Our Morning Offering – 9 November – Feast of the Dedication of the Basilica of Saint John Lateran
O God,
who from living and chosen stones
prepare an eternal dwelling for Your Majesty,
increase in Your Church the spirit of grace
You have bestowed, so that by new growth,
Your faithful people may build up
the heavenly Jerusalem.
We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ,
in union with the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
Amen.
Feast of the Dedication of The Cathedral of the Most Holy Saviour and of Saints John the Baptist and John the Evangelist in the Lateran- 9 November
The Papal Archbasilica of St John in Lateran (Italian: Arcibasilica Papale di San Giovanni in Laterano), commonly known as St John Lateran Archbasilica, St John Lateran Basilica, St John Lateran, or simply the Lateran Basilica, is the cathedral church of Rome, Italy and therefore houses the cathedra, or ecclesiastical seat, of the Roman Pontiff.
It is the oldest of and has precedence among the four papal major basilicas, all of which are in Rome, because it is the oldest church in the West and houses the cathedra of the Roman Pontiff. It has the title of ecumenical mother church of the Roman Catholic faithful.
The current archpriest is Angelo De Donatis, Cardinal Vicar General for the Diocese of Rome. The President of the French Republic, currently Emmanuel Macron, is ex officio the “first and only honorary canon” of the archbasilica, a title that the heads of state of France have possessed since King Henry IV.
The large Latin inscription on the façade reads: Clemens XII Pont Max Anno V Christo Salvatori In Hon SS Ioan Bapt et Evang; which is a highly abbreviated inscription which translates to: “Pope Clement XII, in the fifth year [of his Pontificate], dedicated this building to Christ the Saviour, in honour of Saints John the Baptist and John the Evangelist”. The inscription indicates, that the archbasilica was originally dedicated to Christ the Saviour and, centuries later, co-dedicated to St John the Baptist and St John the Evangelist. As the Cathedral of the Pope qua Bishop of Rome, it ranks superior to all other churches of the Roman Catholic Church, including St Peter’s Basilica and therefore it alone is titled “Archbasilica” among all other basilicas.
The archbasilica is sited in the City of Rome, outside and distanced from Vatican City proper, which is approximately 4 km (2.5 mi) to its northwest, although the archbasilica and its adjoining edifices have extraterritorial status from Italy as one of the properties of the Holy See, subject to the sovereignty of the latter, pursuant to the Lateran Treaty of 1929 with Italy under Benito Mussolini.
This feast commemorates the Dedication of the Basilica of St John Lateran which, by a tradition dating to the 12th century, is said to have taken place on this day. It was dedicated as the first Catholic basilica in Rome, by Pope Sylvester in 324. Until the 15th century, the Lateran was the residence of the popes. It is the episcopal seat of the bishop of Rome, the pope and until the 15th century, it was also his residence. At first, the feast was kept only in the City of Rome but the, in honour of the Basilica, which is called the “Mother and Head of all Churches of the City and the World” (omnium urbis et orbis ecclesiarum mater et caput) it was extended to the whole of the Roman Rite as a sign of unity and respect towards the Holy See of Peter, the Holy Father and the Magisterium, which, as St Ignatius of Antioch wrote, presides over the whole assembly of charity.
In the year 313 the Roman Emperor Constantine declared the Edict of Milan, granting religious freedom to Christians. Constantine himself donated the palace of the Lateran, a portion of his wife’s dowry, to the Church for its basilica. The Lateran is the cathedral of the Bishop of Rome, the pope, and, as such, it ranks as the “mother and head of all the churches in the city and the world.”
The pope celebrates the Holy Thursday liturgy at Saint John Lateran, surrounded by towering statues of the twelve Apostles bearing the instrument of their martyrdom. Above its towering 18th century façade can be seen the image of Christ Triumphant, surrounded by saints and doctors.
We are all members of our own local church, work for he universal kingdom of Christ, are also members of this “mother-church” in Rome.
The dedication of churches can be traced back to the Jewish practice of dedicating the Temple in Jerusalem to God. Once the Temple had been dedicated, there was a feast each year to celebrate the anniversary of the dedication. This feast was celebrated not only in Jerusalem but in every synagogue as well. Similarly, every Western Catholic church observes the dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome.
This feast helps us move beyond our narrow geographical confines to a sense of the universal Church.
“Every place set aside for divine worship is a sign of that spiritual temple, which is the Church, made up of living stones: of the faithful united by the one faith, of the participation in the sacraments and of the bond of charity. The Saints, in particular, are precious stones of that spiritual temple”… Saint Pope John Paul II.
Dedication of the Basilica of Saint John Lateran (Feast): The oldest and first in rank of the four basilicas of Rome, Italy. The name is derived from the Laterani family, on the site of whose palace the basilica stands. King Constantine presented this palace to the Church. Its annual celebration throughout the Latin Church is a sign of love and unity with the Papacy and Pope.
The original church building, probably adapted from the hall of the palace, was dedicated to the Saviour and from its splendour was known as the Basilica Aurea. Though several times destroyed and rebuilt, the basilica retained its ancient form, being divided by rows of columns into aisles and having an atrium with colonnades. The tasteless restoration of the 17th century changed its appearance. A monastery was formerly between the basilica and the city wall of which the cloister still remains. The original apse survived until 1878, when it was destroyed and a deeper apse built. The ancient mosaics have been preserved. The high altar, which is of wood and is believed to have been used by Saint Peter, is now encased in marble. In the upper part of the baldachinum are the heads of the Apostles, Peter and Paul. The baptistery is an octagonal edifice with porphyry columns. The font is of green basalt. This basilica has been the cathedral of Rome since the 4th century.
Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzrS5oQ43oQ
Our Lady of Almudena: The Virgin of Almudena (Virgen de la Almudena) is a medieval icon of the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus Christ. The image is the advocation of the Virgin that serves as a patroness of Madrid, Spain.
Intriguingly, however, its name derives from the Arabic term of Al Mudayna, or the citadel. There are various legends regarding the icon. One story is that in 712, prior to the capture of the town by the advancing Muslim forces, the inhabitants of the town secreted the image of the virgin, for its own protection, inside the walls surrounding the town. In the 11th century, when Madrid was reconquered by the King Alfonso VI of Castile, the Christian soldiers endeavoured to find the statue. After days of prayer, the spot on the wall hiding the icon crumbled, revealing the statue. Another legend is that as Christian soldiers approached the town, they had a vision of Mary imploring them to allow her to lead them into the city. Again the miraculous crumbling of the wall occurred, with the icon showing an entry route through the walls.
The Cathedral of Madrid is dedicated to this advocation of the Virgin and her feast day, 9 November, is a major holiday in Madrid.
—
St Agrippinus of Naples
St Alexander of Salonica
St Aurelius of Riditio
St Benignus of Armagh
St Eustolia
St Francisco José Marín López de Arroyave
St Gabriel Ferretti
Bl George Napper
Bl Gratia of Cattaro
Bl Helen of Hungary
Bl Henryk Hlebowicz
St Jane of Segna
St Justo Juanes Santos
St Luigi Beltrame Quattrocchi
St Luis Morbioli
St María de la Salud Baldoví Trull
Bl María del Carmen of the Child Jesus
St Pabo
St Sopatra
St Theodore Stratelates
St Ursinus of Bourges
St Valentín Gil Arribas
St Vitonus of Verdun
—
Martyrs of Constantinople – 3 saints: A group of ten Catholic Christians who tried to defend an image of Jesus over the Brazen Gate of Constantinople from an attack by Iconoclasts during the persecutions of emperor Leo the Isaurian. The group of was seized by soldiers, condemned by judges for opposing the emperor, and martyred. The only details that have survived are three of their names – Julian, Marcian and Maria. They were martyred in 730 at Constantinople (modern Istanbul, Turkey).
Martyred in the Spanish Civil War:
• Blessed Anastasio Garzón González
• Blessed Francisco José Marín López de Arroyave
• Blessed Justo Juanes Santos
• Blessed María de la Salud Baldoví Trull
• Blessed Valentín Gil Arribas
Thought for the Day – 8 November – The Memorial of St Elizabeth of the Trinity (1880-1906)
Elizabeth Catez offers hope to any parent who struggles with a strong-willed child. A holy terror as a toddler, she once embarrassed her mother by shouting out at Mass, “Bad priest! Bad priest! That’s my doll!” The priest had secretly borrowed her doll to be used as the Christ Child in his creche. But gradually Elizabeth channeled her willfulness into a determination to become a saint.
