Thought for the Day – 31 March – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Entertainment and Sport
“It is wrong to imagine that Christianity is a sad and gloomy religion.
Quite otherwise, it is the religion of joy, that is, which comes from God, from the serenity of a sound conscience and from the hope and sure expectation of the immeasurable happiness of heaven, after the trials of this world are over.
Other pleasures are passing and often leave behind disillusionment, boredom and remorse.
The happiness of living a sincere Christian life does not vanish, even in the midst of suffering, for it bestows an inner peace, which nothing else can give. “The kingdom of God,” says St Paul, “does not consist in food and drink but in justice and peace and joy, in the Holy Spirit” (Rom 14:17). “The fruit of the Spirit,” he says in his letter to the Galatians, “is charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness…” (Gal 5:22).
St John the Apostle, writing to the faithful of his time, encourages them to be joyful with the joy which comes from Jesus Christ. “These things we write to you that you may rejoice and our joy may be full” (1 Jn 1:4).
It is not contrary to Christian teaching, to indulge in lawful recreation and amusement.
If a bow is drawn too tight, it snaps.
Our physical constitution demands that after our work, we should rest.
Resting does not mean idleness and inactivity but suitable recreation and entertainment.
God, Himself, set aside six days for working and one for repose.
This day of solemn repose, however, should be dedicated in a particular way to God, by the fulfilment of the obligations which the Church prescribes.
But, there is no question of our being forbidden to refresh ourselves, mentally and physically, on this day, by suitable entertainment.”
Antonio Cardinal Bacci
The image is, of course, our mountain-climbing Blessed,
Quote/s of the Day – 31 March – Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Lent
“This is that enviable and blessed Cross of Christ . . . the Cross in which alone, we must make our boast, as Paul, God’s chosen instrument, has told us.”
St Raymond of Peñafort (1175-1275)
“The soul that longs for divine wisdom chooses first and in truth, to enter the thicket of the Cross. …The gate that gives entry, into these riches of His wisdom, is the Cross, because it is a narrow gate, while many seek the joys that can be gained through it, it is given to few to desire to pass through it.”
St John of the Cross (1542-1591)
Doctor of the Church
“Deceitful are the ephemeral pleasures and joys of this world. Our supreme comfort in this life, is to die to the world that we may live with Jesus crucified. Let others seek gold and other earthly treasures. I already possess the immortal treasure of holy poverty on the Cross of Jesus crucified. The angelic virtue, growing like a pure, fragrant lily in the hidden beauteous garden of the cloister, adorns the forehead with heavenly tints, for it has roots in the Cross of Jesus crucified. A third crown completes my oblation, it is the seal of glory, whereby the obedient, spotless Lamb gained victory. Obedience is the secure science of living with Jesus crucified. With this triple treasure, I can hope to pass beyond the fleeting confines of mortal man, by living poor on this earth and rich in heaven, united with Jesus crucified.”
Blessed Miguel Agustin Pro (1891-1927)
Priest and Martyr
Lenten Reflection – 31 March – Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Lent, Readings: Numbers 21:4-9, Psalm 102:2-3, 16-21, John 8:21-30
“Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise.”
“When you have lifted up the Son of man, then you will know that I Am He…”…John 8:28
Daily Meditation: May we be lifted up with you.
“Jesus lifted up draws all to Himself.
Jesus lifted up on the Cross, reveals fully Whoe He really is.
Jesus is most Jesus, when He is on the Cross.
Even though at Calvary, Jesus was taunted and mocked
by the rabid rabble, to come down from the Cross,
He remained transfixed on it, till the very end.
We need to mount the Cross with Jesus!
We need to see the world from that vantage viewpoint.
Then, everything falls into proper perspective,
then we begin to see the world, as it is.
It is only when we are with Jesus on the Cross,
that we are stretched to our fullest dimensions!” … Msgr Alex Rebello
For my days pass away like smoke and my bones burn like a furnace.
Psalm 102:3
Intercessions:
Praise to Christ, who has given us Himself as the bread from heaven.
Let us pray to Him, saying:
Jesus, You feed and heal our souls, come to strengthen us.
Lord, feed us at the banquet of the Eucharist,
– with all the gifts of Your Paschal Sacrifice.
Give us a perfect heart to receive Your word,
– that we may bring forth fruit in patience.
Make us eager to work with You in building a better world,
– so that it may listen to Your Church and its gospel of peace.
We confess, Lord, that we have sinned,
– wash us clean by Your gift of salvation.
