl over her head, wrapping herself in it completely, and went with a shaded light to the great tree in the courtyard which I have described before as forming an arbor. Here she lit a lamp hanging on this tree in a sort of box, and prayed from a scroll. This tree was a very large one, there were arbors and seats arranged under it, for its branches reached over the wall to the ground, where they took root and shot up and again sank to the ground and took root, so that a whole series of arbors encircled it. This tree was like the tree in the Garden of Eden which bore the forbidden fruit. Its fruits hung from the ends of the branches generally in bunches of five. They are pear-shaped, and their flesh has blood-colored streaks; there is a hollow in the center, round which are the seeds embedded in the flesh. The leaves are very large, resembling, I think, those with which Adam and Eve covered themselves in the Garden of Eden. The Jews used these leaves specially for the Feast of Tabernacles. They decorated the walls with them, because they could be fitted together beautifully one behind the other like fishes' scales. Anna remained under this tree for a long time, crying to God and begging that even though He made her barren, yet He might not keep her pious companion Joachim far from her. And lo, there appeared to her an Angel of God, he seemed to step down before her from the top of the tree, and spoke to her, telling her to be of good heart, for the Lord had heard her prayer [26] ; she was to journey next day to the Temple with two maidservants, taking with her doves as a sacrifice. Joachim's prayer, too, he said, had been heard, and he was on his way to the Temple with his offerings; she would meet him under the Golden Gate. Joachim's sacrifice would be accepted, and they would be blessed and made fruitful; soon she would learn the name by which their child was to be called. He told her, too, that he had given a like message to her husband. Then he disappeared.

Anna, full of joy, thanked God for His mercies. She then went back into the house and gave her maidservants the necessary orders for their journey to the Temple next morning. I saw her afterwards lying down to sleep after praying. Her bed was a narrow blanket with a pillow under her head. (In the morning her blanket was rolled up.) She took off her upper garments, wrapped herself from head to foot in an ample covering, and lay down at full length on her right side, with her face to the wall against which was the bed. After she had slept for a short time, I saw a brightness pouring down towards her from above, which on approaching her bed was transformed into the figure of a shining youth. It was the angel of the Lord, who told her that she would conceive a holy child; stretching his hand over her, he wrote great shining letters on the wall which formed the name MARY. Thereupon the angel dissolved into light and disappeared.

During this time Anna seemed to be wrapped in a secret, joyful dream. She rose half-waking from her couch, prayed with great intensity, and then fell asleep again without having completely recovered consciousness. After midnight she awoke joyfully, as if by an inner inspiration, and now she saw, with alarm mixed with joy, the writing on the wall. This seemed to be of shining golden-red letters, large and few in number; she gazed at them with unspeakable joy and contrite humility until day came, when they faded away. She saw the writing so clearly, and her joy thereat became so great, that when she got up she appeared quite young again. In the moment when the light of the angel had enveloped Anna in grace, I saw a radiance under her heart and recognized in her the chosen Mother, the illuminated vessel of the grace that was at hand. What I saw in her I can only describe by saying that I recognized in her the cradle and tabernacle of the holy child she was to conceive and preserve; a mother blessed indeed. I saw that by God's grace Anna was able to bear fruit. I cannot describe the wonderful manner in which I recognized this. I saw Anna as the cradle of all mankind's salvation, and, at the same time, as a sacred altar-vessel, opened, yet hidden behind a curtain. I recognized this after a natural manner, and all this knowledge of mine was one and was natural and sacred at the same time. (Anna was at that time, I think, forty-three years old.)

She now got up, lit the lamp, prayed, and then started on her journey to Jerusalem with her offerings. All the members of her household were full of strange joyfulness that morning, though none but Anna knew of the coming of the angel.

20/03/2025

Last year, around November or December, I came across a vlog by a Franciscan priest who took a detailed tour of the St Sebastian Basilica and Catacomb in Rome.One thing that stood out to me was the altar with the relics of St. Sebastian, where the arrow that pierced his body is still preserved as a Holy Relic. This might be the same relic that toured Milan and Lisbon during the plague, seeking St. Sebastian’s intercession for healing.

I also recalled hearing that this same relic—or a piece of it—was paraded in Kerala, which is why we have the tradition of Ambu or Kazhnu pradakshinam. Watching that video made me wish that the relic would one day return to Kerala for a visit. We Keralite Catholics have such a deep connection with St. Sebastian, more so than any other saint. The devotion to St. Sebastian dates back to the very beginning of Catholic faith in Malabar, when St. Francis Xavier brought it to our shores. We see this in the Devasthuvilli, composed and proclaimed by St. Francis Xavier to be recited during Lent and Holy Week—no saint other than St. Sebastian is mentioned in it, signifying his immense importance and the deep devotion we have towards him.

The pilgrimage of St. Sebastian’s relic is not just a physical journey but a pilgrimage of hope, calling us all to the purity of faith that St. Francis Xavier instilled in us by invoking St. Sebastian.

This was something I dreamed of two or three months ago, and now, it is happening. I have a deep-rooted connection with this great saint, and I believe it is through his intercession that this pilgrimage is possible.Even though it is currently taking place in the diocese of Alappuzha, I believe this pilgrimage will lead to many more miracles and inspire other dioceses to follow suit in the near future.

May there be Glory and Praise to our Holy Triune God for this wonderful gift we receive in the persons of St. Sebastian and St. Francis Xavier. Amen