Elizabeth’s first communion and confirmation at age 10 touched her deeply without quelling her rambunctiousness. But from that time she opened up to an interior prayer life that slowly matured into the infused contemplation of a mystic. At 14 she felt drawn to choose Christ as her spouse. Without hesitating she made a private vow of virginity. And having been intrigued by visits to the local Carmelite convent at Dijon, France, since childhood, she was determined to become a Carmelite.
Marie, her mother, was horrified at the thought. She did all she could do to prevent it. She sent Elizabeth to parties in hopes that these might distract her and arranged for suitors to pursue her. But she could not in the end resist her daughter’s strong will. She gave up and allowed Elizabeth to enter the Dijon Carmel in 1901.
Appropriately, she took the name Elizabeth of the Trinity, for the focus of her life became her immersion in the Godhead, or rather the Trinity’s immersion in her. This letter from Elizabeth to a friend typifies her spirituality:
I love to penetrate beyond the veil of the soul to this inner sanctuary where we live alone with God. He wants us entirely to Himself and is making there within us a cherished solitude. Listen to everything that is being sung . . . in His heart. It is Love, the infinite love that envelops us and desires to give us a share . . . in all His blessedness. The whole Blessed Trinity dwells in us, the whole of that mystery which will be our vision in heaven. I am “Elizabeth of the Trinity”—Elizabeth disappearing, losing herself, allowing herself to be invaded by the Three…All day long let us surrender ourselves to Love, by doing the will of God, under His gaze, with Him, in Him, for Him alone. . . . And then, when evening comes, after a dialogue of love that has never stopped in our hearts, let us go to sleep still in love. And if we are aware of any faults, let us simply abandon them to Love, which is a consuming fire and so do our purgatory in His love!
Like St Theresa Margaret of the Sacred Heart, another Carmelite, Elizabeth delighted the other sisters in the cloister with her simple and joyful service. However, in 1903, she contracted Addison’s disease. She suffered intensely and joyfully until she died in 1906. St. Elizabeth of the Trinity was only 26-years-old.
“During painful times, when you feel a terrible void, think how God is enlarging the capacity of your soul, so that it can receive Him – making it, as it were, infinite as He is infinite.” Look upon each pain, as a love token coming to you directly from God, in order to unite you to Him.
St Elizabeth of the Trinity, Pray for us!
Quote/s of the Day – 8 November – The Memorial of St Elizabeth of the Trinity (1880-1906)
“By our actions we tell Him of our love.”
“A soul united to Jesus is a living smile
that radiates Him and gives Him.”
“May my life be a continual prayer, a long act of love.”
“You will never be commonplace if you are vigilant in love.”
“I have found
heaven on earth,
since heaven is God
and God is in my soul.”
“Make a little cell in your heart
for Jesus of the Agony;
take refuge there
when you hear Him
outraged by men,
try to make reparation;
you, at least, love Him
and keep your heart
quite pure for Him.
Oh! If you only knew how
the good God loves pure hearts!
It is there that He loves to reign!”
One Minute Reflection – 8 November – The Memorial of St Elizabeth of the Trinity (1880-1906)
“Father, I will that where I am, they also whom you have given me may be with me….” John 17:24
REFLECTION – “Jesus’ desire is for us to be with Him in communion. This is what He aches for, His deepest desire that He prays for. This is what Jesus was doing the night before He died.” …St Elizabeth of the Trinity
PRAYER – My Lord and my God, You have prayed that I may be in You and You in me. This is the guiding consolation of my life and the source of my prayer. Lead me to Yourself, guide me and teach me that I may never stray from You. Holy St Elizabeth of the Trinity, in your young life you followed the way of the Lord, the way of the Cross, doing all for God by the love of the Holy Spirit. Please pray for us, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 8 November – The Memorial of St Elizabeth of the Trinity (1880-1906)
Holy Trinity, Whom I Adore
By St Elizabeth of the Trinity
O my God, Trinity whom I adore, let me entirely forget myself that I may abide in You, still and peaceful as if my soul were already in eternity; let nothing disturb my peace nor separate me from You, O my unchanging God but that each moment may take me further into the depths of Your mystery! Pacify my soul! Make it Your heaven, Your beloved home and place of Your repose; let me never leave You there alone but may I be ever attentive, ever alert in my faith, ever adoring and all given up to Your creative action.
O my beloved Christ, crucified for love, would that I might be for You a spouse of Your heart! I would anoint You with glory, I would love You – even unto death! Yet I sense my frailty and ask You to adorn me with Yourself; identify my soul with all the movements of Your soul, submerge me, overwhelm me, substitute Yourself in me that my life may become but a reflection of Your life. Come into me as Adorer, Redeemer and Saviour.
O Eternal Word, Word of my God, would that I might spend my life listening to You, would that I might be fully receptive to learn all from You. In all darkness, all loneliness, all weakness, may I ever keep my eyes fixed on You and abide under Your great light; O my Beloved Star, fascinate me so that I may never be able to leave Your radiance.
O Consuming Fire, Spirit of Love, descend into my soul and make all in me as an incarnation of the Word, that I may be to Him a super-added humanity wherein He renews His mystery; and You O Father, bestow Yourself and bend down to Your little creature, seeing in her only Your beloved Son in whom You are well pleased.
O my `Three’, my All, my Beatitude, infinite Solitude, Immensity in whom I lose myself, I give myself to You as a prey to be consumed; enclose Yourself in me that I may be absorbed in You so as to contemplate in Your light the abyss of Your Splendour!
Saint of the Day – 8 November – St Elizabeth of the Trinity O.C.D. (1880-1906) – professed Religious, Mystic, Writer, gifted Pianist. Born Elizabeth Catez on Sunday 18 July 1880 in a military camp in the diocese of Bourges, France – 9 November 1906 at Dijon, Côte-d’Or, France of Addison’s disease, a hormone disorder whose side effects are painful and exhausting. Pope John Paul II beatified Elizabeth on 24 November 1984 and Pope Francis Canonised her on 16 October 2016. Patronages – • against the death of parents • against bodily ills, illness or sickness • sick people.
Elizabeth was born on 18 July 1880 at the army camp in Avor near Bourges in France, where her father was a captain. She was baptised four days later on the Feast of St. Mary Magdalene, a fact which she treasured. When she was 2½ her sister Marguerite, known as Guite, was born. Elizabeth’s father died when she was only seven years old. By this time the family was living in a camp in Dijon but after the captain died, they moved into a flat. Elizabeth could see the Carmel of Dijon from her bedroom window. She was very high spirited and given to fiery outbursts of anger when things did not go her way. In 1891 Elizabeth received her First Holy Communion and it made a deep impression on her. From this time on the Eucharist became the centre of Elizabeth’s life and it gave her the strength and determination she needed to make a real effort to overcome her rages.
When she was eight Elizabeth’s mother enrolled her in the Conservatoire, probably with the intention of preparing her to teach music. Elizabeth practised the piano for several hours each day; she was an exceptionally gifted pianist. She often played in concerts and when she was thirteen she won first prize for her playing. She could undoubtedly have gone on to become a concert pianist but God had other plans for her.
Around the time of her fourteenth birthday Elizabeth made a vow of virginity, as an act of total self-offering to God. She had already felt the call to religious life and one day after receiving Holy Communion she became convinced God was calling her to Carmel.
Meanwhile she spent happy holidays with her mother and sister. Elizabeth dressed in the latest fashions, enjoyed dances and loved walking in the country, where she appreciated all the beauties of creation. She had a great gift for friendship and was popular with her peers but in everything God was at the centre. She said that when she played the piano she forgot all about the audience and played only for Him.
Elizabeth had a natural gift for contemplative prayer, people remarked on her total stillness and said that she seemed ‘Lost in God’ but she was active in her parish too. She taught catechism and ran a club for the children of workers in a tobacco factory; she visited the sick and sang in the parish choir.
Elizabeth entered the Carmel of Dijon on 2 August 1901 and on 8 December Feast of the Immaculate Conception, she was clothed in the Carmelite habit.
Elizabeth was full of joy as a postulant; she found God everywhere, in her work as well as at prayer. She loved the silence of her cell where she could listen to Him speaking to her in the scriptures. Her novitiate year was not so smooth, as with her great desire for perfection she struggled with scruples. Elizabeth lived in pure faith, during her novitiate; it was a purification which strengthened her and gave her courage. Mother Germaine, at 31 was Elizabeth’s prioress and novice mistress. She understood Elizabeth and emphasised the way of confidence in the merciful love of God, as expressed by Thérèse of Lisieux in her Story of a Soul, which had been sent to the Carmels as Thérèse’s obituary circular about three years before Elizabeth entered.