Closing Prayer:
The Word of the Cross by Saint Paulinus of Nola (c 354-431)
Look on thy God, Christ hidden in our flesh.
A bitter word, the cross and bitter sight:
Hard rind without, to hold the heart of heaven.
Yet sweet it is, for God upon that tree
Did offer up His life upon that rood
My Life hung, that my life might stand in God.
Christ, what am I to give Thee for my life?
Unless take from Thy hands the cup they hold,
To cleanse me with the precious draught of death.
What shall I do? My body to be burned?
Make myself vile? The debt’s not paid out yet.
Whate’er I do, it is but I and Thou,
And still do I come short, still must Thou pay
My debts, O Christ, for debts Thyself hadst none.
What love may balance Thine? My Lord was found
In fashion like a slave, that so His slave
Might find himself in fashion like his Lord.
Think you the bargain’s hard, to have exchanged
The transient for the eternal, to have sold
Earth to buy Heaven? More dearly God bought me.
“Christ’s shoulders are the arms of the cross, there it is, that I have laid down my sins, on that gallows I have found my rest. “
St Ambrose (340-397)
Father & Doctor of the Church
One Minute Reflection – 31 March – Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Lent, Readings: Numbers 21:4-9, Psalm 102:2-3, 16-21, John 8:21-30
“When you have lifted up the Son of man, then you will know that I Am He…”...John 8:28
REFLECTION – “Wonder is the source from which philosophers draw their great learning. They encounter and reflect on the marvels of nature, such as earthquakes or thunder (…) or eclipses of the sun and moon, for example. Moved by these wonders, they seek out their cause. Thus, by patient research and extensive investigation, they attain remarkable knowledge and subtlety, which men call “natural philosophy”.
But there is another, even higher form of philosophy, above that of nature, to which one likewise attains, through wonder – this is the philosophy of Christians. And there is no question that, of all that characterises Christian doctrine, it is particularly wonderful and marvellous, that the Son of God, for love of man, consented to be crucified and to die on the cross (…). Is it not astonishing that He, for whom we should have the most respectful awe, felt such fear that He sweated water and blood? (…) Is it not astonishing that He, who gives life to every creature, should have endured so humiliating, cruel and painful a death?
And so, those who strive to meditate on and wonder, at so extraordinary a “book”, as is the Cross, with sensitive heart and sincere faith, will attain a far more fruitful knowledge than many another, who daily studies and meditates on ordinary books. For the true Christian, this book, is sufficient as an object of study for all the days of his life.” … Saint John Fisher (c.1469-1535) Bishop, Martyr – A Sermon preached on Good Friday
PRAYER – Holy Father, we have sinned against You and beg for Your forgiveness and mercy. Through the merits of the saving Cross of Your Son, help Your people O Lord, to persevere in obedience to Your will, so that through this obedience, we may reach our eternal home. We hope for the intercession of your angels and saints and our most loving Mother of Mercy. Through Christ, our Lord with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 31 March – Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Lent
Sonnet to our Lord Crucified Anonymous, of Spanish origen
I am not moved to love You, O my God,
That I might hope in promised heaven to dwell,
Nor am I moved by fear of pain in hell,
To turn from sin and follow where You trod.
You move me, Lord, broken beneath the rod,
Or stretched out on the cross, as nails compel
Your hand to twitch. It moves me that we sell,
To mockery and death, Your precious blood.
It is, O Christ, Your love which moves me so,
That my love rests not on a promised prize,
Nor holy fear on threat of endless woe,
It is not milk and honey but the flow
Of blood from blessed wounds before my eyes,
That waters my buried soul and makes it grow.
Amen
Spanish:
No me mueve, mi Dios, para quererte,
Elcielo que me tienes prometido,
Mi me mueve el infierno tan temido,
para dejar por eso de ofenderte.
Tu me mueves, Senor, mueveme el verte
Clavado en una cruz y escarnecido,
Mueveme el ver tu cuerpo tan herido,
Muevenme tus afrentas y tu muerte.
Mueveme, en fin, tu amor de tal manera,
que aunque no hubiera cielo, yo te amara,
Y aunque no hubiera infierno, te temiera.
No me tienes que dar porque Te quiera,
Porque, aunque lo que espero no esperara,
Lo mismo que te quiero Te quisiera.
