Saints of this Day May 05
Nonas JuniiOur Bartholomew Family Prayer List Here Et álibi aliórum plurimórum sanctórum Mártyrum et Confessórum, atque sanctárum Vírginum. And elsewhere in divers places, many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins. Пресвятая Богородице спаси нас! (Santíssima Mãe de Deus, salva-nos!) The saints are a “cloud of witnesses over our head”, showing us life of Christian perfection is possible. Mary Mother of GOD 15 Promises of the Virgin Mary to those who recite the Rosary May 5 – Sixth Sunday of Easter – Coptic Patriarch Kyrillos VI Approved the Apparitions of Zeitoun in Cairo (Egypt, 1968) Honoring Mary is Always Honoring Jesus All the graces Mary ever received—from her immaculate conception, her virginal motherhood, her perpetual virginity, even to her glorious assumption—underline the fact that Jesus is the Son of God. All of Mary’s graces and privileges are only the jewel box that displays the pearl: Jesus Christ is God. So honoring Mary is honoring Jesus. For the promulgation of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception in 1854, Blessed Pius IX wrote: In fact, it was quite fitting that, as the Only-Begotten has a Father in heaven, whom the Seraphim extol as thrice holy, so he should have a Mother on earth who would never be without the splendor of holiness. Sinful mankind stammers before such a great miracle, not knowing what to say. Is original sin, which affects all of us, passed down from our fathers along with the nature they transmitted to us? Is our nature a fallen one? How could Mary have been spared that heredity? Vatican II sheds some light on this mystery: Mary, it affirms, was redeemed in an eminent way in consideration of the merits of her Son and, unscathed from any stain of sin, having been in a sense shaped by the Holy Spirit, (she was) formed like a new creature. (…) † Mgr Raymond CENTENE, Bishop of Vannes (France), Homily of December 7, 2012. Mary's Divine Motherhood Called in the Gospel "the Mother of Jesus," Mary is acclaimed by Elizabeth, at the prompting of the Spirit and even before the birth of her son, as "the Mother of my Lord" (Lk 1:43; Jn 2:1; 19:25; cf. Mt 13:55; et al.). In fact, the One whom she conceived as man by the Holy Spirit, who truly became her Son according to the flesh, was none other than the Father's eternal Son, the second person of the Holy Trinity. Hence the Church confesses that Mary is truly "Mother of God" (Theotokos). Catechism of the Catholic Church 495, quoting the Council of Ephesus (431): DS 251.
Sancti Pii Quinti, ex Ordine Prædicatórum, Papæ et Confessóris, qui Kaléndis mensis hujus obdormívit in Dómino. Pope St. Pius V, confessor of the Order of Preachers, who went to sleep in the Lord on the 1st of May. Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for May is: "That, following the example of the Virgin Mary, all Christians should allow themselves to be guided by the Word of God and always remain attentive to the signs of the Lord in their own lives." mission intention "That in mission territories there may be no lack of good and enlightened teachers in the major seminaries and in the institutes of consecrated life." |
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| Edmund
Ignatius Rice The Christian Brothers are especially active in educating Irish boys at the primary and secondary level. They also pioneered schools for delinquents. In various parts of the world, both Orders also entered into university training and a major source of the training of teachers for Catholic schools (Montague, http://www.cin.org/jp961006.html, http://www.iol.ie/resource/ga/archive/1996/Apr25/news/27.html, http://www.vc.bc.ca/vc/extpages/Brothers/Beatification.html). |
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Silvanus,
apostle of the Seventy Companion of Saint Paul
300 St. Jovinian Martyred bishop missionary companion of St. Peregrinus of Auxerre. Martyr Irene (peace) dedicated herself to Christ; her miracles converted thousands; blinded and healed an entire army; beheaded, buried then resurected St. Crescentia, Martyr, at Lucanium Commemorated on June 15, is also on May 16 350 St. Maximus of Jerusalem crippled by tortures; dedicated enemy of the Arians 381 Eulogius of Edessa opposition to Arianism bishop of Edessa B (RM) 386 St Brito Bishop of Trier Germany; opposed Priscillian heretics but always refused to hand over to the state for punishment 445 St. Nectarius Bishop of Vienne; severe political and religious disputes 470 Geruntius of Milan succeeded Saint Eusebius united monastic with clerical life. B (RM) 449 St. Hilary Bishop of Arles known for austerities aid to the poor and ransoming captives 449 St. Nicetius 15th Bishop of Vienne, Gaul; aided monastic expansion; defended his see in a turbulent political era Euthymius of Alexandria martyred Deacon M (RM) 5th v. St. Hydroc patron saint of Lanhydroc Cornwall; 5th century 5th v. Crescentiana 5th century Martyr; honored by a church in Rome dating to the reign of Pope Symmachus. 550 St. Theodore of Bologna Bishop; aided the people of his see and served as patron of local abbeys 560 St. Sacerdos Bishop of Saguntum Sagunto; noted for his holiness and fervor Spain 7th v. Diuma B (AC) Scottish priest bishop; His monastery Saint Peter's grew into Peterborough 701 St. Maurontus Benedictine abbot; founder 767 St. Echa Anglo-Saxon priest monk-hermit link to early Desert Fathers of Egypt 1180 St Aventinus Hermit consecrated himself to service of the poor and strangers companion of St. Thomas Becket 1220 St Angelo martyred early Carmelite Jews of Jerusalem parents converted to Christianity by vision of our Lady converted many sinners by teaching/miracles; Our Lord appeared to him to offer the sacrifice of his life in Sicily 1260 St. Jutta Widowed noblewoman of Thuringia: Jutta received wonderful graces, for besides being favoured with many visions and revelations, she was given an infused understanding of the Holy Scriptures. She once said that three things could bring one very near to God— painful illness, exile from home in a remote corner of a foreign land, and poverty voluntarily assumed for God’s sake 1426 Ephraim priest 27 years; The holy New Martyr wonderworker imitated life of the great Fathers/ascetics of the desert Turkes tortued him to death but after 500 years he is quick to answer the prayers of those who call upon him 1442 Saint James of Zhelezny Bor. Today we celebrate the Uncovering of the Relics of the Kostroma Wonderworker 1535 Bl. John Haile elderly martyred; secular priest 1572 ST PIUS V. POPE1844 Bl. Edmund Ignatius Rice founder of the Congregation of the Brothers of the Christian Schools; devout mandedicated to charitable works; attention to bands of ragged youth in the streets 1878 The "Inexhaustible Chalice" Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos 1900 Bl Anna Rose Gattorno co-founded an order of nuns dedicated to working with the sick and poor. By the time of her death the order had grown to more than 3500 sisters. |
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On
Death and Life
"Man Needs Eternity -- and Every Other Hope, for Him, Is All Too Brief" The Rosary html Mary Mother of GOD -- Her Rosary Here Mary Mother of GOD Mary's Divine Motherhood: FEASTS OF OUR LADY of the Virgin Mary to those who recite the Rosary Our Bartholomew Family Prayer List Here FRANCIS'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR May 2013 General Intention: Administrators of Justice. That administrators of justice may act always with integrity and right conscience. Missionary Intention: Christ, Hope for Africans. That the risen Christ may be a sign of certain hope for the men and women of the African continent. |
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My God, I believe, I adore,
I trust and I love Thee. I beg pardon for those who do not believe,
do not adore, do not.
O most Holy trinity, Father,
Son and Holy Spirit, I adore Thee profoundly.I offer Thee the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the Tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifference by which He is offended, and by the infite merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. I beg the conversion of poor sinners, Fatima Prayer, Angel of Peace Mary's Divine Motherhood Pope Benedict XVI Catholic Church In China {article here} 1648 to1930 St. Augustine Zhao Rong and 120 Companions Christianity arrived in China by way of Syria -- 600s. Depending on China's relations with outside world, Christianity for centuries was free to grow or forced to operate secretly. How do I start the Five First Saturdays? Called in the Gospel “the Mother of Jesus,” Mary is acclaimed by Elizabeth, at the prompting of the Spirit and even before the birth of her son, as “the Mother of my Lord” (Lk 1:43; Jn 2:1; 19:25; cf. Mt 13:55; et al.). In fact, the One whom she conceived as man by the Holy Spirit, who truly became her Son according to the flesh, was none other than the Father's eternal Son, the second person of the Holy Trinity. Hence the Church confesses that Mary is truly “Mother of God” (Theotokos). Catechism of the Catholic Church 495, quoting
the Council of Ephesus
(431): DS 251.
“The Blessed
Virgin was eternally
predestined,
in conjunction with
the incarnation of the
divine Word, to be
the Mother of God. By decree
of divine Providence, she
served on earth as the loving mother of
the divine Redeemer,
an associate of unique
nobility, and the Lord's
humble handmaid. She conceived,
brought forth, and
nourished Christ.” |
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| The
voice of the Father is heard,
the Son enters the water, and
the Holy Spirit appears in the form
of a dove.
THE spirit and example
of the world imperceptibly instil
the error into the minds of many that there
is a kind of middle way of going to
Heaven; and so, because the world does
not live up to the gospel, they bring the gospel
down to the level of the world. It is not by this
example that we are to measure the Christian
rule, but words and life of Christ. All His followers
are commanded to labour to become perfect even as our heavenly
Father is perfect, and to bear His image in our hearts
that we may be His children. We are obliged by the gospel
to die to ourselves by fighting self-love in our hearts,
by the mastery of our passions, by taking on the spirit
of our Lord.
These are the conditions under which Christ makes His promises and numbers us among His children, as is manifest from His words which the apostles have left us in their inspired writings. Here is no distinction made or foreseen between the apostles or clergy or religious and secular persons. The former, indeed, take upon themselves certain stricter obligations, as a means of accomplishing these ends more perfectly; but the law of holiness and of disengagement of the heart from the world is general and binds all the followers of Christ.
breviary.net/martyrology/mart05
05 stlukeorthodox.com/html/saints/
usccb.org
ewtn.com
St Patricks
05 05
domcentral.org/life/martyr Mar syriac oca.org glaubenszeugen.de/tage/kai/05 05 Serbian http://www.copticchurch.net Melkite Monthly Saints with pics here http://www.stfrancisenid.com/memorials.htm antiochian.org/AW-WomenSaints--wonderful icons Lutheran Saints One Saint per day stthomasirondequoit.com/SaintsAlive/index.htm oremus.org calendar index March 03 stjohndc.org God's Humourous Saints |
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THE EUCHARIST,
A MYSTERY
TO
BE BELIEVED POST-SYNODAL APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION
Morning
Prayer and Hymn
Meditation
of the Day
Prayer
for Priests
Our
Bartholomew
Family Prayer List
HereSACRAMENTUM CARITATIS OF THE HOLY FATHER BENEDICT XVI Miracles by Century 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600 1700 1800 1900 Miracles_BC Lay Saints |
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| We are called upon
with the whole Church militant
on earth to join
in praising and thanking
God for the grace and glory
he has bestowed on his saints.
At the same time we earnestly implore
Him to exert His almighty
power and mercy in raising us from
our miseries and sins, healing
the disorders of our souls and
leading us by the path of repentance
to the company of His saints, to
which He has called us.
They were once what we are now, travellers on earth they had the same weaknesses, which we have. We have difficulties to encounter so had the saints, and many of them far greater than we can meet with; obstacles from kings and whole nations, sometimes from the prisons, racks and swords of persecutors. Yet they surmounted these difficulties, which they made the very means of their virtue and victories. It was by the strength they received from above, not by their own, that they triumphed. But the blood of Christ was shed for us as it was for them and the grace of our Redeemer is not wanting to us; if we fail, the failure is in ourselves. THE saints and just, from the beginning of time and throughout the world, who have been made perfect, everlasting monuments of God’s infinite power and clemency, praise His goodness without ceasing; casting their crowns before His throne they give to Him all the glory of their triumphs: “His gifts alone in us He crowns.” |
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“The saints must be honored as friends of Christ
and children and heirs of God,
as John the theologian and
evangelist says: ‘But as many
as received him, he gave them
the power to be made the sons of
God....’ Let us carefully observe the
manner of life of all the apostles,
martyrs, ascetics and just men
who announced the coming of the Lord.
And let us emulate their faith, charity,
hope, zeal, life, patience under suffering,
and perseverance unto death,
so that we may also share their crowns
of glory” Exposition of the Orthodox
Faith
Called in the Gospel “the Mother of Jesus,” Mary is acclaimed by Elizabeth, at
the
prompting of the Spirit and even
before the birth of her
son, as “the Mother of my Lord” (Lk 1:43; Jn 2:1; 19:25; cf. Mt 13:55;
et al.).
In fact, the One whom she conceived
as man by the Holy Spirit,
who truly became her Son according
to the flesh, was none other
than the Father's eternal Son,
the second person of the Holy
Trinity.
Hence
the Church confesses that Mary is truly “Mother of God” (Theotokos).
