Feast of the Madonna delle Milizie di Scicli

Madonna delle Milizie di Scicli, ora pro nobis

Every year on the last Saturday in May, the Baroque jewel of Scicli in the province of Ragusa, Sicily celebrates the Feast of the Madonna delle Milizie and the miraculous triumph of Count Roger of Hauteville over the Saracens in 1091. 

The feast commemorates the divine intercession of the Blessed Mother on behalf of the Norman forces at a critical point in the battle. Nearly overwhelmed by the paynim's superior numbers and fearing defeat, Count Roger invoked the aid of the Virgin. Mounted on a white charger and dressed in full military regalia, the apparition of Our Lady appeared on the field-of-battle in the district of Milizie and lead the Normans to victory. The triumph was of great importance for the eventual Christian reconquest of the island.

As part of the jubilant festivities the Sciclitani dress in period costumes (Christian and Moslem) and parade an equestrian statue of the Madonna through the bustling streets with much fanfare. Among the local delicacies served for the occasion is a delectable cream puff shaped like a turban called testa di turco, or Turkish heads. 

In celebration, I'm posting the Invocation to Our Lady by St. John Bosco:

O Mary, powerful Virgin, you are the mighty and glorious Protector of the Church. You are the Marvelous Help of Christians. You are Terrible as an Army set in Battle Array. You alone have destroyed every heresy in the entire Church. In the midst of my anguish, my struggles and my distress, defend me from the power of the enemy, and at the hour of my death, receive my soul into Paradise. Amen.

The Queenship of Mary

Madonna Incoronata, ora pro nobis

May 31st is the Feast of the Queenship of Mary, a solemn celebration of Our Lady’s eminence as Queen and Mother of the Universe and Mediatrix of all graces. On behalf of all of us here at Il Regno, I wish our readers a very Happy and Blessed Feast. In celebration, I’m posting the Salve Regina (Hail Holy Queen) in English and Latin. The accompanying photo of the Madonna Incoronata, patroness of Foggia, Puglia, was taken at the Pontifical Shrine of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in East Harlem, New York. Evviva Maria!

Salve Regina

Hail holy Queen, mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us. And after this our exile show unto us the blessed Fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. Amen.

Salve, Regina, mater misericordiae: vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve. Ad te clamamus exsules filii Hevae. Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes in hac lacrimarum valle. Eia, ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte. Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui, nobis post hoc exsilium ostende. O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria. Amen.

Feast of Santa Maria Mater Domini

Santa Maria Mater Domini, ora pro nobis

May 31st is the Feast of Santa Maria Mater Domini, patroness of Fraine, a commune in the Province of Chieti, Abruzzo. According to tradition, around the year 1000 the Virgin Mary appeared before a young deaf mute tending her flock near the Vicenne Forest. Curing the girl, Our Lady told her to call out to her parents. At first, not recognizing the voice and busy at work they ignored her calls. However, when they finally learned what had happened the overjoyed couple rushed to the woods with their daughter to give thanks and praise. The Blessed Mother called upon them to build a house of worship at the location of the miracle. The grateful family, with the support of the local clergy, did as they were instructed and built a Benedictine chapel. Completed in 1056, the Sanctuary was renovated several times over the centuries and continues to be a popular destination for pilgrims and devotees. In celebration, I’m posting a Prayer to the Mother of God. The accompanying photo of Santa Maria Mater Domini was taken at Holy Face Monastery in Clifton, New Jersey. Evviva Santa Maria Mater Domini!

Prayer to the Mother of God

O most glorious Ever-Virgin Mary, Mother of Christ our God, accept our prayers and present them to thy son and our God, that He may, for thy sake, enlighten and save our souls. Amen

A Brief Overview of “Un caso concreto: il Carlismo nel Regno di Napoli” by Gianandrea de Antonellis

Gianandrea de Antonellis’ treatise, “Un caso concreto: il Carlismo nel Regno di Napoli” (A Concrete Case: Carlism in the Kingdom of Naples), published on altaterradilavoro.com on May 21, 2025, offers a deeply reflective exploration of Carlism in relation to the cultural and historical identity of the Kingdom of Naples. Drawing from his previously published monograph, Carlismo per Napolitani (Edizioni Solfanelli, 2022), the author seeks to reintroduce the core principles of Carlism—a Spanish traditionalist, monarchist, and Catholic political doctrine—within a Neapolitan context. The essay is structured around the Carlist quadrilemma: Dio, Patria, Fueros, Re legittimo (God, Homeland, Traditional Rights, Legitimate King), and utilizes this framework to argue for the compatibility of Carlism with the culture and traditions of the Neapolitan people.

