Thought for the Day – 11 November – Monday of the Thirty Second week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 17:1-6 and The Memorial of Saint Martin of Tours (c 316-397)
St Martin, the Miracle-Worker
By St John Henry Newman (1801-1890)
Two Essays on Biblical and Ecclesiastical Miracles
And the Lord said, “If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this sycamine tree, ‘Be rooted up and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.”
Luke 17:6
“Before Martin was a Bishop, while he was near St Hilary at Poitiers, a certain Catechumen, who lived in his monastery, died of a fever, in Martin’s absence, without baptism. On his return, the Saint went by himself, into the cell where the body lay, threw himself upon it, prayed and then raising himself with his eyes fixed on it, patiently waited his restoration, which took place before the end of two hours …. At another time, on his giving orders for cutting down a pine to which idolatrous honour was paid, a heathen said, “If thou has confidence in thy God, let us hew the tree and do thou receive it as it falls. If thy Lord is with thee, thou wilt escape harm.” Martin accepted the condition and when the tree was falling upon him, made the Sign of the Cross. The tree reeled round and fell on the other side! This miracle converted the vast multitude who were spectators of it.”
Quote/s of the Day – 12 November – The Memorial of Saint Martin of Tours (c 316-397) and Blessed Vincenza Maria Poloni (1802-1855)
Lord, if Your people still have need of my services, I will not avoid the toil. Your will be done. I have fought the good fight long enough. Yet, if You bid me to continue to hold the battle line, in defence of Your camp, I will never beg to be excused from failing strength. I will do the work You entrust to me. While You command, I will fight beneath Your banner. Amen
Saint Martin of Tours (c 316-397)
“The poor are our masters, let us love them and serve them, as we would serve Jesus Christ Himself. “
One Minute Reflection – 12 November – Monday of the Thirty Second week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 17:1-6 and the Memorial of St Martin of Tours
“… if he sins against you seven times in the day and turns to you, seven times and says, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.” … Luke 17:4
REFLECTION – “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Cor 13:7). By this the apostle Paul showed that love can persevere steadfastly because it has learned to endure all things. And in another place he says: “Bear with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace” (Eph 4:2-3).
Neither unity nor peace can be preserved, unless brothers cherish one another, with mutual forbearance and preserve the bond of unity, with patience as intermediary. How then will you be able to endure these things – not to swear or curse, not to seek again what has been taken away from you, on receiving a blow to offer the other cheek also to your assailant, to forgive your brother who offends you, not only seventy times seven times but all his offences without exception, to love your enemies, to pray for your adversaries and persecutors, if you do not have the steadfastness of patience and forbearance?
We see what happened in the case of Stephen. When he was being killed by the violence and stones of the Jews, he did not ask for vengeance but forgiveness for his murderers, saying: “Lord, do not hold this sin against them” (Acts 7:60).” … St Cyprian of Carthage (c 200- c 258) Bishop and Martyr, Father of the Church – The Good of Patience
PRAYER – Lord God, Your Son has shown us the way. As we follow in His steps, may we never wander from the path that leads to life. Renew the wonders of Your grace in our hearts so that neither death nor life may separate us from Your love. Holy Father, as You were glorified by the life and death of St Martin, grant that by his prayers, we may receive strength to always give You our hearts, minds and selves. Through our Lord, Jesus Christ, with You in union with the Holy Spirit, one God for all eternity, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 11 November – Monday of the Thirty Second Week in Ordinary Time, Year C
In the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit By St Hilary of Poitiers (315-368) Father & Doctor of the Church
Father, keep us from vain strife of words.
Grant to us constant profession of the Truth!
Preserve us in a true and undefiled faith
so that we may hold fast to that
which we professed
when we were baptised
in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
that we may have You for our Father,
that we may abide in Your Son
and in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.
Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord.
Amen
Saint of the Day – Blessed Vincenza Maria Poloni (1802-1855) Nun and Co-Founder of Sisters of Mercy of Verona, Apostle of the Holy Eucharist and of Charity and Mercy to the Sick, the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts, Our Lady of Sorrows – Born as Luigia Francesca Maria on 26 January 1802 in Verona, Italy and died on 11 November 1855 in Verona, Italy of cancer. She is Patron of the Order she founded. Additional memorial – 10 September, within her Order.
On 26 January 1802, in Verona, at the present number 8 of Piazza delle Erbe, the Servant of God Vincenza Maria Poloni was born to Gaetano and Margherita Biadego. In the afternoon of the same day, she was baptised in the Parish of St Maria Antica near the Scaliger Tombs with the name of Luigia Francesca Maria.
She was the last of twelve children – all the others being brothers, of whom nine died at an early age. Luigia grew up in a family atmosphere permeated by solid religious principles and a style of solidarity with the weakest. From her parents, she absorbed the sense of faith, prayer and industriousness and received a degree of education appropriate to her social condition.
A young woman of open and lively genius, she became the mother’s right hand in the care of the home, the irreplaceable support in the education of the numerous grandchildren, the caring assistant of a sister-in-law who was often sick and the main help in her father’s shop. Also, her brother Apollonio, found in his sister Luigia, a valid support for the management and administration of the complex agricultural activity in Palazzina (Verona).
Under the spiritual direction of Blessed Karl Steeb (1773 – 1856), her heart went along with the calls of the Holy Spirit who led her with ever greater inspiration, to devote time and attention to the elderly and chronically ill at the Pius Ricovero home. In 1836, during a terrible cholera epidemic, she showed unconditional assistance in the emergency wards, endangering her own health.