Catechism of the Catholic Church 495, quoting the Council of Ephesus (431): DS 251. |
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Nine First Fridays Devotion
to the Sacred Heart ... From the
writings of St. Margaret
Mary Alacoque
On Friday during Holy Communion, He said these words to me, His unworthy slave, if I mistake not: “I promise you
in the
excessive mercy of my Heart
that its all-powerful love
will grant to all those who receive
Holy Communion on nine
first Fridays of consecutive months
the grace of final repentance; they
will not die under my displeasure or
without receiving their sacraments,
my divine Heart making itself
their assured refuge at the last
moment.”
Margaret Mary
was inspired by Christ to establish
the Holy Hour and to pray
lying prostrate with her face to
the ground from eleven till midnight
on the eve of the first Friday
of each month, to share in the mortal
sadness.
He endured when abandoned by His Apostles in His Agony, and to receive holy Communion on the first Friday of every month. In the first great revelation, He made known to her His ardent desire to be loved by men and His design of manifesting His Heart with all Its treasures of love and mercy, of sanctification and salvation. He appointed the Friday after the octave of the feast of Corpus Christi as the feast of the Sacred Heart; He called her “the Beloved Disciple of the Sacred Heart”, and the heiress of all Its treasures. The love of the Sacred Heart was the fire which consumed her, and devotion to the Sacred Heart is the refrain of all her writings. In her last illness she refused all alleviation, repeating frequently: “What have I in heaven and what do I desire on earth, but Thee alone, O my God”, and died pronouncing the Holy Name of Jesus. With regard to this promise it may be remarked: (1) that our Lord required Communion to be received on a particular day chosen by Him; (2) that the nine Fridays must be consecutive; (3) that they must be made in honor of His Sacred Heart, which means that those who make the nine Fridays must practice the devotion and must have a great love for our Lord; (4) that our Lord does not say that those who make the nine Fridays will be dispensed from any of their obligations or from exercising the vigilance necessary to lead a good life and overcome temptation; rather He implicitly promises abundant graces to those who make the nine Fridays to help them to carry out these obligations and persevere to the end; (5) that perseverance in receiving Holy Communion for nine consecutive First Firdays helps the faithful to acquire the habit of frequent Communion, which our Lord eagerly desires; and (6) that the practice of the nine Fridays is very pleasing to our Lord He promises such great reward, and all Catholics should endeavor to make nine Fridays. |
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| How do I start the Five
First Saturdays? by
Fr. Tom O'Mahony On July 13,1917, Our Lady appeared
for the third time to the three
children of Fatima an showed
them the vision of hell
and made the now - famous thirteen
prophecies. In this vision Our
Lady said that 'GOD WISHES TO ESTABLISH
IN THE WORLD DEVOTION to Her Immaculate
Heart and that She would come TO
ASK FOR THE COMMUNION OF REPARATION
ON THE FIRST SATURDAYS...'
Eight years
later, on December 10, 1925, Our Lady
did indeed come back. She
appeared (with the Child Jesus) to
Lucia in the convent of the Dorothean
Sisters in Pontevedra.
The Child Jesus spoke first: 'HAVE COMPASSION ON THE HEART OF YOUR MOST HOLY MOTHER WHICH IS COVERED WITH THORNS WITH WHICH UNGRATEFUL MEN PIERCE IT AT EVERY MOMENT, WHILE THERE IS NO ONE TO REMOVE THEM WITH AN ACT OF REPARATION.' THE GREAT PROMISE Our Lady then said: 'MY DAUGHTER LOOK AT MY HEART SURROUNDED WITH THORNS WITH WHICH UNGRATEFUL MEN PIERCE IT AT EVERY MOMENT BY THEIR BLASPHEMIES AND INGRATITUDE. YOU, AT LEAST, TRY TO CONSOLE ME, AND SAY THAT I PROMISE TO ASSIST AT THE HOUR OF DEATH WITH ALL THE GRACES NECESSARY FOR SALVATION, ALL THOSE WHO, ON THE FIRST SATURDAY OF FIVE CONSECUTIVE MONTHS GO TO CONFESSION AND RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION, RECITE FIVE DECADES OF THE ROSARY AND KEEP ME COMPANY FOR A QUARTER OF AN HOUR WHILE MEDITATING ON MYSTERIES OF THE ROSARY, WITH THE INTENTION OF MAKING REPARATION TO ME.' The Five Reasons Lucia once asked this question
of Our Lord and received as an
answer: 'MY DAUGHTER, THE
MOTIVE IS SIMPLE, THERE
ARE FIVE KINDS OF OFFENCES AND
BLASPHEMIES UTTERED AGAINST
THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY: (1)
BLASPHEMIES AGAINST THE IMMACULATE
CONCEPTION: (2) BLASPHEMIES
AGAINST HER VIRGINITY: (3) BLASPHEMIES
AGAINST HER DIVINE MATERNITY:
(4) BLASPHEMIES OF THOSE WHO
OPENLY SEEK TO FOSTER IN THE HEARTS OF
CHILDREN INDIFFERENCE OR EVEN
HATRED FOR THIS IMMACULATE MOTHER:
(5) THE OFFENCES OF THOSE WHO DIRECTLY OUTRAGE
HER IN HOLY IMAGES.'
From the above, it is easy to see that each of the Five Saturdays can correspond to a specific offence. By offering the graces received during each First Saturday as reparation for the offence being prayed for, the participant can hope to help remove the thorns from Our Lady's Heart. What Do I Have To Do? The devotion of First Saturdays, as requested by Our Lady of Fatima, carries with it the assurance of salvation. However, to derive profit from such a great promise of Our Lady, the devotion must be properly understood and duly performed. The requirements as stipulated by Our Lady are as follows: (1) CONFESSION, (2) COMMUNION, (3) FIVE DECADES OF THE ROSARY, (4) MEDITATION ON ONE OR MORE OF THE ROSARY MYSTERIES FOR FIFTEEN MINUTES, (5) TO DO ALL THESE THINGS IN THE SPIRIT OF REPARATION TO THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY, and (6) TO OBSERVE ALL THESE PRACTICES ON THE FIRST SATURDAY OF FIVE CONSECUTIVE MONTHS. (1) CONFESSION: A reparative confession means
that the confession should not
only be good (valid and licit),
but also be offered in
the spirit of reparation, in
this case, to Mary's Immaculate
Heart. This confession
may be made on the First Saturday itself
or some days before or after the First
Saturday within the preceding octave
would suffice.
(2) COMMUNION: The communion of reparation must be sacramental duly received with the intention of making reparation. This offering, like the confession, is an interior act and so no external action to express the intention is needed. (3) THE ROSARY: The Rosary mentioned
here was indicated by the Portuguese
word 'terco' which is
commonly employed to denote a
Rosary of five decades, since it
forms a fourth of the full Rosary
of 20 decades. This too must recited
in a spirit of reparation.
(4) MEDITATION FOR FIFTEEN MINUTES: Here the meditation on one mystery or more is to be made without simultaneous recitation of the Rosary decade. As indicated, the meditation may be either on one mystery alone for 15 minutes, or on all 20 mysteries, spending about one minute on each mystery, or again, on two or more mysteries during the period. This can also be made before each decade spending three minutes or more in considering the mystery of the particular decade. This meditation has likewise to be made in the spirit of reparation to the Immaculate Heart. (5) THE SPIRIT OF REPARATION: All these acts, as said above, have to be done with the intention of offering reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary for the offences committed against Her. Everyone who offends Her commits, so to speak, a two-fold offence, for these sins also offend her Divine Son, Christ, and so endanger our salvation. They give bad example to others and weaken the strength of society to withstand immoral onslaughts. Such devotions therefore make us consider not only the enormity of the offence against God, but also the effect of sins on human society as well as the need for undoing these social effects even when the offender repents and is converted. Further, this reparation emphasises our responsibility towards sinners who, themselves, will not pray and make reparation for their sins. (6) FIVE CONSECUTIVE FIRST SATURDAYS: The
idea of the Five First Saturdays
is obviously to make us
persevere in the devotional
acts for these Saturdays and overcome
initial difficulties. Once
this is done, Our Lady knows that
the person would become devoted to
Her immaculate Heart and persist in
practising such devotion on all
First Saturdays, working thereby
for personal self-reform and for
the salvation of others.
Unless Russia is converted, the movement against God and for sin will continue to spread, promoting wars and persecutions, and making the attainment for peace and justice impossible for this world. One means of obtaining Russia's conversion is to practise the Fatima Message. The stakes are so great that to encourage Catholics to practise the devotion of the First Saturdays, Our Lady has assured us that She will obtain salvation for all those who observe the first Saturdays for five consecutive months in accordance with Her conditions. At the supreme moment the departing person will be either in the state of grace or not. In either case Our Lady will be by his side. If in the state of grace, She will console and help him to resist whatever temptations the devil might put before him in his last attempt to take the person with him to hell. If not in the state of grace, Our Lady will help the person to repent in a manner agreeable to God and so benefit by the fruits of redemption and be saved. |
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| Miracles 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600 1700 1800 1900 Lay Saints |
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The POPES HTML
Pius IX 1846--1878 • Leo XIII 1878-1903 • Pius X 1903-1914• Benedict XV 1914-1922 • Pius XI 1922-1939 • Pius XII 1939-1958 • John XXIII 1958-1963 • Paul VI 1963 to 1978 • John Paul • John Paul II 10/16/1975-4/2/2005 Benedict XVI "The answers to many of life's questions can be found by reading the Lives of the Saints. They teach us how to overcome obstacles and difficulties, how to stand firm in our faith, and how to struggle against evil and emerge victorious." 1913 Saint Barsanuphius of Optina The more "extravagant" graces
are bestowed NOT for the benefit
of the recipients so much
as FOR benefit of others.
Non est inventus similis illis God calls each one of us to be a saint in
order to get into heaven.
Popes mentioned
in articles
of Saints today
1572 ST PIUS V. POPE Sancti Pii Quinti, ex Ordine Prædicatórum, Papæ et Confessóris, qui Kaléndis mensis hujus obdormívit in Dómino.Pope St. Pius V, confessor of the Order of Preachers, who went to sleep in the Lord on the 1st of May.MICHAEL GHISLIERI was born in 1504 at Bosco, in the diocese of Tortona, and received the Dominican habit at the age of fourteen in the priory of Voghera. After his ordination to the priesthood he was lector in theology and philosophy for sixteen years, and for a considerable time was employed as novice master and in governing houses of the order—everywhere endeavouring to maintain the spirit of the founder. In 1556 he was chosen bishop of Nepi and Sutri, and the following year was appointed inquisitor general, and also cardinal—in order, as he ruefully remarked, that irons should be riveted to his feet to prevent him from creeping back into the peace of the cloister. Pope Pius IV transferred him to the Piedmontese bishopric of Mondovi—a church reduced almost to ruin by the ravages of war. Within a short time of his accession the newly-appointed prelate had done much to restore calm and prosperity in his diocese, but he was soon recalled to Rome in connection with other business. Here, though his opinions were often at variance with those of Pius IV, he never shrank from openly stating his convictions. Cross Not
Optional, Says Benedict
XVI
Reflects on
Peter's "Immature" Faith CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy, AUG. 31, 2008 (Zenit.org).-
The
Pope said this today before
reciting the midday Angelus
with several thousand
people gathered in the courtyard
of the papal summer residence
at Castel Gandolfo,
south of Rome.Taking up one's cross isn't an option, it's a mission all Christians are called to, says Benedict XVI. Referring to the Gospel reading for today's
Mass, the Holy Father reflected
on the faith of Peter,
which is shown to be "still immature
and too much influenced by
the 'mentality of this world.'”
He
explained that when Christ spoke
openly about how he was
to "suffer much, be killed and rise
again, Peter protests, saying: 'God
forbid, Lord! No such thing shall
ever happen to you.'"
Christ also
knew that "the resurrection
would be the last word,"
Benedict XVI added."It is evident that the Master and the disciple follow two opposed ways of thinking," continued the Pontiff. "Peter, according to a human logic, is convinced that God would never allow his Son to end his mission dying on the cross. "Jesus, on the contrary, knows that the Father, in his great love for men, sent him to give his life for them, and if this means the passion and the cross, it is right that such should happen." Serious illness
The Pope continued, "If to save us the Son of God had to suffer and die crucified, it certainly was not because of a cruel design of the heavenly Father. "The cause of it is the gravity of the sickness of which he must cure us: an evil so serious and deadly that it will require all of his blood. "In fact, it is with his death
and resurrection that Jesus
defeated sin and death,
reestablishing the lordship
of God."
Quote: Pope Paul VI’s 1969 Instruction
on the Contemplative
Life includes
this passage:
"To
withdraw into the desert
is for Christians tantamount
to associating themselves
more intimately with Christ’s
passion, and it enables them, in
a very special way, to share in the paschal
mystery and in the passage of Our
Lord from this world to the heavenly homeland"
(#1).God calls each one of us to be a saint in order to get into heaven.
"The answers to
many of life's questions can be found by reading the
Lives of the Saints.