Elizabeth made her Profession as a Carmelite on J11 January 1903 and on 21 January, the Feast of St. Agnes, she received the black veil in a public ceremony.
Elizabeth shared in her sister’s joy when she married and again later when she had her first two children. Seeing her sister so happy and devoted to her husband, made Elizabeth reflect on her role as spouse of Christ. She wanted to love Him with an undivided heart, to stay with Him all the time in deep communion; to share in His redemptive suffering and prayer and so become fruitful, by nourishing others and drawing them to Him.
Elizabeth’s horizons were expanding; as she pondered the scriptures she felt she was being transformed into another humanity for Christ, an idea which she developed from Paul’s text ‘It is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me’. She had an intuitive grasp of the ‘universal call to holiness’ long before it was named in the Church.
Elizabeth also had a strong awareness of the indwelling of the Trinity. She often called the Trinity ‘My Three’ and had an intimate relationship with Father, Word and Spirit, as she usually called them. Later she discovered her vocation to be a ‘Praise of glory’ and sometimes she even signed herself by this name.
Around the time of her twenty-third birthday it became clear that Elizabeth’s health was failing, she had developed Addison’s disease, at that time incurable. It led to her death at the age of 26 on 9 November 1906. By this time she was fully surrendered to God and died saying, ‘I am going to Light to Love to Life!’
St Adeodatus I, Pope
St Clair of Tours
St Cybi of Caenarvon
St Drouet
St Elizabeth of the Trinity – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NT2NXIyQ2Jc
St Gervadius
St Giuse Nguyen Ðình Nghi
St Godfrey of Amiens
St Gregory of Einsiedeln
St John Baptist Con
Bl Maria Crucified Satellico
St Martinô Tho
St Martinô Ta Ðuc Thinh
St Maurus of Verdun
St Moroc of Scotland
St Phaolô Nguyen Ngân
St Tysilio of Wales
St Willehad of Bremen
St Wiomad of Trèves
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All Deceased Dominicans
All Saints of the Diocese of Evry: A regional memorial of all the saints and beati of the calendar who have a connection to the Diocese of Evry-Corbeil-Essonnes, France.
• Blessed Isabella of France, founded the Longchamp monastery
• Blessed Nicolas Gaudreau, pastor of Vert-le-Petit
• Blessed Pierre Bonse, pastor of Massy
• Our Lady of Good Guard, patron saint of the diocese, venerated in Longpont-sur-Orge, France
• Saint Corbinian, born in Saint-Germain-lès-Arpajon
• Saint Denis of Paris, evangelizer of part of Essonne and revered ni Longpont-sur-Orge
• Saint Eloi, who lived in Chilly-Mazarin
• Saint Germain of Paris
• Saint William of Bourges, son of Count Baldwin IV of Corbeil
• Saint William of Aebelholt, pastor of Brunoy
• Saint Wulfran of Sens, born in Milly-la-Forêt
• Blessed Nativelle, vicar of Longjumeau
• Blessed René Le Bris, pastor of Bris-sous-Forges
• Saint Spire of Bayeux, whose relics are in Corbeil in the cathedral that bears his name
All Saints of Wales
Augustinian Martyrs of Spain
Four Crowned Martyrs: Saint Castorus, Saint Claudius, Saint Nicostratus, and Saint Simpronian. Skilled stone carvers in the 3rd century quarries. Martyred when they refused to carve an idol of Aesculapius for Diocletian. They were drowned in the River Sava in 305. Patronages – • against fever• cattle• sculptors• stone masons, stonecutters.
Martyred in the Spanish Civil War
• BlessedAntolín Pablos Villanueva
• BlessedLaureano Pérez Carrascal
• BlessedManuel Sanz Domínguez
• BlessedMaximino Serrano Sáiz
Thought for the Day – 7 November – The Memorial of Blessed Anthony Baldinucci SJ (1665-1717)
Today, 7 November we celebrate the feast day of Blessed Antonio Baldinucci (1665-1717), a Jesuit missionary who, despite failing health, served the Lord with every ounce of strength and love he possessed. While his heart lay in overseas missions, Anthony obediently remained in Italy, giving great missions, reaching many through his preaching and example and working tirelessly for the conversion of souls. His simple faith and acceptance of the will of the Lord, inspire us today to examine our lives and hopes… and then measure how those relate to what the Lord would have us do.
His words “That God may be moved by my sufferings to touch the hearts of my hearers” are an inspiration to us when we wonder how to offer our sufferings to God. Perhaps ours would be “that God may be moved by my sufferings and use my life as an example to the hearts of sinners.”
Blessed Anthony Baldinucci, Pray for us!
Quote/s of the Day – 7 November “On Achieving Sanctity”
“Come, brothers, let us at length spur ourselves on.
We must rise again with Christ, we must seek the world
which is above and set our mind on the things of heaven.
Let us long for those who are longing for us,
hasten to those who are waiting for us
and ask those who look for our coming to intercede for us.
We should not only want to be with the saints,
we should also hope to possess their happiness.
While we desire to be in their company,
we must also earnestly seek to share in their glory.
Do not imagine that there is anything harmful
in such an ambition as this;
there is no danger in setting our hearts on such glory.”
“Holiness does not consist of doing more difficult things every day
but doing things with greater love every day.
Our great desires for holiness have to be expressed
by persevering in small things.
This has to be your ambition:
to persevere in the exact fulfilment of your present obligations,
because that work – humble, monotonous, small –
is prayer expressed in deeds.
And it prepares us to receive the grace for that other work –
great, broad and deep – about which we dream:
to place Christ at the summit of all human activities.”
“Many little things done with love and for love
comprise our treasure for this or that day,
which we will carry with us into eternity.
Our interior life is normally nourished
by little things carried out with love and attention.”
One Minute Reflection – 7 November – The Memorial of Bl Anthony Baldinucci SJ (1665-1717)
After this I had a vision of a great multitude,
which no one could count,
from every nation, race, people and tongue….Revelations 7:9
REFLECTION – “All Saints is “our” feast, not because we are good but because God’s holiness has touched our life. The Saints aren’t perfect models but persons run through by God. We can compare them to the windows of churches, which let the light enter in different shades of colours. The Saints are our brothers and sisters who received the light of God in their heart and transmitted it to the world, each one according to his own “shade.” However, they were all transparent; they too struggled to remove the stains and the darkness of sin, so as to have God’s kindly light pass through. This is the purpose of life: to have the light of God pass through and also the purpose of our life…..Pope Francis – 1 November 2017
PRAYER – Heavenly Father, may I love and respect Your Saints and by their lives, gain inspiration and assistance. Grant me to obtain an example from their way of life, fellowship in their communion and aid through their prayers. Bl Anthony Baldinucci, displayed a great zeal for teaching and converting sinful souls by his love for the Passion of Your Son and great love for the Holy Eucharist, help me Father to imitate his passionate love. Bl Anthony Baldinucci, pray for us all, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 7 November
O Love Eternal!
By St Francis De Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church
O love eternal,
my soul needs and chooses You eternally!
Ah, come Holy Spirit,
and inflame our hearts with Your love!
To love – or to die!
To die – and to love!
To die to all other love
in order to live in Jesus’ love,
so that we may not die eternally.
But that we may live in Your eternal love,
O Saviour of our souls,
we eternally sing,
Live, Jesus!
Jesus, I love!
Live, Jesus, whom I love!
Jesus, I love,
Jesus who lives and reigns
forever and ever.
Amen.
Saint of the Day – 7 November – Blessed Anthony Baldinucci S.J. (1665-1717) Jesuit Priest, Preacher, Writer and Missionary. Born on 19 June 1665 in Florence, Italy and died on 7 November 1717 of natural causes. Beatified on 23 April 1893 by Pope Leo XIII.
Antonio Baldinucci was born in Florence (Tuscany, Italy), the son of a writer and artist and his wife. he fifth of five sons, Antonio’s parents had promised the Lord prior to his birth that if they produced a son, they would devote his life to Saint Anthony of Padua (whose intercession had cured a family member of serious illness). hen Antonio was born, he was raised in the faith, with the intention of his becoming a priest and serving God as promised by his parents. Antonio embraced his parents’ wishes with the zeal of one on fire for the Lord. ather than rebel, as we might expect from a teenage boy, Antonio instead gravitated to the holy, threw himself into his studies and lived a pious life. At age eleven, he began his studies with the Jesuits at San Giovannino but following his eldest brother’s entrance into the Dominican Order, expressed his wish to follow. he Dominicans, however, refused Antonio’s admission, due to his poor health. nstead, his father recommended that he embark on the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, to attempt to discern God’s plan for his life. Under the spiritual direction of a Jesuit, Antonio was led to seek admission to the Society of Jesusand at the age of 16, began his novitiate in Rome.