Adopting a firmly traditionalist and counter-revolutionary tone, the article aims to restore a political vision rooted in religion, local identity, and monarchy—depicted as organic and community-oriented—contrasting sharply with what the author terms "ideologies" (such as Jacobinism, socialism, liberalism, etc.), which are criticized as artificial, abstract, and imposed by bureaucratic powers from above.

The fourfold Carlist principle provides the article’s structure:

1. God: The author asserts the primacy of Catholicism not only as a religion but also as a foundation for political life. He rejects religious pluralism, stating, “as this would imply acceptance of something that does not represent the Truth.” 

“There is only one Truth, and we believe it is the one always taught by the Catholic Church. Accepting deviations from the Truth ends up equating Truth with falsehood—and worse, often subordinating the Truth in the name of 'Liberty' to fleeting whims. This is seen both in religion and in morality (which are tightly connected).

“Therefore, Catholicism must be the fundamental reference point for politics, and religion should not be subordinated to politics; rather, the reverse. This does not mean subordinating the state to the Church, but rather to religion, natural law, and natural morality derived from Catholic teaching.

“Historically, the Kingdom of Naples has always been Catholic. Even during the dramatic era of Protestant heresies and religious wars, it remained largely untouched. Naples showed no substantial interest in Protestantism, which only passed through the Kingdom via a few figures sympathetic to Protestant or heretical ideas (notably Tommaso Campanella and Giordano Bruno). But these were isolated cases, and their time in Naples was brief and had no real impact on the widespread faith of the Neapolitan people.”

De Antonellis portrays Catholicism as historically essential to Neapolitan identity, using the Masaniello revolt as an example of popular support for both religion and monarchy.

“Thus, Catholicism has always triumphed in Neapolitan hearts. A striking example is Masaniello, the famed popular leader who briefly took power for about ten days in the summer of 1647 following a popular revolt. This revolt was not anti-Spanish, nor could it be called a revolution, since it erupted with the cry: ‘Long live the King of Spain, death to bad governance.’

“A side note: the revolt arose not from opposition to paying a donation to the King of Naples (also King of Castile, León, etc.) to finance the war against heretics in Flanders, but from opposition to the method of taxation—specifically, a fruit tax that disproportionately affected the poorest. At the time, Neapolitans were called leaf-eaters (not macaroni-eaters, a label that came later), as meat and pasta were reserved for the upper classes while common folk lived on fruits and vegetables. A tax on fruit thus sparked resentment among the lower classes.

“It’s worth noting that Masaniello himself affirmed the need for the donation to finance the war in Flanders, as the Neapolitan people supported the war against heretics. He merely asked that it be funded through a different tax, preferably on land rather than fruit.

“This example illustrates the alignment between Neapolitan popular faith and the idea that the state must be subordinate to the Catholic religion, rejecting and preferably not even tolerating other religions.”

2. Homeland: Here, “patria” is interpreted in a local, naturalistic sense. The homeland is not the modern nation-state, but the local soil—village, city, or region. 

“The second point is the Homeland. This concept must be understood in the natural sense: homeland as motherland, the land where one is born, lives, and dies. Until the last century, the common aspiration was to remain in the same place. The lucky person was the one who could be born, live, and die in the same village, growing attached to it.

“Though modern society has changed this dynamic, the idea remains: attachment to the homeland—the place whose air we breathed from birth—creates a special love. This love starts with the village (or neighborhood, in cities) and gradually extends outward, much like love for one’s family begins with parents and siblings, then includes grandparents, cousins, and beyond.

“In patriotic terms, we love our village, then our town, and finally, using old terms, the County and Kingdom—or in modern terms, the province, the region, and finally the State. But love for the greater entity is subordinate to the love we feel for our specific, concrete homeland.”

De Antonellis critiques nationalism as artificial and aggressive, whereas love for the homeland is presented as peaceful, fraternal, and traditional.

“Importantly, love for one’s homeland does not compete with the patriotism of others. Nationalism, on the other hand, does create rivalry—French vs. Germans, Northern Italians vs. Neapolitans, etc. True patriotism is different: one who loves their homeland sees a kindred spirit in someone who loves theirs, just like someone who deeply loves their own mother respects others who love theirs.”

3. Fueros: In one of the strongest sections, the author explains the concept of fueros (traditional, local rights) as antithetical to the centralizing ideologies of modern states. 