They teach us how to overcome obstacles and
difficulties, how to stand firm in
our faith, and how to struggle against evil
and emerge victorious." 1913 Saint
Barsanuphius
of Optina
The more "extravagant" graces
are bestowed
NOT for the benefit of the recipients
so much as FOR benefit
of others.
Non est inventus similis illis Quote: Pope Paul VI’s 1969 Instruction
on the
Contemplative Life includes
this passage:
"To
withdraw into the
desert is for Christians
tantamount to associating
themselves more intimately
with Christ’s passion,
and it enables them, in a very special
way, to share in the paschal mystery
and in the passage of Our Lord
from this world to the heavenly homeland"
(#1).
"Christianity
is not a moral code or a
philosophy, but an encounter with
a person" -- Benedict
XVI
"To
withdraw
into the desert is for Christians
tantamount to associating
themselves more intimately
with Christ’s passion, and it enables
them, in a very special way,
to share in the paschal mystery and
in the passage of Our Lord from this world
to the heavenly homeland" (#1).
Paul
VI_Athenagoras_05_01_1964
Pope Francis THE PSALTER OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN
MARY PSALM
89
O Lady, thou art made unto us refreshment: in all our needs. The diffusion of thy grace produces thy holy operations in us: and the gentle dropping of thy sweetness maketh holy affections. I will be mindful, O Lady, of thy tender mercies: I will sing unto thee a sacrifice of praise and a song of joy. They who honor thee will obtain a perennial crown for ashes: and the mantle of praise for the spirit of mourning. They who hope in thee will be clothed with light: joy and perpetual rejoicing will be their lot.
Quote:
Pope Paul VI’s 1969
Instruction
on the Contemplative Life
includes
this passage:
"To
withdraw into the desert is
for Christians tantamount
to associating themselves
more intimately with Christ’s
passion, and it enables them,
in a very special way, to share
in the paschal mystery and in the passage
of Our Lord from this world to the heavenly
homeland" (#1).
Christianity is not a moral code or a philosophy,
but an
encounter with
a person”
-- Benedict XVI Benedict_XVI_Patriarch_Bartholomew
Benedict XVI_Archbishop_Hilarion
Benedict
XVI
receives Orthodox
Archbishop
Hilarion n September
18th, Pope Benedict XVI;
Archbishop
Hilarion, president of the
Department for External
Church Affairs of the Patriarchate
of Moscow.The Orthodox Archbishop is currently visiting the Vatican at the invitation of Cardinal Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. This Pontifical Council underlined that the visit will confirm the ties of friendship between the Catholic Church and the Russian Orthodox Church, with a view to closer collaboration and to favor the presence of the Church in the lives of the peoples of Europe and the world. In addition, a further step in ecumenical relations is scheduled for the month of October in Cyprus: the meeting of the Joint International Commission for the Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, which will address the theme of Petrine Primacy.
Benedict
XVI met with Aram
I Catholicos of
Cilicia, the highest
authority of the Orthodox
Church.
The
Pope remembered the
martyrs of the Armenian
Church and the Armenian
genocide, without
explicitly mentioning
it, and denounced the persecution
of Christians
in modern times.
Benedict
XVIThat testimony culminated in the twentieth century, which proved a time of Unspeakable suffering for your people. Most recently we have all been saddened by the escalation of persecution and violence against Christians in parts of the Middle East and elsewhere. The Catholicos is based in Lebanon. That is why, the Pope said, he prays every day for peace in this country and throughout the Middle East. Benedict XVI said there will only be peace in the region when each country is free to decide its own destiny and when every ethnic and religious group accepts and respects the others. Aram I emphasized that the churches must be means for peace and to achieve that they must recognize “all” genocides, even the Armenian.. The Catholicos recalled his meeting with John Paul II, adding that this visit represents a new step for ecumenical dialogue. Our meeting is an opportunity to pray and reflect together, and to renew our commitment and efforts for Christian unity. Armenian church members from all over the world join with Catholicos in making pilgrimages to Rome. |
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| The
great psalm
of the Passion,
Chapter
22, whose
first verse “My God, my God, why hast
thou
forsaken me?”
Jesus pronounced on the cross, ended with the vision: “All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord; and all the families of the nations shall worship before him” For kingship belongs to the LORD, the ruler over the nations. All who sleep in the earth will bow low before God; All who have gone down into the dust will kneel in homage. And I will live for the LORD; my descendants will serve you. The generation to come will be told of the Lord, that they may proclaim to a people yet unborn the deliverance you have brought. |
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| Pope
Benedict XVI to The Catholic
Church In China
{whole
article here}
2000
years of the Catholic Church
in
China The saints “a cloud of witnesses over our head”, showing us life of Christian perfection is possible. Join us on CatholicVote.org. Be part of a new
movement committed
to using powerful media
projects to create
a Culture of Life. We can
help shape the movement and have
a voice in its future. Check
it out at www.CatholicVote.org
Saint Frances Xavier Seelos Practical Guide
to Holiness
1.
Go to Mass with
deepest devotion. 2.
Spend a half hour to reflect
upon your main failing
& make resolutions
to avoid it.3. Do daily spiritual reading for at least 15 minutes, if a half hour is not possible. 4. Say the rosary every day. 5. Also daily, if at all possible, visit the Blessed Sacrament; toward evening, meditate on the Passion of Christ for a half hour, 6. Conclude the day with evening prayer & an examination of conscience over all the faults & sins of the day. 7. Every month make a review of the month in confession. 8. Choose a special patron every month & imitate that patron in some special virtue. 9. Precede every great feast with a novena that is nine days of devotion. 10. Try to begin & end every activity with a Hail Mary My God, I believe, I adore, I trust and I love
Thee. I
beg pardon for those who do
not believe, do not adore,
do not
O most Holy trinity, Father,
Son and Holy Spirit, I adore Thee profoundly.
I offer Thee the most
precious Body, Blood, Soul
and Divinity of Jesus
Christ, present in all
the Tabernacles of the world, in reparation
for the outrages,
sacrileges and indifference
by which He is offended,
and by the
infite
merits of the Sacred Heart
of Jesus and the Immaculate
Heart of Mary.
I beg the conversion of poor sinners, Fatima Prayer, Angel of Peace
The
voice of the Father
is heard, the Son enters
the water, and the Holy
Spirit appears in the form
of a dove.
THE
spirit and example
of the world imperceptibly
instil the error
into the minds of many that
there is a kind of middle way
of going to Heaven; and so,
because the world does not live up to
the gospel, they bring the gospel
down to the level of the world. It is not
by this example that we are to measure
the Christian rule, but words
and life of Christ. All His followers
are commanded to labour to become
perfect even as our heavenly Father
is perfect, and to bear His image
in our hearts that we may be His children.
We are obliged by the gospel to die to
ourselves by fighting self-love in
our hearts, by the mastery of our passions,
by taking on the spirit of our Lord.
These
are the
conditions under which
Christ makes His promises
and numbers us among His
children, as is manifest from
His words which the apostles
have left us in their inspired
writings. Here is no distinction
made or foreseen between
the apostles or clergy or religious
and secular persons. The former,
indeed, take upon themselves
certain stricter obligations,
as a means of accomplishing
these ends more perfectly; but the
law of holiness and of disengagement
of the heart from the world is general
and binds all the followers of Christ.
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God loves variety.
He doesn't mass-produce
his saints. Every
saint is unique each
the result of a new idea.
As the liturgy says: Non est inventus
similis illis--there are no two exactly alike.
It is we with our lack of imagination, who paint the same haloes on all the saints. Dear Lord, grant us a spirit not bound by our own ideas and preferences. Grant that we may be able to appreciate in others what we lack in ourselves. O Lord, grant that we may understand that every saint must be a unique praise of Your glory. Catholic saints are holy people and human people who lived extraordinary lives. Each saint the Church honors
responded to
God's invitation to use
his or her unique gifts.
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The 15 Promises of the Virgin Mary to those who recite
the Rosary
) Revealed to
St. Dominic and Blessed
Alan)
1. Whoever
shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall receive
signal graces. 2. I promise my special protection and the
greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary. 3.
The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell, it will destroy vice,
decrease sin, and defeat heresies. 4. It will cause virtue
and good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of
God; it will withdraw the hearts of people from the love of the world and
its vanities, and will lift them to the desire of eternal things. Oh,
that soul would sanctify them by this means. 5. The
soul that recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary shall not
perish. 6. Whoever shall recite the Rosary devoutly, applying
themselves to the consideration of its Sacred Mysteries shall never be conquered
by misfortune. God will not chastise them in His justice, they shall
not perish by an unprovided death; if they be just, they shall remain in
the grace of God, and become worthy of eternal life. 7.
Whoever shall have a true devotion for the Rosary shall not die without
the Sacraments of the Church. 8. Those who are faithful
to recite the Rosary shall have during their life and at their death the
light of God and the plentitude of His graces; at the moment of death they
shall participate in the merits of the Saints in Paradise. 9.
I shall deliver from purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary.
10. The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high
degree of glory in Heaven. 11. You shall obtain
all you ask of me by the recitation of the Rosary. 12. I
shall aid all those who propagate the Holy Rosary in their necessities. 13.
I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall
have for intercessors the entire celestial court during their life and at
the hour of death. 14. All who recite the Rosary are my
children, and brothers and sisters of my only Son, Jesus Christ. 15.
Devotion to my Rosary is a great sign of predestination.
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His Holiness Aram I, current (2013) Catholicos of Cilicia of Armenians, whose
See is located
in Lebanese town of Antelias.
The Catholicosate was
founded in Sis, capital of Cilicia,
in the year 1441 following
the move of the Catholicosate
of All Armenians back to its original See of
Etchmiadzin in Armenia. The Catholicosate
of Cilicia enjoyed local jurisdiction,
though spiritually subject to
the authority of Etchmiadzin. In 1921
the See was transferred to Aleppo in
Syria, and in 1930 to Antelias.
Its jurisdiction currently
extends to Syria, Cyprus,
Iran and Greece. |
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Aramaic dialect of Edessa, now known as Syriac
The exact date of the introduction
of Christianity
into Edessa
{Armenian Ourhaï
in Arabic Er Roha,
commonly Orfa or Urfa, its
present name} is
not known. It is certain,
however, that the Christian
community was
at first made up from the
Jewish population of the city.
According to an ancient legend,
King Abgar V, Ushana,
was converted by Addai, who
was one of the seventy-two
disciples.
In fact, however, the
first King of Edessa to embrace
the Christian Faith was Abgar
IX (c. 206) becoming official
kingdom religion.
In 201 the city was devastated
by a great flood,
and the Christian church
was destroyed
(“Chronicon Edessenum”,
ad. an. 201).
In 232 the relics of the Apostle St. Thomas were brought from India,
on which occasion
his Syriac Acts were
written.
Under Roman domination martyrs
suffered at Edessa:
Sts.
Scharbîl
and Barsamya, under
Decius; Sts. Gûrja,
Schâmôna, Habib,
and others
under Diocletian.
In the meanwhile Christian
priests from Edessa evangelized Eastern Mesopotamia and Persia, established
the first Churches in the kingdom of the Sassanides. Atillâtiâ, Bishop of Edessa,
assisted at the Council
of Nicæa
(325). The
“Peregrinatio
Silviæ”
(or Etheriæ)
(ed. Gamurrini, Rome,
1887, 62 sqq.) gives
an account of the many
sanctuaries at
Edessa
about
388.
Although Hebrew had been the
language of the ancient
Israelite kingdom,
after their return
from Exile the Jews
turned more and more to Aramaic,
using it for parts
of the books of Ezra
and Daniel in the Bible. By
the time of Jesus,
Aramaic was the
main language of
Palestine, and quite
a number of texts from the
Dead Sea Scrolls are also
written in Aramaic.
Aramaic
continued to be an
important language
for Jews, alongside
Hebrew, and parts
of the Talmud are written
in it. After Arab conquests of the
seventh century, Arabic quickly replaced Aramaic as the main language of
those who converted to Islam, although in out of the way places, Aramaic
continued as a vernacular language of Muslims.
Aramaic, however, enjoyed its
greatest success
in Christianity.
Although
the New Testament
wins written
in Greek, Christianity
had come into existence
in an Aramaic-speaking
milieu, and it was
the Aramaic dialect of Edessa,
now known as Syriac,
that became the literary language
of a large number of Christians
living in the eastern provinces
of the Roman Empire
and in the Persian Empire,
further east. Over the course
of the centuries the influence
of the Syriac Churches
spread eastwards to China
(in Xian, in western China,
a Chinese-Syriac
inscription
dated 781
is still to be seen);
to southern India where
the state of Kerala can boast
more Christians of Syriac liturgical
tradition than anywhere
else in the world.