Antonio, often ill, was assigned to serve the local Rome community. He first taught the young men at the college, despite his young age. Antonio was not content to remain in Rome, however, expressing his greatest wish to be sent out as a missionary among the Gentiles and to suffer martyrdom for the Lord. He applied, during his tenure with the Jesuits for three overseas missions trips—to India, China, and Japan—and was each time refused, on account of his fragile health. As his health worsened, he experienced debilitating headaches and body fatigue and was sent around the country to various Jesuit houses, seeking advice and cure. Apparently, getting out of Rome was helpful for him and he regained his strength. Allowed to preach, his brothers were amazed by his vigour and success in converting those who heard him!
Returning to Rome, Antonio would spend his afternoons in public places, preaching, and drawing many to the Church. He was ordained at age 30 and immediately applied to be sent overseas as a missionary but again was refused. Instead, Antonio was sent to Frascati, south of Rome, where part of his duties was to provide missions to the poor surrounding towns and villages in the area. Antonio embraced this task with zeal, working among the poor and uneducated for the remainder of his life. Looking to St Ignatius and St Peter Claver as models Antonio traveled barefoot to the towns and villages, regardless of weather. He carried all he needed in a bag on his back and walked with a pilgrim staff. When asked why he walked barefoot, he replied: “That God may be moved by my sufferings to touch the hearts of my hearers.”
Each of Antonio’s missions lasted between eight and fourteen days, depending on the needs of the parish and for his preaching he generally drew from the Spiritual Exercises. At the start of each mission, Blessed Antonio would lead a procession of penitents, during which he wore a crown of thorns, carried a heavy cross and whipped or flagellated himself. This he did as penance for the sins of those he served. Once he had instilled a bit of fear into his mission attendees, Blessed Antonio softened his approach. He spent little time in the pulpit, instead interacting on a personal level with his congregation, writing letters, teaching catechism, visiting and assisting children and the ill. All were welcome, including the ruffians or thugs of the villages. Antonio often began his missions by seeking out the roughest characters of the region and asking them to accompany him, offering him “protection.” By the conclusion of each mission, many of these dissolute characters had come to the faith. Each of Blessed Antonio’s missions ended in the same manner, with a large exhibition where everyone could receive Holy Eucharist. Following Communion, a public burning of cards, dice, obscene pictures, books and secular songs would commence. After one mission, 240 daggers and small guns and 21 pistols were laid at his feet.
Blessed Antonio participated in missions for over 20 years, during that time giving 448 missions in 30 dioceses (an average of 22 each year). Despite this schedule, he found the time to write down many of his sermons, as well as maintain correspondence with those who needed spiritual direction and support. To do so, he maintained a rigorous schedule of work, prayer and penance, sleeping little (about three hours each night on a bed of planks) and fasting constantly. While he had received a special dispensation from Pope Clement XI to not offer daily Mass due to his schedule, he refused to accept it, reading the Liturgy daily.
Gradually, Antonio’s reputation grew and he was summoned to larger and larger cities, drawing great crowds at each mission. Father Baldinucci was deeply devoted to the Eucharist, the Passion of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary. He highly revered an image of the Blessed Virgin with the title, “Refuge of Sinners,” attributing numerous conversions and miraculous cures to its veneration. Beginning a new mission in Frosinone, his health failed him and he was confined to his bed. Although he appeared to others to be recovering, Antonio knew his death was approaching and requested that the image of Mary be placed before him. Repeatedly, he prayed to Our Blessed Mother, “Show yourself to be a Mother.” After asking for the Last Sacraments and despite the fact that he was barely able to speak, Antonio continued to recite the prayer, “Jesus and Mary, my hope,” until his death.
He began to convulse through the night until the following morning and finally at 11.00 am on the morning of 7 November 1717, Fr Baldinucci who was only fifty-two surrendered his soul to his Saviour. The indefatigable priest at his death had served the Society for thirty-five years and spent twenty years as an active preacher in the Italian countryside.
Fr Baldinucci was beatified by Pope Leo XIII on 25 March 1893 and his memorial is liturgically celebrated on 7 July.
Blessed Antonio was buried in the chapel of San Giovanni in Florence.
Thought for the Day – 6 November – The Memorial of St Théophane Vénard (1829-1861) Martyr of Vietnam (The Saint who influenced St Therese of the Child Jesus to dream of becoming a Missionary – she is of course, now a patron of Missionaries).
The letter below holds the last words of Saint Jean-Théophane Vénard—a French Catholic missionary sentenced to death in Vietnam—to his father, written in the night before his execution.
It is said that “on the way to martyrdom Father Vénard chanted psalms and hymns. To his executioner, who coveted his clothing and asked what he would give to be killed promptly, he answered: ‘The longer it lasts the better it will be’.”
“20 January 1861
Very dear, very respected and beloved father,
Because my sentence keeps me waiting I want to send you another goodbye which will probably be the last. The days of my imprisonment are passing gently. Everybody around me honours me, a great number [of people] loves me. From the great Mandarin to the last soldier, everybody regrets that the law of the kingdom condemns me to death. I did not have to endure torture, like many of my brothers. A light cut of a saber will separate my head [from my body], like the gardener cuts a spring flower for his pleasure. We are all flowers planted on this earth that God reaps in His due time, some earlier, some later. May it be the purple rose, the maiden lily, or the humble violet. Let’s all try to please the Lord and Master according to the scent or colour that is given to us.
I wish you, dear father, a long, quiet and virtuous life. Carry gently the cross of this life, like Jesus did, until the day of the peaceful passing. Father and son will meet again in paradise. I, little ephemeral, I will go there first. Goodbye.
Your very devoted and respectful son
J Théophane Vénard”
However, Théophane’s decapitation at the hands of an executioner was a gruesome event. He died, a martyr of Indochina, on February 2, 1861. The best word to describe Théophane Vénard is “happy.” He was happy at home, happy at school and seminary, happy when he was sick, happy to be sent to Vietnam. And he was happy in his hiding hole, happy in his cage and happy to bend his neck for the executioner’s saber. We may not wish for martyrdom but undoubtedly we would like to be infected with a joy like Théophane Vénard.
St Théophane Vénard, Pray for us!
Quote/s of the Day – 6 November – On Achieving Sanctity!
“We must have a real living determination to reach holiness.
‘I will be a saint’ – means I will despoil myself of all that is not God;
I will strip my heart of all created things;
I will live in poverty and detachment;
I will renounce my will,
my inclinations,
my whims and fancies
and make myself a willing slave to the will of God.”
“God’s invitation to become saints is for all, not just a few.
Sanctity therefore must be accessible to all.
In what does it consist?
In a lot of activity? No.
In doing extraordinary things?
No, this could not be for everybody and at all times.
Therefore, sanctity consists in doing good
and in doing this good in whatever condition
and place God has placed us.
Nothing more, nothing outside of this.”
“If God gives you an abundant harvest of trials,
it is a sign of great holiness which He desires you to attain.
Do you want to become a great saint?
Ask God to send you many sufferings.
The flame of Divine Love never rises higher.
than when fed with the wood of the Cross,
which the infinite charity of the Saviour used to finish His sacrifice.
All the pleasures of the world are nothing,
compared with the sweetness found in the gall and vinegar
offered to Jesus Christ. That is:
hard and painful things endured for Jesus Christ
and with Jesus Christ!”
One Minute Reflection – 5 November
With so many witnesses in a great cloud on every side of us, we too, then, should throw off everything that hinders us, especially the sin that clings so easily, and keep running steadily in the race we have started….Hebrews 12:1
REFLECTION – “In Catholic tradition, devotion to the saints is not merely a mark of respect or a brief prayer on certain occasions….but a deeply felt spiritual communion, an attentive study of the precious examples and lessons, which the saints give us to cheer and encourage us.”…St Pope John XXIII
PRAYER – Oh bless us O Holy Father, in Your saints, in the suffering army in Purgatory and in Your angels! May those who stand in adoration with You in Heaven and those who cry out for mercy, be our intercessors as we struggle to throw off everything that hinders us on our way to You and them! Eternal Father, may we reach our heavenly goal by their constant prayer. As we pray for the Holy Souls and they for us, may the Saints and angels be our champions, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 6 November
O Holy Father, Who Dwell in Heaven
By Blessed Columba Marmion
(1858-1923)
O Holy Father, who dwell in heaven,
we are Your children since You do will
to be called our Father.