“Fueros originally referred to local acquired rights—famously the fueros of the Basque regions, but also those of each kingdom and locality. These are concrete rights, like those claimed by Masaniello and his compatriots, not to be taxed without the consent of the people’s council.

“These are concrete liberties (strictly in the plural), as opposed to the abstract ‘liberty’ (in the singular) promoted by the French Revolution. They were recognized by the Crown and each King, upon coronation, swore to uphold them—either directly or via a representative (e.g., the Viceroy in Naples). This occurred in Naples, Sicily, Sardinia, Aragon, Castile, León, etc.

“In some cases, local representatives explicitly stated: ‘You swore to uphold our rights, and we swear to respect you only so long as you defend them. Otherwise, though we are lesser than you individually, together we are more, and we will not respect you.’

“This conditional loyalty reflects a system where the monarch is not sovereign or absolute, as he is bound by duties, downward to the people via local rights, and upward to divine law via natural law.”

This leads to a critique of modern legal positivism, which, as de Antonellis makes clear, enables abuses such as abortion, euthanasia, and state tyranny. The Carlist preference for natural law and local autonomy is presented as a just alternative.

“Paradoxically, it is only after the French Revolution that true absolutism arises, where an authority (now the modern State) can disregard both local rights and natural law, creating laws based solely on majority will. This leads to perversions like abortion being declared an 'inalienable' right in France’s constitution or historical persecutions justified by law, including the recent marginalization of the unvaccinated or the Nazi persecution of Jews.

“Such positivist legal systems can deem anything legal, even the forced euthanasia of disabled persons or the unborn. This is utterly rejected by Carlist thought, which upholds natural law as a cornerstone of political doctrine.”

4. Legitimate King: The final section distinguishes between the legitimacy of origin (hereditary succession) and legitimacy of exercise (a monarch’s moral and political performance).

“Legitimacy has two aspects: origin and exercise. The first determines who is King. Carlism (and only Carlism), rooted in traditional Spanish political thought, explicitly introduced the legitimacy of exercise as well. That is, a rightful king must also prove to be a good king—upholding religion, homeland, and traditional rights.”

De Antonellis uses this distinction to defend historical Carlist decisions to depose monarchs.

“If not, he loses legitimacy. Carlism enforced this principle twice: replacing Juan III in the 1800s with Carlos VII, and Carlos Hugo in the 1900s with Don Sixtus Henry, or Enrique V (Enrique I for Neapolitans).”

The author then traces a Neapolitan intellectual tradition, analogous to the Spanish, that preceded this principle.

“A ‘Neapolitan traditionalist’ school of thought, parallel to the Spanish one, existed and shared this principle. Thinkers like Giovanni Lanario (16th century), his nephew Francesco Lanario (17th century), who wrote The Warlike Prince (a Neapolitan response to Machiavelli), Ottavio Sammarco, and Giambattista Vico expressed similar ideas. In the late 18th century, Nicola Spedalieri influenced Antonio Capece Minutolo, Prince of Canosa—a 'proto-Carlist' who died in 1838 during the First Carlist War, already aligned with King Carlos’s cause.

“Though there wasn’t a continuous ‘school’ in the formal sense, there was a line of thought—a tradition rediscovered in the 20th century by lawyer Silvio Vitale and continued today by scholars who, though they never met Canosa or his predecessors, carry on their intellectual heritage.

“There is a Neapolitan traditionalism perfectly compatible—and in some cases even anticipating—Spanish Carlist thought.”

The article paints Spanish rule over Naples not as foreign domination, but as a golden age of cultural and political vitality, refuting the nationalistic post-Unification view that frames the Spanish presence as oppressive. 

“The King of Naples considered himself Neapolitan—just as he was Castilian for Castile, Leonese for León, Aragonese for Aragon, etc.

“We should view the Spanish era politically as we do its art history—as our own ‘Golden Age.’ That golden age in the arts presupposes a mindset—Hispanic, yes—but open and creative, not obscurantist.”

De Antonellis sees Naples as spiritually and politically aligned with Spain and positions Hispanism for Neapolitans as a prerequisite to accepting Carlism.

“Hispanism is not just a bond between Spain and Hispanic America (Mexico to Argentina and Chile), but also includes parts of the Italian peninsula once part of ‘the Spains,’ under the Catholic King—particularly the Kingdom of Naples, but also Sicily, Sardinia, the Duchy of Milan, and the State of the Presidi.