680 Shiite saint Imam Hussein, grandson of Islam's Prophet Muhammad Known as Ashoura and observed by Shiites across the world, the 10th day of the lunar Muslim month of Muharram: the anniversary of the 7th century death in battle of one of Shiite Islam's most beloved saints. Imam Hussein died in the 680 A.D. battle fought on the plains outside Karbala, a city in modern Iraq that's home to the saint's shrine. The battle over a dispute about the leadership of the Muslim faith following Muhammad's death in 632 A.D. It is the defining event in Islam's split into Sunni and Shiite branches. The occasion is the source of an enduring moral lesson. "He sacrificed his blood to teach us not to give in to corruption, coercion, or use of force and to seek honor and justice." According to Shiite beliefs, Hussein and companions were denied water by enemies who controlled the nearby Euphrates. Streets get partially covered with blood from slaughter of hundreds of cows and sheep. Volunteers cook the meat and feed it to the poor. Hussein's martyrdom recounted through a rich body of prose, poetry and song remains an inspirational example of sacrifice to many Shiites, 10 percent of the world's estimated 1.3 billion Muslims. |
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Meeting
of the Saints
walis
(saints
of Allah)Great men covet to embrace martyrdom
for a cause and principle.
So was
the case with
Hazrat
Ali. He
could have made a compromise
with the evil
forces of his time
and, as a result, could
have led a very comfortable,
easy and luxurious
life. But
he was not a person who
would succumb to such
temptations. His upbringing,
his education and
his training in the lap of
the holy Prophet made him refuse
such an offer.Rabia Al-Basri (717–801 C.E.) She was first to set forth the doctrine of mystical love and who is widely considered to be the most important of the early Sufi poets. An elderly Shia pointed out that during his pre-Partition childhood it was quite common to find pictures and portraits of Shia icons in Imambaras across the country. Shah Abdul Latif: The Exalted Sufi Master born 1690 in a Syed family; died 1754. In ancient times, Sindh housed the exemplary Indus Valley Civilisation with Moenjo Daro as its capital, and now, it is the land of a culture which evolved from the teachings of eminent Sufi saints. Pakistan is home to the mortal remains of many Sufi saints, the exalted among them being Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, a practitioner of the real Islam, philosopher, poet, musicologist and preacher. He presented his teaching through poetry and music - both instruments sublime - and commands a very large following, not only among Muslims but also among Hindus and Christians. Sindh culture: The Shah is synonymous with Sindh. He is the very fountainhead of Sindh's culture. His message remains as fresh as that of any present day poet, and the people of Sindh find solace from his writings. He did indeed think for Sindh. One of his prayers, in exquisite Sindhi, translates thus: “Oh God, may ever You on Sindh bestow abundance rare! Beloved! All the world let share Thy grace, and fruitful be.” Shia Ali al-Hadi, died 868 and son Hassan al-Askari 874. These saints are the 10th and 11th of Shia's 12 most revered Imams. Baba Farid Sufi 1398 miracle, Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki renowned Muslim Sufi saint scholar miracles 569 A.H. [1173 C.E.] hermit gave to poor, Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti greatest mystic of his time born 533 Hijri (1138-39 A.D.), Hazrat Ghuas-e Azam, Hazrat Bu Ali Sharif, and Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia Sufi Saint Hazrath Khwaja Syed Mohammed Badshah Quadri Chisty Yamani Quadeer (RA) 1236-1325 welcomed people of all faiths & all walks of life. |
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| 801 Rabi'a
al-'Adawiyya Sufi One of the most famous Islamic mystics
(b. 717). This 8th century saint was an early Sufi who had a profound influence on later Sufis, who in turn deeply influenced the European mystical love and troubadour traditions. Rabi'a was a woman of Basra, a seaport in southern Iraq. She was born around 717 and died in 801 (185-186). Her biographer, the great medieval poet Attar, tells us that she was "on fire with love and longing" and that men accepted her "as a second spotless Mary" (186). She was, he continues, “an unquestioned authority to her contemporaries" (218). Rabi'a began her ascetic life in a small desert cell near Basra, where she lost herself in prayer and went straight to God for teaching. As far as is known, she never studied under any master or spiritual director. She was one of the first of the Sufis to teach that Love alone was the guide on the mystic path (222). A later Sufi taught that there were two classes of "true believers": one class sought a master as an intermediary between them and God -- unless they could see the footsteps of the Prophet on the path before them, they would not accept the path as valid. The second class “...did not look before them for the footprint of any of God's creatures, for they had removed all thought of what He had created from their hearts, and concerned themselves solely with God. (218) Rabi'a was of this second kind. She felt no reverence even for the House of God in Mecca: "It is the Lord of the house Whom I need; what have I to do with the house?" (219) One lovely spring morning a friend asked her to come outside to see the works of God. She replied, "Come you inside that you may behold their Maker. Contemplation of the Maker has turned me aside from what He has made" (219). During an illness, a friend asked this woman if she desired anything. "...[H]ow can you ask me such a question as 'What do I desire?' I swear by the glory of God that for twelve years I have desired fresh dates, and you know that in Basra dates are plentiful, and I have not yet tasted them. I am a servant (of God), and what has a servant to do with desire?" (162) When a male friend once suggested she should pray for relief from a debilitating illness, she said, "O Sufyan, do you not know Who it is that wills this suffering for me? Is it not God Who wills it? When you know this, why do you bid me ask for what is contrary to His will? It is not well to oppose one's Beloved." (221) She was an ascetic. It was her custom to pray all night, sleep briefly just before dawn, and then rise again just as dawn "tinged the sky with gold" (187). She lived in celibacy and poverty, having renounced the world. A friend visited her in old age and found that all she owned were a reed mat, screen, a pottery jug, and a bed of felt which doubled as her prayer-rug (186), for where she prayed all night, she also slept briefly in the pre-dawn chill. Once her friends offered to get her a servant; she replied, "I should be ashamed to ask for the things of this world from Him to Whom the world belongs, and how should I ask for them from those to whom it does not belong?" (186-7) A wealthy merchant once wanted to give her a purse of gold. She refused it, saying that God, who sustains even those who dishonor Him, would surely sustain her, "whose soul is overflowing with love" for Him. And she added an ethical concern as well: "...How should I take the wealth of someone of whom I do not know whether he acquired it lawfully or not?" (187) She taught that repentance was a gift from God because no one could repent unless God had already accepted him and given him this gift of repentance. She taught that sinners must fear the punishment they deserved for their sins, but she also offered such sinners far more hope of Paradise than most other ascetics did. For herself, she held to a higher ideal, worshipping God neither from fear of Hell nor from hope of Paradise, for she saw such self-interest as unworthy of God's servants; emotions like fear and hope were like veils -- i.e., hindrances to the vision of God Himself. The story is told that once a number of Sufis saw her hurrying on her way with water in one hand and a burning torch in the other. When they asked her to explain, she said: "I am going to light a fire in Paradise and to pour water on to Hell, so that both veils may vanish altogether from before the pilgrims and their purpose may be sure..." (187-188) She was once asked where she came from. "From that other world," she said. "And where are you going?" she was asked. "To that other world," she replied (219). She taught that the spirit originated with God in "that other world" and had to return to Him in the end. Yet if the soul were sufficiently purified, even on earth, it could look upon God unveiled in all His glory and unite with him in love. In this quest, logic and reason were powerless. Instead, she speaks of the "eye" of her heart which alone could apprehend Him and His mysteries (220). Above all, she was a lover, a bhakti, like one of Krishna’s Goptis in the Hindu tradition. Her hours of prayer were not so much devoted to intercession as to communion with her Beloved. Through this communion, she could discover His will for her. Many of her prayers have come down to us: "I have made Thee the Companion of my heart, But my body is available for those who seek its company, And my body is friendly towards its guests, But the Beloved of my heart is the Guest of my soul." [224] |
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Catholic Television Network Supported entirely by donations from viewers help spread the Eternal Word, online Here
Colombia
was among
the countries
Mother Angelica
visited.
In Bogotá, a Salesian priest - Father Juan Pablo Rodriguez - brought Mother and the nuns to the Sanctuary of the Divine Infant Jesus to attend Mass. After Mass, Father Juan Pablo took them into a small Shrine which housed the miraculous statue of the Child Jesus. Mother Angelica stood praying at the side of the statue when suddenly the miraculous image came alive and turned towards her. Then the Child Jesus spoke with the voice of a young boy: “Build Me a Temple and I will help those who help you.” Thus began a great adventure that would eventually result in the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament, a Temple dedicated to the Divine Child Jesus, a place of refuge for all. Use this link to read a remarkable story about The Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament Father Reardon, Editor of The Catholic
Bulletin
for 14 years Lover of the poor;
“A very Holy Man of God.”
Monsignor
Reardon
Protonotarius
Apostolicus Pastor 42 years BASILICA OF SAINT MARY Minneapolis MN
America's First Basilica Largest Nave in the World
August 7, 1907-ground broke for the foundation
by
Archbishop Ireland-laying cornerstone May
31, 1908
Brief History of our Beloved Holy Priest Here and his published books of Catholic History in North America Reardon, J.M. Archbishop Ireland; Prelate, Patriot, Publicist, 1838-1918. A Memoir (St. Paul; 1919); George Anthony Belcourt Pioneer Catholic Missionary of the Northwest 1803-1874 (1955); The Catholic Church IN THE DIOCESE OF ST. PAUL from earliest origin to centennial achievement 1362-1950 (1952); The Church of Saint Mary of Saint Paul 1875-1922; (1932) The Vikings in the American Heartland; The Catholic Total Abstinence Society in Minnesota; James Michael Reardon
Born in Nova Scotia,
1872;
Priest, ordained by Bishop
Ireland;
Affiliations
and Indulgences
Litany of Loretto in Stained glass
windows
here. Nave
Sacristy and
Residence Here
Member -- St. Paul Seminary
faculty.
Sanctuary spaces between them filled with grilles of hand-forged wrought iron the life of our Blessed Lady After the crucifixon Apostle statues Replicas of those in St John Lateran--Christendom's
earliest Basilica.
Ordered by Rome's first Christian Emperor, Constantine the Great, Popes' cathedral and official residence first millennium of Christian history. The only replicas ever made: in order from
west to east {1932}.
Saints Simon
(saw), Bartholomew
(knife), James
the
Lesser
(book), John
(eagle),
Andrew
(transverse
cross),
Peter
keys),
Paul
(sword), James
the Greater (staff), Thomas (carpenter's
square),
Philip
(serpent),
Matthew
(book),
and Jude
sword
It Makes No Sense Not To Believe In GOD |
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| THE BLESSED
MOTHER AND ISLAM
By Father
John
Corapi.
Site http://www.fathercorapi
June 19, Trinity Sunday, 1991: Ordained Catholic Priest under
Pope John Paul II;
By Father
John Corapi, SOLTthen 2,000,000 miles delivering the Gospel to millions, and continues to do so.
Among the
most important
titles we have in the Catholic Church
for the Blessed Virgin Mary are
Our Lady of Victory and Our Lady of
the Rosary. These titles can be traced
back to one of the most decisive times in the history
of the world and Christendom. The Battle
of Lepanto took place on October 7 (date
of feast of Our Lady of Rosary), 1571. This
proved to be the most crucial battle
for the Christian forces against the radical
Muslim navy of Turkey. Pope Pius V led a
procession around St. Peter’s Square in
Vatican City praying the Rosary. He showed true
pastoral leadership in recognizing the
danger posed to Christendom by the radical
Muslim forces, and in using the means necessary
to defeat it. Spiritual battles require spiritual
weapons, and this more than anything was a
battle that had its origins in the spiritual
order—a true battle between good and evil.Today we have a similar spiritual battle in progress—a battle between the forces of good and evil, light and darkness, truth and lies, life and death. If we do not soon stop the genocide of abortion in the United States, we shall run the course of all those that prove by their actions that they are enemies of God—total collapse, economic, social, and national. The moral demise of a nation results in the ultimate demise of a nation. God is not a disinterested spectator to the affairs of man. Life begins at conception. This is an unalterable formal teaching of the Catholic Church. If you do not accept this you are a heretic in plain English. A single abortion is homicide. The more than 48,000,000 abortions since Roe v. Wade in the United States constitute genocide by definition. The group singled out for death—unwanted, unborn children. No other issue, not all other issues taken together, can constitute a proportionate reason for voting for candidates that intend to preserve and defend this holocaust of innocent human life that is abortion. As we watch the spectacle of the world seeming to self-destruct before our eyes, we can’t help but be saddened and even frightened by so much evil run rampant. Iraq, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Somalia, North Korea—It is all a disaster of epic proportions displayed in living color on our television screens. These are not ordinary times and this is not business as usual. We are at a crossroads in human history and the time for Catholics and all Christians to act is now. All evil can ultimately be traced to its origin, which is moral evil. All of the political action, peace talks, international peacekeeping forces, etc. will avail nothing if the underlying sickness is not addressed. This is sin. One person at a time hearts and minds must be moved from evil to good, from lies to truth, from violence to peace. Islam, an Arabic word that has often been defined as “to make peace,” seems like a living contradiction today. Although it is supposed to be a religion of peace, Islam has been hijacked by Satan and now operates in the dark space of international terrorism. As we celebrate the birthday of Our Lady, I am proposing that each one of us pray the Rosary for peace. Prayer is what must precede all other activity if that activity is to have any chance of success. Pray for peace, pray the Rosary every day without fail. There is a great love for Mary among Muslim people. It is not a coincidence that a little village named Fatima is where God chose to have His Mother appear in the twentieth century. Our Lady’s name appears no less than thirty times in the Koran. No other woman’s name is mentioned, not even that of Mohammed’s daughter, Fatima. In the Koran Our Lady is described as “Virgin, ever Virgin.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen prophetically spoke of the resurgence of Islam in our day. He said it would be through the Blessed Virgin Mary that Islam would be converted. We must pray for this to happen quickly if we are to avert a horrible time of suffering for this poor, sinful world. Turn to our Mother in this time of great peril. Pray the Rosary every day. Then, and only then will there be peace, when the hearts and minds of men are changed from the inside.