May Your Name be hallowed, honoured, glorified!
May Your perfections be praised and exalted
more and more upon the earth!
May we manifest in ourselves, by our works,
the splendour of Your grace!
Extend, then, Your reign –
may Your kingdom ever increase,
this kingdom, which is also that of Your Son,
since You have made Him the head of it.
May Your Son be truly the King of our Souls
and may we testify to His Kingship over us,
by perfect accomplishment of Your Will.
May we, like Him, ever seek to adhere to You,
by fulfilling Your good pleasure,
Your eternal designs for us, so as to be like Jesus
in all things and through Him,
worthy children of Your Love!
Amen
Saint of the Day – St Leonard of Noblac (c 496-559) Monk, Hermit, Abbot, Miracle-worker. Patronages – • against burglaries • against robberies or robbers • barrel makers, coopers • blacksmiths • captives, prisoners • childbirth • coal miners • coppersmiths • farmers • greengrocers, grocers • horses • locksmiths • miners • porters • prisoners of war • 33 cities. Attributes – depicted as an abbot holding chains, fetters or locks, or manacles.
Saint Leonard was born to noble and illustrious parents in Gaul (now France), in the castle of Vendome in Orleans. Born into Frankish royalty, he belonged to the court of King Clovis and his relatives were dignitaries, military commanders and people of both privilege and society. Leonard was baptised by future Saint Remigius and the King, himself, stood as sponsor for him. While he was still very young, the kingdom was threatened by an invading army. The Queen, knowing of Leonard’s Christian faith, jokingly suggested to Leonard that he invoke the help of his God to repel an invading repeal the attack. Leonard prayed, the tide of battle turned and the armies of Gaul were victorious. Saint Remigius used this miracle to convert the King and thousands of followers to Christianity.
From an early age, Leonard was destined for the service of the Lord. As he matured, he was so moved by the holy examples of Saint Remigius, Archbishop of Rheims that he renounced the world in order to lead a more perfect life. Looking to Saint Remigius for advice and spiritual guidance, Leonard quickly came to embrace and exemplify the greatest of Christian virtues and while still a young man, took the tonsure (monk’s haircut) as a symbol to the world of his commitment to serving the Lord. His first calling was in service to prisoners, who he showed great charity, and worked miracles of freedom. Leonard asked the kind monarch to grant him personally the right to liberate prisoners whom he would find worthy of it, any time at all. Based upon his exemplary life, prudence and good judgment (despite a young age), the king agreed.
Leonard earned himself a reputation of goodness, piety and sancity and soon all in the kingdom knew of him. He became a person of pilgrimage, with the sick and poor traveling great distances for his healing and charity. To each, he devoted himself, not only taking care of their physical needs but teaching them the virtues of patience and love and instructing them in the ways of sound doctrine. The king, so pleased with the reputation the holy man was earning for the court, desired to attach him permanently into his service but Leonard, ever humble, replied that he preferred to live in humility and obscurity, as Christ had chosen for Himself for so many years. With the king’s permission, Leonard retired to a monastery in Orleans.
Saint Maximin, the abbot of the monastery, saw to it that Leonard was soon ordained a deacon, which office he accepted out of obedience. However, Leonard did not aspire to any additional ecclesiastical dignities. Rather, he desired a life of austerity, sanctification and preaching—the latter task taking him from the monastery to the pagans of the province of Limoges. On his evangelical journeys, Leonard discovered a nearby mountain, heavily forested and rich in solitude. There he built a cell from the fallen branches of trees and remained for some time, taking great pleasure in the provisions of the Lord. Leonard lived on herbs, wild fruits and spring water, relying solely on the Lord to provide. He spent his days in communion with God, devoting himself to prayer, meditation and physical mortification. Somehow, he was still found by those who sought him and continued to work miracles for the people through his devotion and suffering. For example, from his prayers, the spouse of a nearby king successfully delivered a healthy child following a difficult labour. In deep gratitude, the king bestowed upon Saint Leonard the part of the forest in which he lived, allowing him to do with it as he would. Leonard built a beautiful oratory to the Our Blessed Mother, and was soon joined by two disciples.
With a more prominent building, Leonard was easier to find and the sick increased in numbers, seeking healing. Similarly, word of Saint Leonard’s charity toward those in prison spread and following prayers for his intercession, prisoners reported witnessing their chains break before their eyes. These prisoners would then travel in pilgrimage and thanksgiving to Saint Leonard, dragging their heavy chains and offering them in homage. Soon, a large collection of chains and leg irons could be found at the oratory! Saint Leonard treated each of these freed prisoners with respect and dignity, offering those who wished a tract of land in the forest on which to begin anew. Many remained, transforming their lives into honest work, serving the oratory and the poor of the region and coming to Christ through the work of Saint Leonard. Eventually, a monastery was constructed, attracting an even greater number of disciples.
He fell ill while traveling and as the end of his time on earth grew near, he miraculously had himself transported back to the Oratory of Our Lady, where he died. Numerous miracles of healing and freedom continued to occurand he remains a popular saint of intercession throughout France and Europe. After his death, churches and monasteries were widely dedicated to him throughout Europe, including in France, England, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Bohemia, Poland and many other countries. Pilgrims continued to travel long distances to his tomb and over 4,000 miraculous favours have been recorded at his intercession.
St Atticus
St Barlaam of Novgorod
Bl Beatrice of Olive
Bl Christina of Stommeln
St Demetrian of Cyprus
St Edwen of Northumbria
St Efflam of Brittany
St Emilian of Faenza
St Erlafrid of Hirschau
St Felix of Fondi
St Felix of Genoa
St Felix of Thynissa
St Illtyd
St Israel of Limoges
St Leonard of Noblac – https://vimeo.com/164320089
St Leonard of Reresby
Bl Leonianus of Autun
St Melaine of Rennes
St Paul of Constantinople
St Pinnock
St Severus of Barcelona
Bl Simon of Aulne
St Stephen of Apt
St Theobald of Dorat
St Théophane Vénard
St Valentine of Genoa
St Victor Chumillas-Fernández
St Winnoc of Wormhoult
—
All Saints of Ireland
All Saints of Africa
Martyrs of Antioch – 10 saints: Ten Christians murdered together by Arabs after their seizure of Antioch, Syria. No names or other details about them have come down to us. 637 in Antioch, Syria.
Martyrs of Gaza – 9 saints: A group of Christian soldiers who were captured by Saracens invading the area of Gaza in Palestine. When the men continued to profess their Christianity, they were executed. We know the names of some of the martyrs – Himerius, John (2 of them), Kallinikos (Callinoco), Paul, Peter, Stephen and Theodore (2 of them). They were beheaded in Gaza, Palestine.
Martyrs of Spain – 498 saints and beati: – Martyred Franciscan Capuchins of Barcelona – 26 beati
Martyred Vincentians of Spain – 14 beati
Thought for the Day – 5 November – Excerpt from St John Chrysostom’s ((347-407) Homiletic Commentary on Matthew 23:1-12
“And where shall we find this humility? Will ye that we go again to the city of virtue, the tents of the holy men, the mountains. I mean and the groves? For there too shall we see this height of humility.
For men, some illustrious from their rank in the world, some from their wealth, in every way put themselves down, by their vesture, by their dwelling, by those to whom they minister; and, as in written characters, they throughout all things inscribe humility.
And the things that are incentives of arrogance, as to dress well and to build houses splendidly and to have many servants, things which often drive men even against their will to arrogance; these are all taken away. For they themselves light their fire, they themselves cleave the logs, themselves cook, themselves minister to those that come there.
No one can be heard insulting there, nor seen insulted, nor commanded, nor giving commands; but all are devoted to those that are waited on and every one washes the strangers’ feet, and there is much contention about this. And he doeth it, not inquiring who it is, neither if he be a slave, nor if he be free; but in the case of every one fulfills this service. No man there is great nor mean. What then? Is there confusion? Far from it but the highest order. For if any one be mean, he that is great seeth not this but hath accounted himself again to be inferior even to him and so becomes great.
There is one table for all, both for them that are served and for them that serve; the same food, the same clothes, the same dwellings, the same manner of life. He is great there, who eagerly seizes the mean task. There is not mine and thine but this expression is exterminated, that is a cause of countless wars.