“Naples, as Francisco Elías de Tejada put it, was ‘the most radiant pearl in the crown of the King of Spain,’ a leading cultural and historical center from the early 1500s to late 1600s—more so than Madrid at the time. Naples was the foremost city of the Spains, even if the King resided in Iberia.”

In its final reflections, the essay portrays tradition as a living inheritance meant to be carried forward, while lamenting the decline of historical memory and condemning both revolutionary erasure and conservative stagnation. 

“Let me end with a definition of tradition: ‘Tradition is not the worship of ashes but the preservation of fire.’ It means not preserving things as they are (that’s conservatism, a false tradition), but improving what we inherit to pass it on to future generations (tradere).

“That is true traditionalism—standing between the revolutionary desire to erase everything and the conservative desire to preserve even distortions.”

Un caso concreto: il Carlismo nel Regno di Napoli is a compelling example of traditionalist political thought applied to regional identity and historical memory. It functions effectively as a political-theological meditation and a call to cultural reawakening. For readers interested in Carlism, counter-revolutionary thought, or alternative readings of southern Italian history, this essay offers a rich and provocative perspective—one that is both intellectually rigorous and unapologetically polemical in its execution.

~ By Giovanni di Napoli, May 29th, The Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ

* Translations are my own

Novena to the Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit rose window flanked by the attributes of the four Evangelists
(St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke and St. John) on the facade of St. Anselm
Roman Catholic Church (356 82nd St.) in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn

In preparation for the Feast of Pentecost, pray the Novena to the Holy Spirit. It begins on the Friday after the Solemnity of the Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

FIRST DAY (Friday after Ascension)

Holy Spirit! Lord of Light! From Your clear celestial height, Your pure beaming radiance give! 

The Holy Spirit 

Only one thing is important -- eternal salvation. Only one thing, therefore, is to be feared--sin? Sin is the result of ignorance, weakness, and indifference The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Light, of Strength, and of Love. With His sevenfold gifts He enlightens the mind, strengthens the will, and inflames the heart with love of God. To ensure our salvation we ought to invoke the Divine Spirit daily, for "The Spirit helpeth our infirmity. We know not what we should pray for as we ought. But the Spirit Himself asketh for us." 

Prayer 

Almighty and eternal God, Who hast vouchsafed to regenerate us by water and the Holy Spirit, and hast given us forgiveness all sins, vouchsafe to send forth from heaven upon us your sevenfold Spirit, the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, the Spirit of Counsel and fortitude, the Spirit of Knowledge and Piety, and fill us with the Spirit of Holy Fear. Amen.

Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE. Glory be to the Father SEVEN TIMES. 

ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT 

 

On my knees I before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses I offer myself, soul and body to You, Eternal Spirit of God. I adore the brightness of Your purity, the unerring keenness of Your justice, and the might of Your love. You are the Strength and Light of my soul. In You I live and move and am. I desire never to grieve You by unfaithfulness to grace and I pray with all my heart to be kept from the smallest sin against You. Mercifully guard my every thought and grant that I may always watch for Your light, and listen to Your voice, and follow Your gracious inspirations. I cling to You and give myself to You and ask You, by Your compassion to watch over me in my weakness. Holding the pierced Feet of Jesus and looking at His Five Wounds, and trusting in His Precious Blood and adoring His opened Side and stricken Heart, I implore You, Adorable Spirit, Helper of my infirmity, to keep me in Your grace that I may never sin against You. Give me grace O Holy Spirit, Spirit of the Father and the Son to say to You always and everywhere, "Speak Lord for Your servant heareth." Amen. 

PRAYER FOR THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 

 

O Lord Jesus Christ Who, before ascending into heaven did promise to send the Holy Spirit to finish Your work in the souls of Your Apostles and Disciples, deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me that He may perfect in my soul, the work of Your grace and Your love. Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom that I may despise the perishable things of this world and aspire only after the things that are eternal, the Spirit of Understanding to enlighten my mind with the light of Your divine truth, the Spirit on Counsel that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God and gaining heaven, the Spirit of Fortitude that I may bear my cross with You and that I may overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose my salvation, the Spirit of Knowledge that I may know God and know myself and grow perfect in the science of the Saints, the Spirit of Piety that I may find the service of God sweet and amiable, and the Spirit of Fear that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and may dread in any way to displease Him. Mark me, dear Lord with the sign of Your true disciples, and animate me in all things with Your Spirit. Amen.  

SECOND DAY (Saturday of 6th Week of Easter) 

Come. Father of the poor. Come, treasures which endure; Come, Light of all that live! 