Father John Corapi
goes to the heart of the contemporary world's many woes
and wars, whether
the wars in Afghanistan,
Iraq, Lebanon,
Somalia, or the Congo,
or the natural disasters
that seem to be increasing
every year, the moral and spiritual
war is at the basis
of everything. “Our battle
is not against human forces,”
St. Paul asserts, “but against
principalities and powers,
against the world rulers
of this present darkness...”
(Ephesians 6:12).
The “War to end all wars” is the moral and spiritual combat that rages in the hearts and minds of human beings. The outcome of that unseen fight largely determines how the battle in the realm of the seen unfolds. The title talk, “With the Moon Under Her Feet,” is taken from the twelfth chapter of the Book of Revelation, and deals with the current threat to the world from radical Islam, and the Blessed Virgin Mary's role in the ultimate victory that will result in the conversion of Islam. Few Catholics are aware of the connection between Islam, Fatima, and Guadalupe. Presented in Father Corapi's straight-forward style, you will be both inspired and educated by him. About Father John Corapi. Father Corapi is a Catholic priest
.
The pillars of father's preaching
are basically:
Love for
and a relationship
with the Blessed
Virgin Mary
Leading a vibrant and loving relationship with Jesus Christ Great love and reverence for the Most Holy Eucharist from Holy Mass to adoration of the Blessed Sacrament An uncompromising love for and obedience to the Holy Father and the teaching of the Magisterium of the Church |
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| LINKS: Marian Apparitions (over 2000) India Marian Shrine Lourdes of the East Lourdes Feb 11- July 16, Loreto, Italy 1858 China Marian shrines May 23, 1995 Zarvintisya Ukraine Lourdes Kenya national Marian shrine Quang Tri Vietnam La Vang 1798 Links to Related Marian Websites Angels and Archangels Doctors_of_the_Church Acts_Of_The_Apostles Roman Catholic Popes Purgatory Uniates |
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| Silvanus,
apostle of the Seventy Companion of Saint Paul Romæ sancti Silváni Mártyris. At Rome, the martyr St. Silvanus. For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us; by me, Silvanus, and Timothy; was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes. (2 Corinthians 1:19) Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1) By Silvanus, our faithful brother as I consider him, I have written to you briefly. (1 Peter 5:12) |
| 300 St. Jovinian Martyred
bishop missionary companion of St. Peregrinus of Auxerre. Antisiodóri pássio sancti Joviniáni Lectóris. At Auxerre, the martyrdom of St. Jovinian, lector. |
The holy Great
Martyr Irene (peace) dedicated herself to Christ her miracles converted thousands
blinded and healed an entire army beheaded, buried then resurectedThessalonícæ natális sanctórum Mártyrum Irenǽi, Peregríni et Irénes, qui, ígnibus combústi, palmas martyrii percepérunt. At Thessalonica, the birthday of the holy martyrs Irenæus, Peregrinus, and Irene, who were burned alive. Irene was born in the city of Magedon in Persia during the fourth century. She was the daughter of the pagan king Licinius, and her parents named her Penelope. Penelope was very beautiful, and her father kept her isolated in a high tower from the time she was six so that she would not be exposed to Christianity. He also placed thirteen young maidens in the tower with her. An old tutor by the name of Apellian was assigned to give her the best possible education. Apellian was a Christian, and during her lessons, he told the girl about Christ the Savior and taught her the Christian Faith and the Christian virtues. When Penelope reached adolescence, her parents began to think about her marriage. One day, a dove flew through the window carrying an olive branch in its beak, depositing it upon a table. Then an eagle swooped in with a wreath of flowers in its beak, and also placed it upon the table. Apellian explained that the dove
signified her education, and the olive branch stood for the grace of God
which is received in Baptism. The eagle with the wreath of flowers represented
success in her future life. The raven and the snake foretold her future suffering
and sorrow. At the end of the conversation Apellianus said that the
Lord wished to betroth her to Himself and that Penelope would undergo much
suffering for her heavenly Bridegroom. After this Penelope refused marriage,
was baptized by the priest Timothy, and she was named Irene (peace). She
even urged her own parents to become Christians. Shortly after this, she
destroyed all her father's idols.
Since St Irene had dedicated
herself to Christ, she refused to marry any of the suitors her father had
chosen for her. When Licinius learned that his daughter refused to worship
the pagan gods, he was furious. He attempted to turn her from Christ by having
her tortured. She was tied up and thrown beneath the hooves of wild horses
so that they might trample her to death, but he horses remained motionless.
Instead of harming the saint, one of the horses charged Licinius, seized
his right hand and tore it from his arm. Then it knocked Licinius down and
began to trample him.
They untied the holy virgin, and through her prayers Licinius
rose unharmed in the presence of eyewitnesses with his hand intact.Seeing such a miracle, Licinius
and his wife, and many of the people, (about 3000 men) believed in Christ
and turned from the pagan gods. Resigning his administrative duties, Licinius
devoted himself to the service of the Lord Jesus Christ. St Irene
lived in the house of her teacher Apellian, and began to preach Christ among
the pagans, converting them to the path of salvation.
When Sedecius, the new prefect
of the city, heard of this miracle he summoned Apellian and questioned him
about Irene's manner of life. Apellian replied that Irene, like other Christians,
lived in strict temperance, devoting herself to constant prayer and reading
holy books. Sedecius summoned the saint to him and urged her to stop preaching
about Christ. He also attempted to force her to sacrifice to the idols.
St Irene staunchly confessed her faith before the prefect, not fearing his
wrath, and prepared to undergo suffering for Christ. By order of Sedecius
she was thrown into a pit filled with vipers and serpents. The saint spent
ten days in the pit and remained unharmed, for an angel of the Lord protected
her and brought her food. Sedecius ascribed this miracle to sorcery, and
he subjected St Irene to many other tortures, but she remained unharmed.
Under the influence of her preaching and miracles even more
people were converted to Christ, and turned away from the worship of inanimate
idols.Sedecius was deposed by his son
Savorus, who persecuted Christians with an even greater zeal than his father
had done. St Irene went to her home town of Magedon in Persia to meet Savorus
and his army, and ask him to end the persecution. When he refused, St Irene
prayed and his entire army was blinded. She prayed again and they received
their sight once more.
In spite of this, Savorus refused to recognize the power of
God. Because of his insolence, he was struck and killed by a bolt of lightning.After this, St Irene walked into
the city and performed many miracles. She returned to the tower built by
her father, accompanied by the priest Timothy. Through her teaching, she converted
five thousand people to Christ.
Next, the saint went to the city of Callinicus, or Callinicum (possibly on the Euphrates River in Syria). The ruler of that place was King Numerian, the son of Sebastian. When she began to teach about Christ, she was arrested and tortured by the pagan authorities. She was placed into three bronze oxen which were heated by fire. She was transferred from one to another, but miraculously she remained uninjured. Thousands of idolaters
embraced Christianity as a result of this wondrous event.
Sensing the approach of death, Numerian instructed his eparch
Babdonus to continue torturing the saint in order to force her to sacrifice
to idols. Once again, the tortures were ineffective, and many people turned
to Christ. Christ's holy
martyr then traveled to the city of Constantina, forty miles northeast of
Edessa. By 330, the Persian king Sapor II (309-379) had heard of St Irene's
great miracles. To prevent her from winning more people to Christ, she was
arrested, beheaded, and then buried. However, God sent an angel to raise
her up again, and she went into the city of Mesembria.
After seeing her alive and hearing
her preach, the local king was baptized with many of his subjects.
Wishing to convert even more
pagans to Christianity, St Irene went to Ephesus, where she taught the people
and performed many miracles. The Lord revealed to her that the end of her
life was approaching. Then St Irene left the city accompanied by six people,
including her former teacher Apellian. On the outskirts of the town, she
found a new tomb in which no one had ever been buried. After making the Sign
of the Cross, she went inside, directing her companions to close the entrance
to the cave with a large stone, which they did. When Christians visited the
cave four days later, they did not find the body of the saint.
Apellian returned after only
two days, and found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. Thus did God
glorify St Irene, who loved Him and devoted her life to serving Him. Although
many of these miracles may seem improbable to those who are skeptical, nothing
is impossible with God.
St Irene led thousands of people
to Christ through her preaching, and by her example. The Church continues
to honor her memory and to seek her heavenly intercession.
The holy, glorious Great Martyr
Irene is invoked by those wishing to effect a swift and happy marriage. In
Greece, she is also the patron saint of policemen. St Irene is also one of
the twelve Virgin Martyrs who appeared to St Seraphim of Sarov (January 2)
and the Diveyevo nun Eupraxia on the Feast of the Annunciation in 1831. By
her holy prayers, may the Lord have mercy upon us and save us.
|
|
St. Crescentia, Martyr, at Lucanium
Commemorated on June 15, is also commemorated on May 16
Thessalonícæ natális sanctórum Mártyrum Irenǽi, Peregríni et Irénes, qui, ígnibus combústi, palmas martyrii percepérunt. At Thessalonica, the birthday of the holy martyrs Irenæus, Peregrinus, and Irene, who were burned alive. St. Crescentia suffered for Christ during the reign of Emperor Diocletian along with the holy martyrs Vitus and Modestus. She was St. Vitus’ governess, and tried to save the boy when his father wanted to kill him because he would not abandon his faith in Christ. St. Crescentia and the boy’s tutor, St. Modestus, were both Christians, and secretly took the child from his home. They found a boat at the river, and an angel entered the boat with them. They reached the Italian district of Lucanium, where they lived quietly, hiding from their persecutors. St. Vitus healed the sick and converted pagans to Christianity. His fame soon spread throughout the region. Ss. Vitus and Modestus were arrested and thrown into prison and then tortured upon the orders of Emperor Diocletian. St. Crescentia came out of the crowd of spectators and confessed herself a Christian and reproached the emperor for his cruelty. She was thereafter sentenced to be tortured. St. Vitus called out to God, “O God, save us by Thy power and deliver us.” An earthquake then struck the city, and the pagans perished beneath the collapsed buildings. Diocletian fled to his chambers in fear. An angel released Sts. Vitus, Modestus and Crescentia from the pillars and took them to Lucanium. St. Vitus prayed that God would accept their souls in peace and not deprive those who kept their memory of His benefaction. A Voice came from Heaven, “Thy prayer is heard.” The saints then joyfully surrendered their souls to God. St. Crescentia is also commemorated on May 16. |
| 350 St. Maximus
of Jerusalem crippled by tortures dedicated enemy of the Arians Hierosólymis sancti Máximi Epíscopi, qui a Maximiáno Galério Cǽsare, post óculum effóssum pedémque igníto ferro adústum, ad metálla damnátus est; atque, liber inde abíre permíssus et Ecclésiæ Hierosolymitánæ præpósitus, ibi, confessiónis glória præclárus, in pace tandem quiévit. At Jerusalem, St. Maximus, bishop, whom Maximian Galerius Caesar condemned to the mines, after having plucked out one of his eyes and branded him on the foot with a hot iron. He was afterwards freed, and allowed to rule the church at Jerusalem, where he died in peace, renowned for the glory of his confession. Successor to St. Macanus as bishop of Jerusalem around 335. He was crippled by tortures that were inflicted upon him during the persecution of his era. Maximus opposed St. Athanasius originally but realized his error and became a dedicated enemy of the Arians. Despite his repentance, he was not revered traditionally among the defenders of orthodoxy during the Arian Controversy. |
| 381 Eulogius of Edessa
opposition to Arianism bishop of Edessa B (RM) Edéssæ, in Syria, sancti Eulógii, Epíscopi et Confessóris. At Edessa in Syria, St. Eulogius, bishop and confessor. Father Eulogius of Edessa was banished to the Thebaid for his opposition to Arianism. Upon his return from the desert after the death of Emperor Valens, he was chosen bishop of Edessa (Benedictines). |
| 386 St. Brito Bishop
of Trier Germany opposed Priscillian heretics but always refused to hand
over to the state for punishment Also called Britonius. Brito opposed the Priscillian heretics in his region and worked to convert them. He refused to hand them over to state authorities, not wanting to see them persecuted. Brito of Trèves B (AC) (also known as Britonius of Trier) Died 386. Bishop Brito of Trier, Germany, was a staunch opponent of the Priscillian heretics, whom he nevertheless always refused to hand over to the state for punishment because he believed that the civil powers had no authority in Church affairs (Benedictines). |
|
445 St. Nectarius Bishop of Vienne severe political and religious disputes. France. During his term, Vienne was involved in severe political and religious disputes. Nectarius of Vienne B (AC). Nectarius
was the bishop of Vienne in the Dauphiné (Benedictines).
|
|
449 St. Hilary
Bishop of Arles known for austerities aid to the poor and ransoming captives
Areláte, in Gállia, sancti Hilárii Epíscopi, doctrína et sanctitáte conspícui. At Arles in France, the bishop St. Hilary, noted for his learning and sanctity. Born 400 France friend and relative of St. Honoratus. He was born to a noble family in Lorraine and was successful, although he gave up his secular career to join St. Honoratus at Lerins Abbey. When Honoratus died after being named the bishop of Arles, Hilary was chosen as his successor in 429. He was known for his austerities, his aid to the poor, and for ransoming captives. On two occasions Hilary became
embroiled in controversies with Pope St. Leo I the Great, but they
were reconciled, and Hilary's sanctity brought him great veneration.