4. And why dost thou marvel, if there be one manner of life and table and dress for all, since indeed there is even one soul to all, not in substance only (for this is with all men also) but in love? How then should it ever be lifted up itself against itself? There is no wealth and poverty there, honour and dishonour; how then should haughtiness and arrogance find an entrance? For they are indeed little and great in respect of their virtue; but, as I have said, no one seeth this. He that is little, feels not pain, as despised; for neither is there any one to despise him; and should any one spurn him, this above all are they taught, to be despised, to be spurned, to be set at nought, in word and in deed. And with the poor and maimed do they associate and their tables are full of these guests; so that for this are they worthy of the heavens. And one tends the wounds of the mutilated, another leads the blind by the hand, a third bears him that is lamed of his leg.
There is no multitude of flatterers or parasites there; or rather they know not even what flattery is; whence then could they be lifted up at any time? For there is great equality amongst them, wherefore also there is much facility for virtue.
For by these are they of an inferior sort better instructed, than if they were compelled to give up the first place to them.
For like as the impetuous man derives instruction from him that is smitten and submits to it; so the ambitious from him that claims not glory but despises it. This they do there abundantly and as the strife is great with us to obtain the first place, so great is it with them not to obtain it but utterly to refuse it and great is their earnest desire who shall have the advantage in honouring, not in being honoured.
Quote of the Day – 5 November
“The future is in your hearts
and in your hands.
God is entrusting to you the task,
at once difficult and uplifting,
of working with Him in the building
of the civilisation of love.”
St Pope John Paul II (1920-2005)
One Minute Reflection – 5 November
Neither be called masters, for you have one master, the Christ. He who is greatest among you shall be your servant; whoever exalts himself will be humbled and whoever humbles himself will be exalted...Matthew 23:10-11
REFLECTION – “In a very poor plantation village in Sri Lanka, I was received with unimaginable honours. For days the first visit of a cardinal had been prepared: garlands, the long road neatly and painstakingly covered with fresh sand, flowers, music, everything that these poor people were able to muster. When we finally reached the church–a wretched building-the Jesuit Father, who had been living there, impoverished, for forty years among his parish children, whispered in my ear: “Do not believe that these people did all that on account of Christoph Schönborn. They do it for Christ.”…Encountering Christ in the Gospel | Excerpts from Cardinal Christoph Schönborn’s ‘My Jesus’
PRAYER – Lord God, teach us humility, to give and not to count ever the cost to ourselves, to take the lowest part and the back seat – teach us Lord, to strive and not to seek for glory, save for that of Your Kingdom. Lord have mercy on us all, who seek rewards for our own sakes, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 5 November – 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time A
YOUR SACRED TABLE
A Prayer Before Holy Communion
By St Francis de Sales
Divine Saviour,
we come to Your sacred table
to nourish ourselves,
not with bread but with Yourself,
true Bread of eternal life.
Help us daily to make a good
and perfect meal
of this divine food.
Let us be continually refreshed
by the perfume of Your kindness and goodness.
May the Holy Spirit fill us with His Love.
Meanwhile, let us prepare a place
for this holy food by emptying our hearts.
Amen
Feast of the Holy Relics – 5 November
By relics of the Saints we mean all that remains of them after their death — their bones, their ashes, their clothing and other objects used by them. Enemies of the Church have condemned the cult of the Relics of the Saints as being borrowed from pagan customs and without apostolic origin. The decision of the Council of Trent suffices to show, the falsehood and bad faith of their reasoning. That Council, in effect, decreed quite otherwise that the bodies of the martyrs and other Saints, who were the living members of Jesus Christ and the temples of the Holy Spirit, must be honoured by the faithful and that through them, God grants a great many benefits to the living. Its decision was based on the usage already established in the 1st Century and which has remained constant in the Church, and on the teaching of the Fathers and Councils.
The cult of Holy Relics is, therefore, not only permitted but commanded; it is not only a right but, a duty. Let us note well that the cult of Holy Relics diverges from pagan practices, in that it is supernatural. We do not honour what remains of the Saints for any motive derived from naturaL but, from motives based on the Faith. If one honours the memory and remains of great men worthy of that appellation, it is regarded as justice but, when one honours the memory and remains of the Saints, it is more than justice, it is the virtue of religion. The final object of the cult of the Holy Relics, is God, Who sanctifies the Saints; it is Jesus Christ, Whose members the Saints are. This cult is so legitimate that God Himself sometimes glorifies the Relics of His Saints by heavenly perfumes, by other marvellous privileges, by countless miracles. Let us add, the cult of Holy Relics also has its foundation in the glorious Resurrection which is awaiting the bodies of the Saints. God Himself will reassemble these remains at the end of the world and will give them all the brilliance and beauty of which they are capable.
Let us then venerate, with respect, devotion and confidence,, these precious Relics which once were animated by such great souls, were the instruments of beautiful and holy works and of astonishing virtues and which, will some day be honoured by a brilliant and immortal glory. Let us value pilgrimages made to the tombs of the Saints and celebrate, religiously, the Feast of the Holy Relics, which appropriately follows closely upon All Saints Day and the Feast day of the splendid Holy Souls who are in Heaven.
Feast of Holy Relics
St Augustine of Terracina
Bl Bernhard Lichtenberg
St Bertille
St Canonica
St Comasia
St Ðaminh Mau
St Dominator of Brescia
St Domninus the Physician
St Epistemis
St Eusebius of Terracina
St Felix of Terracina
St Fibitius
St Galation
St Gerald of Beziers
Bl Gomidas Keumurjian
Bl Gregory Lakota
St Guetnoco
St Guido Maria Conforti
St St Hermenegild
St Idda
St Juan Antoni Burró Mas
St Juan Duarte Martín
St Kanten
St Kea
St Laetus of Orleans
St Magnus of Milan
St Mamete
St Marco of Troia
Bl María del Carmen Viel Ferrando
Bl Simon Ballachi
St Spinulus of Moyen-Moûtier
St Sylvanus of Syria
—
Martyrs of Caesarea Maritima – 4 saints: Four young Christian men who were martyred together in the persecutions of Maximian – Aussenzius, Philotheus, Timothy and Theotimus. They were martyred in the arena at Caesarea Maritima, Palestine.
Martyred in the Spanish Civil War:
• Blessed Juan Antoni Burró Mas
• Blessed Juan Duarte Martín
• Blessed María del Carmen Viel Ferrando
Pope Benedict XVI on the Commemoration of the fourth centenary of the Canonisation of St Charles Borromeo (1538-1584) – 4 November 2010
With the Church, we pray,
Preserve in the midst of Your people, we ask, O Lord, the spirit with which you filled the Bishop Saint Charles Borromeo, that Your Church may be constantly renewed and, by conforming herself to the likeness of Christ, may show His face to the world.
The Pope emeritus writes:
Lumen caritatis. The light of charity of St Charles Borromeo has illumined the whole Church and, by renewing the miracles of the love of Christ, our Supreme and Eternal Pastor, has brought new life and new youthfulness to God’s flock, which was going through sorrowful and difficult times. For this reason I join with all my heart in the joy of the Ambrogian Archdiocese in commemorating the fourth centenary of the Canonisation of this great Pastor on 1 November 1610.
1. The time in which Charles Borromeo lived was very delicate for Christianity. In it the Archbishop of Milan gave a splendid example of what it means to work for the reform of the Church. There were many disorders to sanction, many errors to correct and many structures to renew; yet St Charles strove for a profound reform of the Church, starting with his own life. It was in himself, in fact, that the young Borromeo promoted the first and most radical work of renewal. His career had begun promisingly in accordance with the canons of that time: for the younger son of the noble family Borromeo, a future of prosperity and success lay in store, an ecclesiastical life full of honours but without any ministerial responsibilities; he also had the possibility of assuming the direction of the family after the unexpected death of his brother Federico.
Yet Charles Borromeo, illumined by Grace, was attentive to the call with which the Lord was attracting him and desiring him to dedicate the whole of himself to the service of his people. Thus he was capable of making a clear and heroic detachment from the lifestyle characterised by his worldly dignity and dedication without reserve to the service of God and of the Church. In times that were darkened by numerous trials for the Christian community, with divisions and confusions of doctrine, with the clouding of the purity of the faith and of morals and with the bad example of various sacred ministries, Charles Borromeo neither limited himself to deploring or condemning nor merely to hoping that others would change but rather set about reforming his own life which, after he had abandoned wealth and ease, he filled with prayer, penance and loving dedication to his people. St Charles lived heroically the evangelical virtues of poverty, humility and chastity, in a continuous process of ascetic purification and Christian perfection.