Meanwhile, God’s will was becoming more and more clear, the elderly and the sick constituted the body of the suffering Christ to whom He generously gave Himself and to whom He wanted to attract others who would offer themselves with Him.
Overcoming the many resistances posed by family members, who considered Blessed Vincenza, to be indispensable to the well-being of the family, on 2 November 1840 she settled with three companions in two small rooms at the Pio Ricovero to devote herself full time to the service of the elderly and the sick.
The beginnings of God’s works are always characterised by the zeal of self-giving and by a generous poverty, chosen consciously. Those four people immediately assumed the lifestyle of a religious community marked by a strict timetable, fervent prayer and a total service of charity towards others. Soon other companions were added, a house was purchased, civil and canonical authorisations were obtained and so on 10 September 1848 Luigia Poloni, she taking the name of Vincenza Maria and twelve sisters took religious vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.
The Sorelle della Misericordia Institute of Verona became a reality. A new source of light and love flowed in Verona, a city of saints and blesseds.
Blessed Karl & Blessed Mother Vincenza at the Sorelle della Misericordia in Verona
Mother Vincenza Maria, in the fifteen years she lived after the foundation of the Institute, exercised her mission of assistance to the elderly, sick and orphan children with admirable zeal. With the wisdom that derived from her temperament, from the experience of life in the family and above all from fidelity to the Spirit, the Community expanded reaching – at her death – the number of 48 sisters.
With the example of life and teaching, she recommended to her daughters rectitude in action, tenderness towards the sick, patience in tribulations, humility in recognising their mistakes, charity towards others, especially towards Poors. She used to say: ” The poor are our masters, let us love them and serve them as we would serve Jesus Christ Himself. “
Blessed Vincenza endured difficulties and sacrifices with faith and confidence in the divine Providence. She cultivated prayer, love for the Eucharist, devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows, to the Most Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. She also nurtured a particular devotion towards St Vincent de Paul, the saint to whom Blessed Karl Steeb was inspired in laying down the Rules for the Institute that was about to arise.
The fame of the new Institute spread even outside Verona and Mother Vincenza Maria soon received requests for sisters to establish a service of mercy, in other cities and countries. The first communities were opened in Cologna Veneta, Montagnana, Zevio, Este and Monselice.
Sisters of Mercy Emblem
In the last years of her life, Mother Vincenza Maria was struck by a tumour that slowly but inexorably consumed her . She endured the pain with Christian fortitude and in silence so as not to be a burden to the sisters. She underwent surgery and even more painful treatment without anesthesia.
He spent the last ten days of her life in preparation for death, comforted by the presence of her spiritual director, Don Karl Steeb, who gave her the sacrament of the sick.
She entered eternity at 9.00 on 11 November 1855, leaving her daughters the treasure of her example and a wonderful spiritual testament in which she recommended charity with all her strength. Those words seem written with her blood and still have the charm of a heroism achieved by her commitment to conformity to Christ. Her figure constitutes a shining light that shows us the sure path of holiness.
This pearl could not remain hidden, so we say our thanks to the Church which, after scrupulous historical and theological examination, officially recognised on 28 April 2006 the exercise of the heroic virtues of mother Vincenza Maria Poloni and 17 December 2007 the miraculous healing of Sr Virginia Agostini, who had turned to her intercession in 1939.
Today our joy is complete, because Mother Vincenza Maria is officially proclaimed Blessed by the Church. A new saint is offered to us as an example and as a protector. … Vatican.va
Bl Alicia Maria jadwiga Kotowska
St Bartholomew of Rossano
St Bertuin of Malonne
St Cynfran of Wales
St Isidre Costa Hons St John the Almoner (c 550-c 616) St John’s Life: https://anastpaul.com/2018/11/11/saint-of-the-day-11-november-st-john-the-almoner-c-550-c-616/
Bl Josaphat Chichkov
Bl Kamen Vitchev Bl (Luigia) Vincenza Maria Poloni (1802-1855)
St Marina of Omura
St Menas Kallikelados
St Mennas of Santomenna
St Mercurius the Soldier
Bl Pavel Dzjidzjov
St Rhediw
St Theodore the Studite
St Turibius of Palencia
St Veranus of Lyon
St Veranus of Vence
Bl Vincent Eugene Bossilkoff
—
Martyrs of Torredembarra: Members of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, Discalced Carmelites, and Carmelite Tertiaries of Education who were martyred together in the Spanish Civil War.
• Blessed Bonaventura Toldrà Rodon
• Blessed Damián Rodríguez Pablo
• Blessed Felipe Arce Fernández
• Blessed Frederíc Vila Bartolì
• Blessed Isidre Tarsá Giribets
• Blessed Joan Roca Vilardell
• Blessed José Alberich Lluch
• Blessed Josep Boschdemont Mitjavila
• Blessed Josep Maria Bru Ralduá
• Blessed Julio Alameda Camarero
• Blessed Lluís Domingo Oliva
• Blessed Mariano Navarro Blasco
• Blessed Miquel Saludes Ciuret
• Blessed Pedro de Eriz Eguiluz
They were martured on 11 November 1936 in Torredembarra, Tarragona, Spain and Beatified
• 13 October 2013 by Pope Francis
• beatification celebrated in Tarragona, Spain.
AnaStpaul 
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