May 5, 2007 St. Hilary
of Arles (400-449)
449 ST HILARY, BISHOP OF ARLES THE birthplace of St Hilary of Arles is not known, but he came of a noble family and was nearly related to St Honoratus, the founder and first abbot of the monastery of Lérins. Having received an excellent education and being endowed with exceptional abilities, he had the prospect of a successful career in the world. But St Honoratus, who had always loved him, was convinced that he was called to the special service of God. The holy abbot actually abandoned for a short time his island retreat to seek out his young kinsman with the object of inducing him to embrace the religious life. Hilary, however, seemed proof against all his entreaties and fears. “I will obtain from God what you will not concede!” the monk exclaimed as they bade each other farewell. His prayers were quickly answered. Two or three days later Hilary found himself a prey to a violent interior contest. “On the one side I felt that the Lord was calling me, whilst on the other hand the seductions of the world held me back”, he afterwards wrote. “My will swayed backwards and forwards, now consenting, now refusing. But at last Christ triumphed in me.” Once he had definitely made
up his mind, he had never looked back: he distributed to the poor the proceeds
of his patrimony, which he sold to his brother, and then went to join St
Honoratus at Lérins. He has left us a description of the holy,
happy life led there by the monks, amongst whom, as it turned out, he was
not destined to remain very long. In 426 St Honoratus was elected bishop of
Arles and being an old man, greatly desired the assistance and companionship
of his favourite relation. Hilary was loath to leave Lérins, but Honoratus
went in person to fetch him and they remained together until the bishop’s
death. Grieved though he was at the loss of his spiritual father, the young
monk rejoiced at the prospect of returning to his abbey. He had started
on his journey when he was overtaken by messengers, sent by the citizens
of Arles, who desired to have him for their archbishop. He was obliged to
consent and was duly consecrated, although only twenty-nine. In his new station Hilary observed
the austerities of the cloister, while carrying out with immense energy all
the duties of his office. He allowed himself only the bare necessaries of
life, wore the same cloak summer and winter, travelled everywhere on
foot. Besides observing the canonical hours for prayer, he set aside stated
times for manual work, the proceeds of which he gave to the poor. So great
was his anxiety to ransom captives that he sold even the church plate to
obtain money, contenting himself with a chalice and paten of glass.
The limits of his province
as metropolitan of Southern Gaul had never been satisfactorily settled, and
once, when he was on a visitation in debatable territory, he deposed a certain
bishop called Chelidonius on the plea that before he had received holy orders
he had married a widow and, as a magistrate, had passed a death sentence.
Either of these charges, if substantiated, would have disqualified him for
the episcopate. Chelidonius forthwith set out for Rome, where he cleared
himself of the imputations to the satisfaction of Pope St Leo the Great.
As soon as St Hilary realized that the prelate he had deposed had gone to
the Holy City, he followed him thither. To settle the matter a council was
called, which Hilary attended—not, however, to defend his action, but to
contend that the case ought to have been tried by the papal commissaries in
Gaul. He did not even await the verdict. Realizing that he was being kept
under supervision, and fearing lest he might be forced to communicate with
Chelidonius, he left Rome secretly and returned
to Arles. Judgement was given against him, and soon afterwards another complaint
against him reached the Holy See. Whilst a Gaulish bishop called Projectus
was still living—though apparently at the point of death—Hilary had appointed
another bishop to the see. The sick man recovered, and there were two prelates
claiming the same diocese. Hilary supported his own nominee, perhaps because
the other claimant was too infirm to carry out his duties, but St Leo, to
whom the matter was referred, rightly judged that Hilary’s proceedings had
been irregular and were likely to lead to schism. He therefore censured him,
forbade him to appoint any more bishops and transferred the dignity of metropolitan
to the bishop of Fréjus. The life of
St Hilary which is printed in the Acta Sanctorum,
May, vol. ii, and is there attributed to one Honoratus, supposed to have
been bishop of Marseilles, is probably the composition of a certain Reverentius
at the beginning of the sixth century. It is a work written for edification,
purporting to be the memoirs of a contemporary, but unreliable as a record
of historical facts. See on all this B. Kolon, Die Vita S. Hilarii
Ardatensis (1925) and also cf. Hefele-Leclercq,
Histoire des Conciles, vol. ii, pp. 477-478, with Bardenhewer,
Altkirchlichen Literatur, vol. iv, p. 571.
It’s been said that youth is wasted
on the young. In some ways, that was true for today’s saint.
Born in France in the early fifth century, Hilary came
from an aristocratic family. In the course of his education he encountered
his relative, Honoratus, who encouraged the young man to join him in the
monastic life. Hilary did so. He continued to follow in the footsteps of
Honoratus as bishop. Hilary was only 29 when he was chosen bishop of Arles.The new, youthful bishop undertook the role with confidence. He did manual labor to earn money for the poor. He sold sacred vessels to ransom captives. He became a magnificent orator. He traveled everywhere on foot, always wearing simple clothing. That was the bright side. Hilary encountered difficulty in his relationships with other bishops over whom he had some jurisdiction. He unilaterally deposed one bishop. He selected another bishop to replace one who was very ill-but, to complicate matters, did not die! Pope St. Leo the Great kept Hilary a bishop but stripped him of some of his powers. Hilary died at 49. He was a man
of talent and piety who, in due time, had learned how to be a bishop.
|
| 449 St. Nicetius
15th Bishop of Vienne, Gaul aided monastic expansion and defended his see
in a turbulent political era Viénnæ, in Gállia, sancti Nicéti Epíscopi, venerábilis sanctitátis viri. At Vienne in France, the bishop St. Nicetus, a man venerable for his piety. He aided monastic expansion and defended his see in a turbulent political era. Nicetus of Vienne B (RM) Died after 449. Saint Nicetus was the 15th bishop of Vienne in the Dauphiné (Benedictines). |
| 5th v. St. Crescentiana
5th century Martyr honored by a church in Rome dating to the reign of Pope
Symmachus. Item Romæ sanctæ Crescentiánæ Mártyris. Also at Rome, St. Crescentia, martyr. Crescentiana M (RM) The only evidence for the life of Saint Crescentiana is a church in Rome dedicated to her that was already extant at the time of Pope Symmachus (498-514) (Benedictines). |
| Euthymius of Alexandria
martyred Deacon M (RM). Alexandríæ sancti Euthymii Diáconi, qui ob Christum quiévit in cárcere. At Alexandria, St. Euthymius, deacon, who died in prison for the sake of Christ. A deacon of Alexandria, martyred there (Benedictines). |
| 470 Geruntius
of Milan succeeded Saint Eusebius united monastic with clerical life. B
(RM) Medioláni
sancti Gerúntii Epíscopi. At Milan, the bishop
St. Geruntius.
Saint Geruntius succeeded Saint
Eusebius{(Bishop of Vercelli, b. in Sardinia c. 283; d. at Vercelli,
Piedmont, 1 August, 371.} made lector in Rome, 340 unanimously elected bishop
of that city by clergy and people. He received episcopal consecration at
the hands of Pope Julius I
on 15 December same year. According to testimony of St. Ambrose (Ep. lxiii, Ad Vercellenses)
he was first bishop of the West who united monastic with clerical life.
He led with the clergy of his city a common life modelled upon that of the
Eastern cenobites (St. Ambrose, Ep. lxxxi and Serm. lxxxix). For this reason
the Canons Regular of St. Augustine honour him along with St. Augustine as
their founder (Proprium Canon. Reg., 16 December)} as bishop of Milan in
465 (Benedictines). |
|
5th v. St. Hydroc patron saint of Lanhydroc Cornwall 5th century. The patron saint of Lanhydroc Cornwall, England. |
| 550 St.
Theodore of Bologna Bishop aided the people of his see
and served as patron of local abbeys. Bonóniæ sancti Theodóri Epíscopi, méritis clari. At Bologna, St. Theodore, a bishop who was eminent for merits. Bologna, Italy, from about 530. He aided people of his see and served as patron of local abbeys. |
| 560 St. Sacerdos Bishop
of Saguntum Sagunto noted for his holiness and fervor Spain. Eódem die sancti Sacerdótis, Epíscopi Saguntíni. On the same day, St. Sacerdos, bishop of Saguntum. A much revered Spaniard, he was noted for his holiness and fervor. |
| 7th
v. Diuma B (AC) Scottish priest bishop His monastery Saint Peter's grew
into Peterborough 7th century. Saint Diuma, a Scottish priest, was sent with Saint Cedd(664) to convert Mercia and became its first bishop. His monastery, Saint Peter's, grew into the modern town of Peterborough (Benedictines, Montague). |
| 701 St. Maurontus
Benedictine abbot founder also called Mauront. 701 ST MAURUNTIUS, ABBOT The account
of St Mauruntius in the Acta Sanctorum, May, vol. ii, is
almost entirely derived from the biography of St Rictrudis, concerning whom
see later under May 12.
The
eldest son of St. Adalbald and St. Rictrudis
of Flanders, he served King Clovis II of the Franks. He entered Marchiennes
Monastery at the urging of St. Amandus
of Maestricht and founded the abbey of Breuil on his personal estate near
Therouanne. His sister was an abbess at Marchiennes . |
| 767
St. Echa Anglo-Saxon priest monk-hermit link to early Desert Fathers of
Egypt also called Etha. He was a Benedictine who lived at Crayk, near York, England. Hermits such as Echa served as a link to the early Desert Fathers of Egypt. Echa of Crayk, OSB Hermit (AC) (also known as Etha) Echa was an Anglo-Saxon priest and monk-hermit at Crayk, near York, England (Benedictines). |
| 1180 St. Aventinus
Hermit consecrated himself to the service of the poor and strangers companion
of St. Thomas Becket A hermit in Tours, France, he was ordained a deacon by St. Thomas and accompanied him to the Synod of Tours in 1163. When Thomas was martyred in 1170 Aventinus went to Touraine, France, remaining there until his death. Avertinus, Deacon (AC) Died 1189. The deacon Avertinus accompanied Saint Thomas Becket into his exile in France. After Thomas was killed in his cathedral, Avertinus consecrated himself to the service of the poor and strangers at Vinzai, a village in Touraine. He is included in the new martyrology of Evreux and that of Tours (Husenbeth). |
|
1220 St. Angelo martyred
early Carmelite Jews of Jerusalem parents converted to Christianity by vision
of our Lady; converted many sinners by teaching/miracles Our Lord appeared
to him to offer the sacrifice of his life he did so in Sicily
Leocátæ, in Sicília, sancti Angeli, ex Ordine Carmelitárum, Presbyteri et Mártyris, qui ab hæréticis, ob defensiónem cathólicæ fídei, trucidátus est. At Leocata in Sicily, St. Angelus, priest of the Order of Carmelites, who was murdered by the heretics because of his defence of the Catholic faith. 1220 ST ANGELO, MARTYR St ANGELO, who was one of the early members of the Carmelite Order, suffered martyrdom for the faith at Leocata, in Sicily. The story of his life, as it has come down to us, is not very reliable. It may be summarized as follows: The parents of St Angelo were Jews of Jerusalem who were converted to Christianity by a vision of our Lady. She told them that the Messias they were awaiting had already come and had redeemed His people, and she promised them two sons, who would grow up as flourishing olive-trees on the heights of Carmel—the one as a patriarch and the other as a glorious martyr. From childhood the twins displayed great mental and spiritual gifts. When, at the age of eighteen, they entered the Carmelite Order, they already spoke Greek, Latin and Hebrew. After Angelo had been a hermit on Mount Carmel for five years, our Lord appeared to him and bade him go to Sicily, where he would have the grace to offer the sacrifice of his life. The saint immediately obeyed the call. During his journey from the East, as well as after his arrival in Sicily, he converted many sinners by his teaching, no less than by his miracles. At Palermo over 200 Jews sought baptism as the result of his eloquence. Similar success attended his efforts in Leocata, but he amused the fury of a man called Berengarius, whose shameless wickedness he had denounced. As he was preaching to a crowd, a band of ruffians headed by Berengarius broke through the throng and stabbed him. Mortally wounded, Angelo fell on his knees, praying for the people, but especially for his murderer. St Angelo is
commemorated as a martyr in the Roman Martyrology on this day. The legend
is printed from Carmelite sources in the Acta Sanctorum—May, vol. ii. See also the Analecta
Bollandiana, vol. xvii (1898), p. 315, and DHG., vol. iii, cc, 6—9.