He was aware that a serious and credible reform had to begin precisely with Pastors if it was to have beneficial and lasting effects on the whole People of God. In this action of reform he was able to draw from the traditional and ever living sources of the Catholic Church: the centrality of the Eucharist, in which he recognised and proposed anew the adorable presence of the Lord Jesus and of his Sacrifice of love for our salvation; the spirituality of the Cross as a force of renewal, capable of inspiring the daily exercise of the evangelical virtues; assiduous reception of the Sacraments in which to accept with faith the action of Christ who saves and purifies His Church; the word of God, meditated upon, read and interpreted in the channel of Tradition; love for and devotion to the Supreme Pontiff in prompt and filial obedience to his instructions as a guarantee of full ecclesial communion.
The extraordinary reform that St Charles carried out in the structures of the Church in total fidelity to the mandate of the Council of Trent was also born from his holy life, ever more closely conformed to Christ. His work in guiding the People of God, as a meticulous legislator and a brilliant organizer was marvellous. All this, however, found strength and fruitfulness in his personal commitment to penance and holiness. Indeed this is the Church’s primary and most urgent need in every epoch: that each and every one of her members should be converted to God. Nor does the ecclesial community lack trials and suffering in our day and it shows that it stands in need of purification and reform. May St Charles’ example always spur us to start from a serious commitment of personal and community conversion to transform hearts, believing with steadfast certainty in the power of prayer and penance. I encourage sacred ministers, priests and deacons in particular to make their life a courageous journey of holiness, not to fear being drunk with that trusting love for Christ that made Bishop Charles ready to forget himself and to leave everything. Dear brothers in the ministry, may the Ambrogian Church always find in you a clear faith and a sober and pure life that can renew the apostolic zeal which St Ambrose, St Charles and many of your holy Pastors possessed!
2. During St Charles’ episcopate, the whole of his vast diocese felt infected with a current of holiness that spread to the entire people. How did this Bishop, so demanding and strict, manage to fascinate and to win over the Christian people? The answer is easy: St Charles enlightened the people and enticed them with the ardour of his love. “Deus caritas est”, and where there is a living experience of love the profound Face of God who attracts us and makes us His own is revealed.
The love of St Charles Borromeo was first and foremost the love of the Good Shepherd who is ready to give his whole life for the flock entrusted to his care, putting the demands and duties of his ministry before any form of personal interest, amenity or advantage. Thus the Archbishop of Milan, faithful to the Tridentine directives, visited several times his immense Diocese even the most remote localities, and took care of his people, nourishing them ceaselessly with the Sacraments and with the word of God through his rich and effective preaching; he was never afraid to face adversities and dangers to defend the faith of the simple and the rights of the poor.
St Charles, moreover, was recognised as a true and loving father of the poor. Love impelled him to empty his home and to give away his possessions in order to provide for the needy, to support the hungry, to clothe and relieve the sick. He set up institutions that aimed to provide social assistance and to rescue people in need; but his charity for the poor and the suffering shone out in an extraordinary way during the plague of 1576 when the holy Archbishop chose to stay in the midst of his people to encourage them, serve them and defend them with the weapons of prayer, penance and love.
Furthermore it was charity that spurred Borromeo to become an authentic and enterprising educator: for his people with schools of Christian doctrine; for the clergy with the establishment of seminaries; for children and young people with special initiatives for them and by encouraging the foundation of religious congregations and confraternities dedicated to the formation of children and young people.
Charity was always the deep motive of the severity with which St Charles practiced fasting, penance and mortification. For the holy Bishop it was not only a matter of ascetic practices aiming for his own spiritual perfection but rather of a true ministerial means for expiating sins, for invoking the conversion of sinners and for interceding for his children’s needs.
Throughout his life, therefore, we may contemplate the light of evangelical charity, of forbearing, patient and strong love that “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Cor 13:7). I thank God that the Church of Milan has always had a wealth of vocations especially dedicated to charity; I praise the Lord for the splendid fruits of love for the poor, of service to the suffering and of attention to youth of which it can be proud. May St Charles’ example of prayer obtain that you may be faithful to this heritage, so that every baptised person can live out in contemporary society that fascinating prophecy which, in every epoch, is the love of Christ alive in us.
3. However it is impossible to understand the charity of St Charles Borromeo without knowing his relationship of passionate love with the Lord Jesus. He contemplated this love in the holy mysteries of the Eucharist and of the Cross, venerated in very close union with the mystery of the Church. The Eucharist and the Crucified One immersed St Charles in Christ’s love and this transfigured and kindled fervour in his entire life, filled his nights spent in prayer, motivated his every action, inspired the solemn Liturgies he celebrated with the people and touched his heart so deeply that he was often moved to tears.
His contemplative gaze at the holy Mystery of the Altar and at the Crucified one stirred within him feelings of compassion for the miseries of humankind and kindled in his heart the apostolic yearning to proclaim the Gospel to all. On the other hand we know well that there is no mission in the Church which does not stem from “abiding” in the love of the Lord Jesus, made present within us in the Eucharistic Sacrifice. Let us learn from this great Mystery! Let us make the Eucharist the true centre of our communities and allow ourselves to be educated and moulded by this abyss of love! Every apostolic and charitable deed will draw strength and fruitfulness from this source!
4. The splendid figure of St Charles suggests to me a final reflection which I address to young people in particular. The history of this great Bishop was in fact totally determined by some courageous “yeses”, spoken when he was still very young. When he was only 24 years old he decided to give up being head of the family to respond generously to the Lord’s call; the following year he accepted priestly and episcopal Ordination. At the age of 27 he took possession of the Ambrogian Diocese and gave himself entirely to pastoral ministry. In the years of his youth St Charles realized that holiness was possible and that the conversion of his life could overcome every bad habit. Thus he made his whole youth a gift of love to Christ and to the Church, becoming an all-time giant of holiness.
Dear young people, let yourselves be renewed by this appeal that I have very much at heart: God wants you to be holy, for He knows you in your depths and loves you with a love that exceeds all human understanding. God knows what is in your hearts and is waiting to see the marvellous gift He has planted within you blossom and bear fruit. Like St Charles, you too can make your youth an offering to Christ and to your brethren. Like him you can decide, in this season of life, “to put your stakes” on God and on the Gospel. Dear young people, you are not only the hope of the Church; you are already part of her present! And if you dare to believe in holiness you will be the greatest treasure of your Ambrogian Church which is founded on Saints.
Venerable Brother, I joyfully entrust these reflections to you and as I invoke the heavenly intercession of St Charles Borromeo and the constant protection of Mary Most Holy, I warmly impart to you and to the entire Archdiocese a special Apostolic Blessing.
From the Vatican, 1 November 2010, the fourth centenary of the canonization of St Charles Borromeo.
Pope Benedict XVI
This letter addressed Dionigi Cardinal Tettamanzi, Archbishop of Milan, on the occasion of the 400th Anniversary of the Canonisation of Saint Charles Borromeo.
Thought for the Day – 4 November – The Memorial of St Charles Borromeo (1538-1584)
“An austere, dedicated, humourless and uncompromising personality” is the way that a biographer—an admiring biographer—describes Charles Borromeo. Charged with implementing the reforms dictated by the Council of Trent, Borromeo had to be tough and his toughness brought him into conflict with secular leaders, priests and even the pope himself.
Borromeo can offer us crucial inspiration and some very specific advice about tough love. For the larger good of the church during a time when it was beleaguered, he knew that he had to sacrifice his own popularity. His example demonstrates that we must be brave in God’s service.
He also also teaches crucial fairness. Evenhanded in his demands, he expected the same compliance with Council of Trent reforms from everyone. Bishops and priests alike had to dismiss their female relatives from their households; all schoolteachers—no exceptions—were required to make public professions of faith; every workingman who was apprehended in the street by one of the Archbishop’s “fishers” on Sunday was escorted to catechism class. Borromeo reminds us that the rules must be the same for all and that we will not succeed if we make exceptions and play favourites.
Borromeo’s life reminds us that we cannot be hypocrites. If we expect to re-invigorate our family, our parish, our workplace for example, we must model that reform in our own lives. While others may be displeased with us at first and while we may face hard words, we must take courage and know that the larger cause for which we work is worth the effort, and the pain.
St Charles Borromeo, pray for us!
Quote/s of the Day – 4 November – The Memorial of St Charles Borromeo (1538-1584)
“If we wish to make any progress in the service of God
we must begin every day of our life with new eagerness.
We must keep ourselves in the presence of God,
as much as possible and have no other view or end,
in all our actions but the divine honour.”
“I admit that we are all weak but if we want help,
the Lord God has given us the means to find it easily.