Who wrote it? Who knows? The names fell from the pages, Lost and never To return to where The eyes of the reader Might ever see them. ‘I am no-one, Constructing eternity so, I can live forever’
Saint of the Day – 31 March – Blessed Bonaventure Tornielli OSM (1411-1491) Priest of the Servite Order, called the “Apostolic Preacher”, Confessor, Biblical expert, Missionary Preacher – born in 1411 in Forli, Italy and died on 31 March 1491 of natural causes, aged 80 years old. Patronages – Missionaries, Catechists.
The Roman Martyrology says of him: “In Udine, in the territory of Venice, Blessed Bonaventure Tornielli, Priest of the Order of the Servants of Mary, who moved the villages to penance with his preaching in various regions of Italy. He died as an octogenarian, while preaching a Lenten sermon.”
Bonaventura Tornielli was born in 1411 in Forlì to the nobleman Giacomo Tornielli and he received a devout family education.
He enlisted into the Servite Order in 1448, where he became noted as a Biblical expert and was later Ordained as a Priest. He completed his studies in Venice in 1454 and earned his Master’s Degree in his Theological studies. After he was Ordained to the Priesthood, he made preparation for a life of apostolic work, by a year in solitude. After this period of retirement, he began to preach eloquently and successfully.
He became noted for his love of contemplative silence in which to meditate on the Gospel, while also preaching sermons and missions in the Papal States and in other Italian cities, all on the subject of repentance.
His fame for personal holiness spread at a rapid pace even to the ears of Pope Sixtus IV who named him as the “Apostolic Preacher.” Fr Bonaventura served for an unknown duration as his order’s Vicar-General. In this office, he gave proof of wonderful administrative ability and charity.
In 1468 he led a sermon before the Senate of the Republic of Venice (also to them in 1482) and in 1488 at the San Marco Basilica. He also led sermons in Florence at the Cathedral at the request of their Senate and also at the Cathedral of the Annunciation in 1481 . He preached during a period of plague in 1476 in both Bologna and Perugia . In 1483 he served as Prior of the San Marcello convent in Rome and there decided to retire, with six others, to a hermitage after receiving papal permission to do so. This was short lived, for Pope Sixtus IV on 31 May 1483, requested that he preach in the Papal States.
Fr Bonaventure participated in the General Chapter of his Order in 1485 in Vetralla and again in 1488 at Bologna where he preached.
It was said that he walked barefoot regardless of the weather conditions and also refrained from consuming both meat and wine. Fra Filippo Albrizzi wrote: “He was a priest of great holiness. His beard was unkempt, his feet were bare, suffering the heat of summer and the freezing cold of winter. He never wore shoes and his feet were often seen to be bleeding.” Fr Bonaventure also slept either on the floor or on a bed of wooden planks.
Fr Bonaventure died on 31 March 1491 – on Holy Thursday – in Udine where he was preaching during the Lenten season.
In 1507 the Lieutenant Andrea Loredan was on a trip from Venice to Udine when he fell ill and was cured, after turning to the late Fr Bonaventure for intercession. His remains were moved in 1509 to Venice to the Church of Saint Mary of the Servants that Loredan himself oversaw. His remains were relocated to the private home of a Servite priest – due to the Napoleonic invasion. In 1971 his remains were moved to Udine. In both Udine and the City of Venice, a cultus grew up around him, it was marked by many miraculous cures. This cultus was confirmed in 1911 when he was Beatified by St Pope Pius X.
Oh God, who didst impart to Blessed Bonaventure, the Confessor, the grace of recalling sinners to repentance, grant we beseech Thee, through his merits and intercession, that we may also weep over our sins, so that, renewed in heart and will, we may serve Thee faithfully, until death. Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen
St Abda
St Acacius Agathangelos of Melitene
St Agigulf
St Aldo of Hasnon
St Balbina of Rome
St Benjamin the Deacon Blessed Bonaventure Tornielli OSM (1411-1491)
Bl Christopher Robinson
St Daniel of Venice St Guy of Pomposa (Died 1046) Biography: https://anastpaul.com/2019/03/31/saint-of-the-day-31-march-st-guy-of-pomposa-died-1046/
Bl Guy of Vicogne
Bl Jane of Toulouse
St Machabeo of Armagh
Bl Mary Mamala
St Mella of Doire-Melle
Bl Natalia Tulasiewicz
St Renovatus of Merida
—
Martyrs of Africa – 4 saints: A group of Christians martyred together for their faith. No details have survived except for of their names – Anesius, Cornelia, Felix and Theodulus. They were martyred in Roman pro-consular Africa.