St. Angelo, who was one of the early members of the Carmelite Order, suffered martyrdom for the Faith at Leocata, Sicily. The story of his life, as it has come down, is not very reliable. It may be summarized as follows: His parents were Jews of Jerusalem who were converted to Christianity by a vision of our Lady. She told them that the Messiah they were awaiting had already come to pass and had redeemed His people, and she promised them two sons, who would grow up as flourishing olive trees on the heights of Carmel-the one as a patriarch and the other as a glorious martyr. From childhood the twins displayed great mental and spiritual gifts when, at the age of eighteen, they entered the Carmelite Order, they already spoke Greek, Latin, and Hebrew. After Angelo had been a hermit on Mount Carmel for five years, Our Lord appeared to him and bade him go to Sicily, where he would have the grace to offer the sacrifice of his life. The saint immediately obeyed the call. During his journey from the East as well as after his arrival in Sicily, he converted many sinners by his teaching, no less than by his miracles. At Palermo over two hundred Jews sought Baptism as the result of his eloquence. Similar success attended his efforts in Leocata, but he aroused the fury of a man called Berengarius, whose shameless wickedness he had denounced. As he was preaching to a crowd, a band of ruffians headed by Berengarius broke through the throng and stabbed him. Mortally wounded, Angelo fell on his knees, praying for the people, but especially for his murderer. Angelus of Jerusalem, OC M (RM)
also known as Angelo Born in Jerusalem in 1145; died in Sicily, 1220. Saint
Angelus, born of Jewish parents, was one of the early friar-hermits of Mount
Carmel. He was commissioned to obtain the approval of Pope Honorius III for
the rule written by Saint Albert in 1206 for the use of the new friars. Angelus
travelled to Rome and shortly thereafter went to Sicily (Palermo and Messina)
to preach.
According to one version of the legend, he was killed in Licate or Leocata, Sicily, by Count Berenger whose incest with his sister he had denounced. He had converted the count's sister from this scandalous life and thereafter was hanged and shot with arrows. Many miracles were worked at Angelus's intercession after his death, especially in Leocata and Palermo (Benedictines, Husenbeth, Tabor). Saint Angelus is depicted in art as a Carmelite with a knife in his head. He may also be shown (1) with a sword in his breast, holding a book, palm (symbol of martyrdom), and three crowns; (2) as an angel brings him three crowns; (3) with lilies and roses falling from his mouth as symbols of his eloquence; or (4) tied to a tree and shot with arrows (Roeder, Tabor). He is venerated in Leocata, Sicily (Roeder). |
| 1260 St. Jutta Widowed
noblewoman of Thuringia: Jutta received wonderful graces, for besides
being favoured with many visions and revelations, she was given an infused
understanding of the Holy Scriptures. She once said that three things could
bring one very near to God— painful illness, exile from home in a remote
corner of a foreign land, and poverty voluntarily assumed for God’s sake 1260 ST JUTTA, Widow AMONGST the numerous women who were inspired by the example of St Elizabeth of Hungary, one of the most remarkable was St Jutta, or Judith, patroness of Prussia. Like her great exemplar she
was a native of Thuringia, having been born at Sangerhausen, to the
south-west of Eisleben. Married at the age of fifteen to a man of noble rank,
she proved an admirable wife, besides being a great benefactress to the poor.
Once, in a vision, our Lord
had said to her, “Follow me”; and she strove not only to obey Him herself,
but to lead her household to do the same. In the early days of her married
life, her husband had remonstrated with her for the simplicity of her dress,
but she gradually won him over to her own point of view. He was actually
on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land when he died—to the great grief of his
widow, who was left to bring up her children alone. As they grew up, one after
another entered religious orders, and Jutta was left free to follow the call
which she had long cherished in her heart. She gave everything she
possessed to the poor, and then, clad in a miserable dress, she begged bread
for herself and the poor from those who had been her dependents. Though some
scoffed, others treated her with reverence, knowing what she had given up,
and she resolved to go forth among strangers in order that she might be
despised by all. As she wandered on, walking barefoot in summer and winter,
she relieved on the road many tramps by dressing their wounds and feeding
them with food supplied to her in charity. At last she made her way into
Prussia, the land of the Teutonic Knights, whose grand-master, Hanno of Sangerhausen,
was a relation of her own. There she settled as a solitary in a ruinous
building on the shore of a sheet of water called the Bielcza, half a mile
or so from Kulmsee. The very full
account of this recluse printed in the Acta Sanctorum is
a translation of a Polish life by Father Szembek. This claims to have been
based upon a mass of materials collected for the process of canonization,
but the originals unfortunately could not be traced by the Bollandists at
the date at which they wrote. See also the Mittheilungen des Vereins
f. Gesch., etc., v. Sangerhausen, vol. i (1881), pp.
82 seq.; P. Funk, in Festschrift für
W. Goetz (1927), pp. 81--44; and a sketch by H. Westpfahl, Jutta
von Sangerhausen (1938).
Germany, noted for visions and miracles. She married at fifteen and raised children. When her husband died on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Jutta moved to Prussia, becoming a recluse at Kulmsee. She is the patroness of Prussia, in eastern Germany. Jutta of Kulmsee, Widow (AC) Born at Sangerhausen, Thuringia; died at Kulmsee, Prussia, in 1250 or 1260. The written life of this young noblewoman, bears a curious resemblance to that of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, who was almost her contemporary. Jutta, too, was happily married with a family of children and she was prostrated by the loss of her husband, who died on a pilgrimage or crusade to the Holy Land. Thereafter, she provided for her children, divested herself of her property, and passed her few remaining years in religious retirement and care for the poor. In Jutta's case this was in the territory of the Teutonic Knights, whose grand-master was a relative of hers. After her death at her hermitage near Kulmsee a strong local cultus of her grew up in Prussia, where she is venerated as patroness (Attwater, Benedictines). |
| 1426 The holy New
Martyr wonderworker Ephraim priest; 27 years imitated life of the great Fathers/ascetics
of the desert; Turkes tortued him to death but after 500 years he is quick
to answer the prayers of those who call upon him Ephraim
was born in Greece on September 14, 1384. His father died when the saint
was young, his pious mother left to care for 7 children by herself. When Ephraim reached the age of fourteen, the all-good God directed his steps to a monastery on the mountain of Amoman near Nea Makri in Attica. The monastery was dedicated to the Annunciation and also to St Paraskeva. Here he took on his shoulders the Cross of Christ, which all His followers must bear (Matt. 16:24). Being enflamed with love for God, St Ephraim eagerly placed himself under the monastic discipline. For nearly twenty-seven years he imitated the life of the great Fathers and ascetics of the desert. With divine zeal, he followed Christ and turned away from the attractions of this world. By the grace of God, he purified himself from soul-destroying passions and became an abode of the All-Holy Spirit. He was also found worthy to receive the grace of the priesthood, and served at the altar with great reverence and compunction. On September 14, 1425,
the barbarous Turks launched an invasion by sea, destroying the monastery
and and looting the surrounding area. St Ephraim was one of the victims of
their frenzied hatred. Many of the monks had been tortured and beheaded,
but St Ephraim remained calm. This infuriated the Turks, so they imprisoned
him in order to torture him and force him to deny Christ.6
They locked him in a small cell without food or water, and they beat him every day, hoping to convince him to become a Moslem. For several months, he endured horrible torments. When the Turks realized that the saint remained faithful to Christ, they decided to put him to death. On Tuesday May 5, 1426, they led him from his cell. They turned him upside down and tied him to a mulberry tree, then they beat him and mocked him. "Where is your God," they asked, "and why doesn't he help you?" The saint did not lose courage, but prayed, "O God, do not listen to the words
of these men, but may Thy will be done as Thou hast ordained."
The barbarians pulled the saint's
beard and tortured him until his strength ebbed. His blood flowed, and his
clothes were in tatters. His body was almost naked and covered with many
wounds. Still the Hagarenes were not satisfied, but wished to torture him
even more. One of them took a flaming stick and plunged it violently into
the saint's navel. His screams were heart-rending, so great was his pain.
The blood flowed from his stomach, but the Turks did not stop. They repeated
the same painful torments many times. His body writhed, and all his limbs
were convulsed. Soon, the saint grew too weak to speak, so he prayed silently
asking God to forgive his sins. Blood and saliva ran from his mouth, and the
ground was soaked with his blood. Then he lapsed into unconsciousness.
Thinking that he had died, the Turks cut the ropes which bound him to the tree, and the saint's body fell to the ground. Their rage was still not diminished, so they continued to kick and beat him. After a while, the saint opened his eyes and prayed, "Lord, I give up my spirit to Thee." About nine o'clock in the morning, the martyr's soul was separated from his body. These things remained forgotten for nearly 500 years, hidden in the depths of silence and oblivion until January 3, 1950. By then a women's monastery had sprung up on the site of the old monastery. Abbess Makaria (+ April 23, 1999) was wandering through the ruins of the monastery, thinking of the martyrs whose bones had been scattered over that ground, and whose blood had watered the tree of Orthodoxy. She realized that this
was a holy place, and she prayed that God would permit her to behold one
of the Fathers who had lived there. After some time, she seemed
to sense an inner voice telling her to dig in a certain spot. She indicated
the place to a workman whom she had hired to make repairs at the old monastery.
The man was unwilling to dig there, for he wanted to dig somewhere else.
Because the man was so insistent, Mother Makaria let him go where he wished.
She prayed that the man would not be able to dig there, and so he struck rock.
Although he tried to dig in three or four places, he met with the same results.
Finally, he agreed to dig where the abbess had first indicated.
In the ruins of an old cell, he cleared away the rubble and began to dig in an angry manner. The abbess told him to slow down, for she did not want him to damage the body that she expected to find there. He mocked her because she expected to find the relics of a saint. When he reached the depth of six feet, however, he unearthed the head of the man of God. At that moment an ineffable fragrance filled the air. The workman turned pale and was unable to speak. Mother Makaria told him to go and leave her there by herself. She knelt and reverently kissed the body. As she cleared away more earth, she saw the sleeves of the saint's rasson. The cloth was thick appeared to have been woven on the loom of an earlier time. She uncovered the rest of the body and began to remove the bones, which appeared to be those of a martyr. Mother Makaria was still in that
holy place when evening fell, so she read the service of Vespers. Suddenly
she heard footsteps coming from the grave, moving across the courtyard toward
the door of the church. The footsteps were strong and steady, like those
of a man of strong character. The nun was afraid to turn around and look,
but then she heard a voice say, "How long are you going to leave me here?"
She saw a tall monk with small, round eyes, whose beard reached his chest. In his left hand was a bright light, and he gave a blessing with his right hand. Mother Makaria was filled with joy and her fear disappeared. "Forgive me," she said, "I will take care of you tomorrow as soon as God makes the day dawn." The saint disappeared, and the abbess continued to read Vespers. In the morning after Matins, Mother Makaria cleaned the bones and placed them in a niche in the altar area of the church, lighting a candle before them. That night St Ephraim appeared to her in a dream. He thanked her for caring for his relics, then he said, "My name is St Ephraim." From his own lips, she heard the story of his life and martyrdom. Since St Ephraim glorified God in his life and by his death, the Lord granted him the grace of working miracles. Those who venerate his holy relics with faith and love have been healed of all kinds of illnesses and infirmities, and he is quick to answer the prayers of those who call upon him. |
| 1442 Saint James
of Zhelezny Bor. Today we celebrate the Uncovering of the Relics of the Kostroma
Wonderworker See his Life under April
11, the day of his repose. |
| 1535 Bl. John Haile elderly martyred secular priest Martyr of England, a companion in death of St. John Houghton at Tyburn. He was an elderly secular priest, the vicar of Isleworth, Middlesex, when he was arrested by King Henry VIII’s men. John was executed at Tyburn. He was beatified in 1886. |
1572 ST PIUS V. POPE Sancti Pii Quinti, ex Ordine Prædicatórum, Papæ et Confessóris, qui Kaléndis mensis hujus obdormívit in Dómino.Pope St. Pius V, confessor of the Order of Preachers, who went to sleep in the Lord on the 1st of May.MICHAEL GHISLIERI was born
in 1504 at Bosco, in the diocese of Tortona, and received
the Dominican habit at the age of fourteen in the priory of Voghera. After
his ordination to the priesthood he was lector in theology and philosophy
for sixteen years, and for a considerable time was employed as novice master
and in governing houses of the order—everywhere endeavouring to maintain
the spirit of the founder. In 1556 he was chosen bishop of Nepi and Sutri,
and the following year was appointed inquisitor general, and also cardinal—in
order, as he ruefully remarked, that irons should be riveted to his feet
to prevent him from creeping back into the peace of the cloister. Pope Pius
IV transferred him to the Piedmontese bishopric of Mondovi—a church reduced
almost to ruin by the ravages of war. Within a short time of his accession
the newly-appointed prelate had done much to restore calm and prosperity in
his diocese, but he was soon recalled to Rome in connection with other business.