Would you like me to teach you how to grow from
virtue to virtue and how, if you are already recollected at prayer,
you can be even more attentive next time
and so give God more pleasing worship?
Listen, and I will tell you.
If a tiny spark of God’s love already burns within you,
do not expose it to the wind, for it may get blown out.
Keep the stove tightly shut so that it will not lose its heat
and grow cold.
In other words, avoid distractions as well as you can.
Stay quiet with God.
Do not spend your time in useless chatter.”
“Be sure that you first preach by the way you live.
If you do not, people will notice that you say one thing
but live otherwise and your words will bring
only cynical laughter and a derisive shake of the head.”
Saint of the Day – 4 November – St Charles Borromeo (1538-1584) Archbishop of Milan, Cardinal, Doctor of Theology, Civil and Canon Law, Reformer, Founder of Seminaries. He is known as the “Father of the Clergy” Born Count Carlo Borromeo on the morning of Wednesday 2 October 1538 in the Castle at Aron, Diocese of Novara, Italy and he died at 8:30pm on 3 November 1584 of a fever at Milan, Italy. His will named the Hospital Maggiore of Milan as his heir. He is buried in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Milan – the famous and breath-taking “Duomo Milan.” His Relics were transferred to a Chapel built by Count Renato Borromeo in piazza San Maria Podone, Milan on 21 September 1751. St Charles was Beatified in 1602 by Pope Clement VIII and Canonised on 1 November 1610 by Pope Paul V. Patronages – • against abdominal pain • against intestinal disorders • against ulcers• apple orchards• Bishops, Priests, Seminarians • Catechists• Catechumens• spiritual directors• spiritual leaders• starch makers• 3 Dioceses• 3 Italian Cities. Attributes – • cardinal wearing a cord around his neck; it symbolises the cord or halter worn around his neck during the plague of Milan, Italy in 1575 • bishop wearing a cord around his neck • cleric curing the sick • Holy Communion • one hand raised in blessing, thus recalling his work during the plague • coat of arms bearing the word Humilitas (Humility) his emblem.
Count Carlo/Charles was born into the highest echelons of Renaissance life. The nephew of Pius IV, he was destined for great things in the Church. His successful career demonstrates the positive possibilities of Renaissance political life. Given every chance at success by his lineage and connections, he seized each opportunity and turned it to the service of God, the Church and his people. While many with similar chances squandered their advantages, Charles showed that such assets should not be guiltily eschewed or be a cause of embarrassment, so long as they are put to the service of the Good, the True and the Beautiful.
Charles was prepared for his later career by his aristocratic responsibilities, becoming a skilled administrator and diplomat at a very young age. At the same time he tirelessly pursued his studies, becoming a Doctor utriusque Iuris (a Doctor of both Civil and Canon Law) at 21 years old. With the accession of his uncle to the throne of Peter, he was called to Rome and immediately was created a cardinal-deacon. Such a position was advantageous because he became one of the closest associates of the pope, with all the dignity of a cardinal but without the responsibility for care of souls. He reformed the city of Rome and the Papal States thoroughly and was given increasing responsibilities. The papal curia was purified by his example of holiness and sobriety. He cultivated the friendship of other saints, such as Philip Neri and together they provided the pattern for a renewed curia. He gathered a circle of learned friends around him and sponsored literary, academic and musical activity, being in particular a patron of Palestrina.
For his handling of the delicate negotiations needed for keeping the Council of Trent from falling apart, Charles was awarded with the see of Milan. He began to shift his focus as well, for he had experienced a deep spiritual conversion as the result of the untimely death of his elder brother and dedicated the rest of his life entirely to the good of his people and his Church. Being one of the most famous and largest sees in Christendom, Milan was a microcosm that displayed both the grandeur and the corruption of Renaissance Catholicism.
Charles set about immediately implementing the reforming decrees of Trent. Had other bishops swiftly implemented the decrees, as Charles had, the damage from the Reformation may have been mightily checked. In any case, he found a diocese filled to the brim with time-servers, beneficed layabouts and outright corrupt and vile clergy. He set out for a purification. He set the tone with his mighty motto Humilitas and he began to demonstrate one of the most powerful roles in all of Church history: that of a holy bishop. Charles knew that the mission of the Church to convert the nations and to win back the Protestants must begin at home. The Church must be reformed from within, before she could bear effective testimony without.
He was convinced that the heart of the problem was the abuses caused, intentionally or not, by ignorant clergy. Corruption was comparatively easy to root up but the wholesale re-education of the clergy was a project for generations. To this end he set up the massive seminary of San Pietro Martire on the site of that saint’s murder in Seveso. It was to be the prototype of the professionalisation of the clergy that would set a pattern for the rest of the Catholic world, one of the most significant developments in the last 500 years of Catholicism. He knew that care of priests was essential before the laity could be properly educated and cultivated. Here is a link to Pope Francis’s visit to the St Charles Borromeo Seminary – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=495XzwybBS0
Doctrine was at the heart of his pastoral ministry. Trent had codified dogma and made it the basis of its reforming decrees. Charles carried this message that the truth itself was the best foundation of pastoral ministry. He reformed recalcitrant monks and nuns, calling them back to fidelity to their oaths and vows, rather than tolerating their laxity. Indeed one decadent member of the order of the Humiliati even tried to assassinate him at prayer, firing a point blank shot that miraculously left him nearly unharmed. He himself was one of the saints in charge of the Roman Catechism and the founder of the concept of Sunday school for lay children, educating them in the rudiments of the Catholic faith. He brought to the streets of Milan, Truth incarnated as a person, both in the Blessed Sacrament and in his life of imitating Christ. There was no divorce between his pastoral and doctrinal responsibilities, such a novel idea would have been treated by him as the worst form of heresy. For Charles, Christ the Merciful was Incarnate Truth itself.
He retained a simple devotion to Our Lady of Loreto and ministered personally to the plague victims of the city, spending his personal fortune for their relief and walking barefoot in sackcloth and ashes in penance for them before God. Yet at the same time he never forgot his office as a prince of the Church and the Successor of the Apostles. He repeatedly challenged the secular authorities who sought to circumscribe the liberties of the Church. He personally went to Santa Maria della Scala, to receive their obedience after they had appealed to the secular authority over him. He came in full pontifical regalia, bearing the crucifix, and pronounced a public excommunication at their door. A supporter of the disobedient church fired a shot at him, which was blocked only by the Cross of Christ he bore. He tirelessly traveled to the rural areas of his diocese, especially the Alpine valleys that suffered under heresy. To the peripheries he went—areas ignored by his noble predecessors—but Charles did not go there to confirm the people in their error, he came to bring the freedom of Truth. He took his duty of visitation seriously, removing the corrupt, correcting the erring and ensuring the proper celebration of his beloved Ambrosian rite.
He was a friend and confrere to many of the saints of the Catholic Reform, St Francis Borgia, St Philip Neri, Bl Bartholomew of Braga and many others, having a special predilection for the English priests who would later be martyred. His solicitude for the liturgy was exceptional, knowing it to be the key to the spirituality and doctrinal fidelity of the laity. Indeed, once he wanted to bless a cemetery but abandoned the idea when he discovered he did not have the requisite pontifical vestments. The service of God demanded the very best at all times. On his deathbed, he forbade the saying of Holy Mass in his room, considering it unfit for the sacrifice of the Mass and insisted on being vested in Rochet and Stole for the reception of his Viaticum. This was no violation of Humilitasbut rather its highest expression: utter, complete and humble service to his position as the successor of St Ambrose. He lived simply, devoutly and penitently but when he executed his office he bore the weight of tradition, history and doctrine.
Charles was beloved by his people of Milan and was respected by all throughout Europe, being rapidly canonised in the year 1610. His life demonstrates the fallacy implied by the words of a contemporary cardinal, who declared that mercy and doctrine were equal parts of revelation. Charles would have known that such a statement was nonsensical and opposed to the definitions of Trent (and Vatican II for that matter). He would gently correct his colleague. Mercy is part of the doctrine of the Church but, more to the point, the whole and complete doctrine of the Church is mercy for a fallen humanity. Truth is mercy; error is slavery. St Charles demonstrates for us that the Church needs reform in every age but it must be a reform that results in a re-conformation to the Face of her Founder. May the example of the holy bishop of the Counter Reform (who kept an image of Sts Thomas More and John Fisher on his person) animate those who would make novel arguments contrary to the faith of Christ.
St Charles Borromeo, Father of the Clergy, pray for us all!
AnaStpaul 
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