GEORGE ORWELL
In a time of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.
The Spirituality of Catherine Doherty
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| Dorothy Day with Grandchildren / Hawaii Catholic Herald |
Catherine (Ekaterina Fyodorovna Kolyschkine) de Hueck Doherty, CM, better known as Catherine Doherty (August 15, 1896 – December 14, 1985), was a Catholic social worker and founder of the Madonna House Apostolate. A pioneer of social justice and a renowned national speaker, Doherty was also a prolific writer of hundreds of articles, best-selling author of dozens of books, and a dedicated wife and mother. Her cause for canonization as a saint is under consideration by the Catholic Church.—Wikipedia
I considered Nazareth to be the centre of my vocation. Only by being hidden would I be a light to my neighbor’s feet in the slums(.)—Catherine Doherty
Catherine Doherty believed that "
activism should be rooted in prayer and that faith should be brought to every aspect of daily life".
Doherty's spirituality is summarized in The Little Mandate, words which she believed she received from Jesus Christ.
The Little Mandate
- Arise — go! Sell all you possess. Give it directly, personally to the poor. Take up My cross (their cross) and follow Me, going to the poor, being poor, being one with them, one with Me.
- Little — be always little! Be simple, poor, childlike.
- Preach the Gospel with your life — without compromise! Listen to the Spirit. He will lead you..
- Do little things exceedingly well for love of Me.
- Love... love... love, never counting the cost
- Go into the marketplace and stay with Me. Pray, fast. Pray always, fast.
- Be hidden. Be a light to your neighbour's feet. Go without fear into the depth of men's hearts. I shall be with you.
- Pray always. I will be your rest.
The Duty Of The Moment
The duty of the moment is what you should be doing at any given time, in whatever place God has put you. You may not have Christ in a homeless person at your door, but you may have a little child. If you have a child, your duty of the moment may be to change a dirty diaper. So you do it. But you don't just change that diaper, you change it to the best of your ability, with great love for both God and that child... . There are all kinds of good Catholic things you can do, but whatever they are, you have to realize that there is always the duty of the moment to be done. And it must be done, because the duty of the moment is the duty of God.—Catherine Doherty
Poustinia
Doherty is perhaps best known for having introduced the concept of poustinia
to Roman Catholicism through her best-selling book Poustinia, first published in 1975. A poustinia
is a small sparsely furnished cabin or room where a person goes to pray and fast alone in the presence of God for 24 hours.
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SAINT JOAN OF ARC
Go forward bravely. Fear nothing. Trust in God; all will be well.
SAINT ROBERT BELLARMINE
When we appeal to the throne of grace we do so through Mary, honoring God by honoring His Mother, imitating Him by exalting her, touching the most responsive chord in the sacred heart of Christ with the sweet name of Mary.
SAINT FRANCIS DE SALES
Have patience with all things - but first with yourself. Never confuse your mistakes with your value as a human being. You are perfectly valuable, creative, a worthwhile person simply because you exist. And no amount of triumphs or tribulations can ever change that.
SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS
To bear with patience wrongs done to oneself is a mark of perfection, but to bear with patience wrongs done to someone else is a mark of imperfection and even of actual sin.
DOUGLAS MACARTHUR
A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the quality of his actions and the integrity of his intent.
MARCUS AURELIUS
There is but one thing of real value - to cultivate truth and justice, and to live without anger in the midst of lying and unjust men.
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