Here, though his opinions were often at variance
with those of Pius IV, he never shrank from openly stating his convictions. In December 1565 Pius IV died, and Michael Ghislieri
was chosen pope, largely through the efforts of St. Charles Borromeo,
who saw in him the reformer of whom the Church stood in need. He took the
name of Pius V, and from the outset made it abundantly clear that he was
determined to enforce the letter as well as the spirit of the recommendations
of the Council of Trent. On the occasion of his coronation, the largesses
usually scattered indiscriminately amongst the crowd were bestowed upon hospitals
and the really poor, whilst the money which was wont to be spent in providing
a banquet for the cardinals, ambassadors and other great persons was sent
to the poorer convents of the city. One of his first injunctions
was that all bishops should reside in their dioceses, and parish priests
in the cures to which they had been appointed—severe penalties being imposed
for disobedience. The new pope’s activities extended from a drastic purge
of the Roman curia to the clearing of the papal states of
brigands, from legislation against prostitution to the forbiddance of bull-fighting.
In a time of famine, he imported from Sicily and France at his own expense
large quantities of corn, a considerable proportion of which was distributed
gratis to the poor or was sold under cost price. A determined opponent
of nepotism, he kept his relatives at a distance, and although he was persuaded
to follow tradition by making one of his nephews a cardinal, he gave him
little influence or power. In the new Breviary which was published in 1568,
certain saints’ days and some extravagant legends were omitted and lessons
from the Holy Scriptures regained their proper place, whilst the Missal, issued
two years later, was as much a restoration of ancient usage as a revision
adapted to the needs of the time. *[ *This Roman liturgy was imposed on the
whole Western church, except where local and proper uses could show a prescription
of two hundred years, e.g. in the pope’s own order, the Dominicans.] To Pius the Church owed the best edition of St Thomas Aquinas which had yet appeared and the solemn recognition of St Thomas as a doctor of the Church. So severe were the penalties inflicted for every breach of order or morals that he was accused of wanting to turn Rome into a monastery. That he succeeded as well as he did was largely owing to the popular veneration for his personal holiness; even when he was ill and old he fasted throughout Advent as well as through Lent, and he prayed with such fervour that he was popularly supposed to obtain from God whatever he asked in the hospitals, which he visited frequently, he loved to tend the sick with his own hands. Reforms such as those enumerated
might seem more than enough to engross the attention of any one man, but
they were not even the main preoccupation of St Pius V. Throughout his pontificate
two menacing shadows were ever before his eyes—the spread of Protestantism
and the inroads of the Turks. To counteract these dangers he laboured untiringly;
the Inquisition received fresh encouragement, and the learned Baius,
whose writings were condemned, only saved himself by recantation. Nevertheless
this pope’s success against Protestantism was not all effected by such drastic
means, for he is said to have converted an Englishman simply by the dignity
and holiness of his appearance. The catechism, too, which had been ordered
by the Council of Trent was completed during his pontificate, and he at once
ordered translations to be made into foreign tongues. Moreover, he made
the catechetical instruction of the young a duty incumbent on all parish
priests. Conservative in most of his views, he was notably ahead of his contemporaries
in the importance he attached to adequate instruction as a preliminary to
adult baptism. By the terms used when Pius
V re-issued the bull “In cena Domini” (1568), it was made clear that as pope he claimed a certain suzerainty
over secular princes. For a long time he cherished hopes of winning to
the faith Queen Elizabeth of England, but in 1570 he issued a bull of excommunication
(“Regnans in excelsis”) against her,
absolving her subjects from their allegiance and forbidding them to recognize
her as their sovereign. This was undoubtedly an error of judgement due to
imperfect knowledge of English feeling and of the conditions which obtained
in that country. Its only result was to increase the difficulties of loyal
English Catholics and to lend some appearance of justification to the accusation
of treason so frequently brought against them; and to aggravate those controversies
about oaths and tests which vexed and weakened their body from the Oath
of Obedience in 1606 until Emancipation in 1829: the suspicion which
the bull raised about the civil loyalty of Catholics has not quite disappeared
even to-day. Several English martyrs died protesting their loyalty to the
queen, and when in 1588 the Spanish Armada set out, with the encouragement
of Pope Sixtus V, to (incidentally) enforce the sentence of Pius V by establishing
Spanish dominion in England, English Catholics at home were in general no
more anxious for its success than were their compatriots. All Europe, indeed,
had gone a long way since St Gregory VII and Henry IV, Alexander III and
Barbarossa, Innocent III and John of England, since Boniface VIII and “Unam
sanctam”; it was nearer the time when a pope, Pius IX, would
declare that: “Nowadays no one any longer thinks of the right of deposing princes
that the Holy See formerly exercised—and the Supreme Pontiff thinks of it
less than anyone.” Pius V’s disappointment in England was compensated for in the following year when, aided politically and materially by the Holy See, Don John of Austria and Marcantonio Colonna broke the Turkish power in the Mediterranean. Their force, which comprised 2o,ooo soldiers, sailed from Corfu and came upon the Turks in the Gulf of Lepanto. There, in one of the world’s greatest maritime battles, the Ottoman fleet was completely defeated. From the moment the expedition started the pope had prayed for it almost unceasingly—often with uplifted hands like Moses on the mountain. He had also prescribed public devotions and private fasts and, at the very hour that the contest was raging, the procession of the rosary in the church of the Minerva was pouring forth petitions for victory. Meanwhile the pope himself was convening on business with some of his cardinals; but on a sudden he turned from them abruptly, opened a window and remained standing for some time with his eyes fixed upon the sky. Then, closing the casement, he said, “This is not a moment in which to talk business: let us give thanks to God for the victory He has granted to the arms of the Christians”. To commemorate the great deliverance he afterwards inserted the words “Help of Christians” in the Litany of Our Lady and instituted the festival of the Holy Rosary. The victory was won on October 7, 1571. In the following year the pope was struck down by a painful disorder from which he had long suffered and which his austerities had aggravated: it carried him off on May 1, 1572, at the age of sixty-eight. St Pius V was canonized in
1712, the last pope to be raised to the Church’s altars till the beatification
of Pius X. The monastic austerity of Pius V’s earlier days was continued
throughout his life.* [* The white cassock now worn by the popes is said to
derive from Pius V’s white Dominican habit.] We have an interesting tribute to the new atmosphere in Rome in a letter written in 1570 to his family in Spain by Dr Martin Azpilcueta, a near relative of St Francis Xavier. He was a much-travelled man, and he speaks in the very highest terms of the inhabitants, of their good behaviour and religious spirit. In no such tone did visitors write in the days of Leo X or Paul III. And the change was ultimately chiefly due to St Pius V. St Pius V played
so important a part in the history of his times that anything like a full
bibliography is out of the question.. A list of all the older books and articles
maybe found in Emilio Cal vi’s Bibliografia di Roma, and
the more important are cited in the eighth volume of Pastor’s Geschicte der Päpste (and its English translation), which
is entirely devoted to this pontiff.. It is only necessary here to refer
to the Summarium de Virtutibus printed in the process of
beatification for the Congregation of Sacred Rites, and to the lives by Catena
and Gabutius, which are included in the Acta Sanctorum,
May, vol. i, together with some other materials of a more miscellaneous character.
A particularly valuable article by Fr Van Ortroy, which includes the earliest
known sketch of the life of St Pius, will be found in the Analecta
Bollandiana, vol. xxxiii (1914), pp. 187—215. There is an excellent biography
by G. Grente (1914) in the series “Les Saints”, and a booklet in English
by C. M. Antony (1911). It is curious to notice that in the bibliography
appended to the account of St Pius V in the Catholic Encyclopedia
the first work mentioned is the life by Joseph Mendham (1832).
This is, in fact, a bitter indictment of the pontiff himself, and of the
Catholic Church, in the course of which we read, for example, that the Little
Office of Our Lady sanctioned by the pope “is as disgusting a concentration
of blasphemy and idolatry as deforms any part of the papal services”, and
in which complaint is also made of “the brutish bigotry and sanguinary intolerance
of this pontiff”.
|
Revealed in Russia in 1878. A retired soldier from Tula had spent his pension on alcohol, ruining his health. Though he was no longer able to walk, he continued to drink. One night a holy Elder appeared to him in a dream and told him to go to the Serpukhov monastery of the Mother of God. "Have a Molieben served before her Icon "The Inexhaustible Chalice." Since he had no money and could not walk, the man paid no attention to the dream. Then the Elder appeared a second and third time, speaking to him with increasing severity. Crawling on all fours, the man reached the next village and stayed in the home of an old woman. She rubbed his legs, and he began to feel better. The next day, he resumed his journey with two canes, then with one, until he arrived at the monastery. He described his dreams to the monks, but none of them had ever heard of "The Inexhaustible Chalice" Icon. Finally, one of them remembered an icon on which a chalice was depicted. On the back of the icon was an inscription, "The Inexhaustible Chaice." After the Molieben, the peasant returned home restored to health, and cured of his alcoholism. News of the miracle spread, and many alcoholics and their families came to pray before the Icon. Many of them came back to thank the Mother of God for answering their prayers. Every Sunday in the Serpukhov-Vyotsk monastery a Molieben with an Akathist is served before the Icon for those who are addicted to alcohol. |
|
1844 Bl. Edmund
Ignatius Rice founder of the Congregation of the Brothers of the Christian
Schools devout man dedicated to charitable works attention to bands of ragged
youth in the streets often called the Irish Christian
Brothers.
Edmund was born in Wescourt, Ireland, in June, 1762, the fourth of seven sons in a fanning family At seventeen he began working at his uncle’s import-export business in Waterford. He later inherited the business. Married at twenty-five, Edmund lost his wife two years later and was left with a sickly infant daughter. A devout man, Edmund dedicated himself to charitable works. Though he saw how the economic and political storms of the day were impacting Ireland, he desired a religious vocation in the contemplative life. However, the Bishop of Waterford drew Edmund’s attention to the bands of ragged youth in the streets, asking Edmund if he, too, planned to abandon them. Encouraged by Pope Pius VII and Bishop Hussey, Edmund sold his business, arranged for his daughter’s care, and opened his first school in 1802. He had three other schools in operation by 1806, and took the name Ignatius as a religious with companions in 1808 in a pontifical institute. Edmund established the Catholic Model School and saw the founding of eleven communities in Ireland, eleven in England, and one in Australia, with requests coming from the United States and Canada. He resigned as Superior General in 1838 and died at Mt. Sion, site of his first school, on August 29, 1844. Pope John Paul II beatified him on October 6, 1996. Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice (AC) Born at Callan, Westcourt, County Kilkenny, Ireland, June 1, 1762; died August 29, 1844; beatified October 6, 1996. Edmund Rice, founder of the Christian Brothers (not to be confused with the Brothers of the Christian Schools, which was founded by Saint John Baptist de la Salle) and the Presentation Brothers, was the son of prosperous farmers. His paternal uncle was a successful merchant in Waterford, who apprenticed Edmund. Rice married in 1785. After four happy years of marriage that produced a daughter, his wife died in a hunting accident. Thereafter his thoughts turned more and more to a religious vocation and his charity extended beyond his family. Edmund was a man of affluence among poor Catholics in Waterford. But more importantly he was a shining example of lay Christianity. He used his wealth to help the clergy of his parish meet the pressing needs of his fellow citizens. In considering his vocation, he realized that affordable education was the key to opportunity for those oppressed by poverty and the weight of anti-Catholic legislation. He established an organization
"to educate these boys to be good Catholics and good citizens." In 1803,
with the encouragement of both the pope and the bishops, Edmund Rice opened
his first school in Waterford. Six years later, he formed the nucleus of his
religious order based on the Rule of the Presentation Sisters.
Unfortunately, the Rule did not ideal to meet his vision, so he revised it to follow that of La Salle's Brothers of the Christian Schools. The order received approbation in 1821 with Edmund as its first Superior General. At the time of his death there were over 20 houses; today there are more than 300 throughout the world, including the University College of Iona in La Rochelle, which is a center for Irish studies in the United States. The Presentation Brothers now have 33 houses. The Christian Brothers are especially active in educating Irish boys at the primary and secondary level. They also pioneered schools for delinquents. In various parts of the world, both Orders have also entered into university training as well as being a major source of the training of teachers for Catholic schools (Montague, http://www.cin.org/jp961006.html, http://www.iol.ie/resource/ga/archive/1996/Apr25/news/27.html, http://www.vc.bc.ca/vc/extpages/Brothers/Beatification.html) . |
| 1900 Bl Anna Rose Gattorno
co-founded an order of nuns dedicated to working with the sick and poor.
By the time of her death the order had grown to more than 3500 sisters.
Beatified in 2000. |