The Gift of Fear 

The gift of Fear fills us with a sovereign respect for God, and makes us dread nothing so much as to offend Him by sin. It is a fear that arises, not from the thought of hell, but from sentiments of reverence and filial submission to our heavenly Father. It is the fear that is the beginning of wisdom, detaching us from worldly pleasures that could in any way separate us from God. "They that fear the Lord will prepare their hearts, and in His sight will sanctify their souls." 

Prayer 

Come, O blessed Spirit of Holy Fear, penetrate my inmost heart, that I may set you, my Lord and God, before my face forever, help me to shun all things that can offend You, and make me worthy to appear before the pure eyes of Your Divine Majesty in heaven, where You live and reign in the unity of the ever Blessed Trinity, God world without end. Amen. 

Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE. Glory be to the Father SEVEN TIMES. 

ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT (See above)

PRAYER FOR THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (See above) 

THIRD DAY (7th Sunday of Easter)

Thou, of all consolers best, Visiting the troubled breast, Dost refreshing peace bestow. 

The Gift of Piety

The gift of Piety begets in our hearts a filial affection for God as our most loving Father. It inspires us to love and respect for His sake persons and things consecrated to Him, as well as those who are vested with His authority, His Blessed Mother and the Saints, the Church and its visible Head, our parents and superiors, our country and its rulers. He who is filled with the gift of Piety finds the practice of his religion, not a burdensome duty, but a delightful service. Where there is love, there is no labor. 

Prayer 

Come, O Blessed Spirit of Piety, possess my heart. Enkindle therein such a love for God, that I may find satisfaction only in His service, and for His sake lovingly submit to all legitimate authority. Amen. 

Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE. Glory be to the Father SEVEN TIMES. 

ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT (See above)

PRAYER FOR THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (See above)  

FOURTH DAY (Monday, 7th Week of Easter) 

Thou in toil art comfort sweet, Pleasant coolness in the heat, solace in the midst of woe. 

The Gift of Fortitude 

By the gift of Fortitude the soul is strengthened against natural fear, and supported to the end in the performance of duty. Fortitude imparts to the will an impulse and energy which move it to under take without hesitancy the most arduous tasks, to face dangers, to trample under foot human respect, and to endure without complaint the slow martyrdom of even lifelong tribulation. "He that shall persevere unto the end, he shall be saved." 

Prayer 

Come, O Blessed Spirit of Fortitude, uphold my soul in time of trouble and adversity, sustain my efforts after holiness, strengthen my weakness, give me courage against all the assaults of my enemies, that I may never be overcome and separated from Thee, my God and greatest Good. Amen. 

Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE. Glory be to the Father SEVEN TIMES. 

ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT (See above)

PRAYER FOR THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (See above)   

FIFTH DAY (Tuesday, 7th Week of Easter) 

Light immortal! Light Divine! Visit Thou these hearts of Thine, And our inmost being fill! 

The Gift of Knowledge 

The gift of Knowledge enables the soul to evaluate created things at their true worth--in their relation to God. Knowledge unmasks the pretense of creatures, reveals their emptiness, and points out their only true purpose as instruments in the service of God. It shows us the loving care of God even in adversity, and directs us to glorify Him in every circumstance of life. Guided by its light, we put first things first, and prize the friendship of God beyond all else. "Knowledge is a fountain of life to him that possesseth it." 

Prayer 

Come, O Blessed Spirit of Knowledge, and grant that I may perceive the will of the Father; show me the nothingness of earthly things, that I may realize their vanity and use them only for Thy glory and my own salvation, looking ever beyond them to Thee, and Thy eternal rewards. Amen. 

Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE. Glory be to the Father SEVEN TIMES. 

ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT (See above)

PRAYER FOR THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (See above)    

SIXTH DAY (Wednesday, 7th Week of Easter) 

If Thou take Thy grace away, nothing pure in man will stay, All his good is turn'd to ill. 

The Gift of Understanding 

Understanding, as a gift of the Holy Spirit, helps us to grasp the meaning of the truths of our holy religion BY faith we know them, but by Understanding we learn to appreciate and relish them. It enables us to penetrate the inner meaning of revealed truths and through them to be quickened to newness of life. Our faith ceases to be sterile and inactive, but inspires a mode of life that bears eloquent testimony to the faith that is in us; we begin to "walk worthy of God in all things pleasing, and increasing in the knowledge of God." 

Prayer 

Come, O Spirit of Understanding, and enlighten our minds, that we may know and believe all the mysteries of salvation; and may merit at last to see the eternal light in Thy Light; and in the light of glory to have a clear vision of Thee and the Father and the Son. Amen. 

Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE. Glory be to the Father SEVEN TIMES. 

ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT (See above)

PRAYER FOR THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (See above)   

SEVENTH DAY (Thursday, 7th Week of Easter)
Heal our wounds--our strength renews; On our dryness pour Thy dew, Wash the stains of guilt away. 

The Gift of Counsel 

The gift of Counsel endows the soul with supernatural prudence, enabling it to judge promptly and rightly what must done, especially in difficult circumstances. Counsel applies the principles furnished by Knowledge and Understanding to the innumerable concrete cases that confront us in the course of our daily duty as parents, teachers, public servants, and Christian citizens. Counsel is supernatural common sense, a priceless treasure in the quest of salvation. "Above all these things, pray to the Most High, that He may direct thy way in truth." 

Prayer 

Come, O Spirit of Counsel, help and guide me in all my ways, that I may always do Thy holy will. Incline my heart to that which is good; turn it away from all that is evil, and direct me by the straight path of Thy commandments to that goal of eternal life for which I long. 

Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE. Glory be to the Father SEVEN TIMES. 

ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT (See above)

PRAYER FOR THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (See above)   

EIGHTH DAY (Friday, 7th Week of Easter) 

Bend the stubborn heart and will, melt the frozen warm the chill. Guide the steps that go astray! 

The Gift of Wisdom 

Embodying all the other gifts, as charity embraces all the other virtues, Wisdom is the most perfect of the gifts. Of wisdom it is written "all good things came to me with her, and innumerable riches through her hands." It is the gift of Wisdom that strengthens our faith, fortifies hope, perfects charity, and promotes the practice of virtue in the highest degree. Wisdom enlightens the mind to discern and relish things divine, in the appreciation of which earthly joys lose their savor, whilst the Cross of Christ yields a divine sweetness according to the words of the Saviour: "Take up thy cross and follow me, for my yoke is sweet and my burden light. 

Prayer 

Come, O Spirit of Wisdom, and reveal to my soul the mysteries of heavenly things, their exceeding greatness, power and beauty. Teach me to love them above and beyond all the passing joys and satisfactions of earth. Help me to attain them and possess them for ever. Amen. 

Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE. Glory be to the Father SEVEN TIMES. 

ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT (See above)

PRAYER FOR THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (See above)   

NINTH DAY (Saturday, Vigil of Pentecost) 

Thou, on those who evermore Thee confess and Thee Adore, in Thy sevenfold gift, Descend; Give Them Comfort when they die; Give them Life with Thee on high; Give them joys which never end. Amen 

The Fruits of the Holy Spirit 

The gifts of the Holy Spirit perfect the supernatural virtues by enabling us to practice them with greater docility to divine inspiration. As we grow in the knowledge and love of God under the direction of the Holy Spirit, our service becomes more sincere and generous, the practice of virtue more perfect. Such acts of virtue leave the heart filled with joy and consolation and are known as Fruits of the Holy Spirit. These Fruits in turn render the practice of virtue more attractive and become a powerful incentive for still greater efforts in the service of God, to serve Whom is to reign. 

Prayer 

Come, O Divine Spirit, fill my heart with Thy heavenly fruits, Thy charity, joy, peace, patience, benignity, goodness, faith, mildness, and temperance, that I may never weary in the service of God, but by continued faithful submission to Thy inspiration may merit to be united eternally with Thee in the love of the Father and the Son. Amen. 

Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE. Glory be to the Father SEVEN TIMES. 

ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT (See above)

PRAYER FOR THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (See above)  

Feast of San Ferdinando III, King of Castile and León

San Ferdinando III, ora pro nobis

May 30 is the Feast of San Ferdinando III (c.1200-1252), King of Castile and León. During the Reconquest of Spain, the “invincible champion of Christ” conquered the cities of Córdoba, Jaén, Sevilla and Murcia. A wise and virtuous monarch, with a great devotion to Our Lady, he was a model Christian ruler. The holy sovereign’s sword, Lobera, or "wolf-slayer,” is kept in the Capilla Real in the Cathedral of Seville. He is the patron saint of engineers, prisoners, the poor and rulers. In celebration, we’re posting a prayer to St. Ferdinand of Castile. Evviva San Ferdinando III!

Prayer to St. Ferdinand of Castile

O God, who was pleased that blessed Ferdinand should fight thy battles and overcome the enemies of faith: grant that, protected by his intercession, we may be delivered from the enemies of mind and body. Amen.