Thought for the Day – 30 March – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Presence of God
“God sees us always, for He is everywhere. “In Him, we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28) We did not exist and He produced us from nothing, by His omnipotence. If He did not support us continually, we should return to nothingness, for conservation is a continuous act of creation. But He has given us immortal souls and has created us for Himself, so that we may serve, enjoy and love Him for all eternity. We are always in His Presence. He sees clearly, everything which we think, desire or do, even our most secret hidden actions. Do we perfectly grasp this tremendous truth? Are we aware of it, at every moment of our lives and do we make it the guide for our conduct? If we were to live continually in the Presence of God, our lives would be angelic, rather than human, for we would not allow ourselves to commit even the slightest sin, nor to be guilty of the least thought, word or action, which might offend Him. The more we fail in our awareness of the Presence of God, the more disordered our actions become. Let us resolve, therefore, to live continually in the Presence of God and to direct all our thoughts, desires and actions towards Him.“
Quote/s of the Day – 30 March – The Memorial of St John Climacus (c 525-606) Father of the Church
“Humility is the only virtue that no devil can imitate. If pride made demons out of angels, there is no doubt, that humility could make angels out of demons.”
“Obedience is the burial of the will and the resurrection of humility.”
“Repentance lifts a man up. Mourning knocks at heaven’s gate. Holy humility opens it.”
“… A proud soul is the slave of fear, hoping in itself, in comes to such a state, that it is startled by a small noise and is afraid of the dark.”
Lenten Reflection – 30 March – Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent, Readings: Daniel 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62, Psalm 23, John 8:1-11
“Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise.”
“Neither do I condemn you; go and do not sin again.” … John 8:11
Daily Meditation: Help us to pass from our old life of sin to our new life of grace.
“The Lord Jesus, the Saviour of all, “made himself all things to all men” (1 Cor 9:22) in such a way that He revealed Himself as being smaller than the small, He who was greater than the great. To save a soul who was surprised in adultery and accused by the demons, He lowered Himself to the point of writing on the ground with His finger…. He, Himself, is the holy and sublime ladder that the traveller Jacob saw in his sleep (Gen 28:12),… the ladder that was set up from the earth to God and that God held out to the earth. When He wants, He goes up to God. Sometimes He is accompanied by a few people … and sometimes no-one can follow Him. And when He wants, He joins the crowd… He heals lepers, eats with publicans and sinners… touches the sick to heal them.
Blessed is the soul that can follow the Lord Jesus wherever He goes, going up to the rest of contemplation… and on the other hand, coming down by the practice of charity, following Him to the point of lowering itself in service, of loving poverty, of bearing with (…) fatigue, work, tears, prayer and finally compassion and the passion. For He came in order to obey even to death, to serve and not to be served, not to give gold or silver but His teaching and His help to the many, His life for the many (Mk 10:45)…
So, brethren, may this be the model for your life: (…) to follow Christ by going up to the Father… to follow Christ by going down to your neighbour, refusing no practice of charity, making yourselves all things to all persons.” … Isaac of Stella (c 1100-c 1171) Cistercian Monk, theologian, philosopher – Sermon 12
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want; he makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters, he restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Psalm 23:1-3
Intercessions:
Praise to Jesus, our Saviour.
By His death He has opened for us the way of salvation.
Let us ask Him:
Lord, guide Your people to walk in Your ways.
God of mercy, You gave us new life through Baptism,
– make us grow day by day in Your likeness.
May our generosity today bring joy to those in need,
– in helping them may we find You.
Help us to do what is good, right and true in Your sight,
– and to seek You always with undivided hearts.
Forgive our sins against the unity of Your family,
– make us one in heart and spirit.
Closing Prayer:
I Unite My Sacrifice Prayer for Submission to Divine Providence By St Joseph Maria Pignatelli SJ (1737 – 1811)
My God, I do not know
what must come to me today.
But I am certain
that nothing can happen to me
that You have not foreseen, decreed
and ordained from all eternity.
That is sufficient for me.
I adore Your impenetrable
and eternal designs,
to which I submit with all my heart.
I desire, I accept them all
and I unite my sacrifice to that of
Jesus Christ, my Divine Saviour.
I ask in His name
and through His infinite merits,
patience in my trials
and perfect and entire submission,
to all that comes to me
by Your good pleasure.
Amen
One Minute Reflection – 30 March – Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent, Readings: Daniel 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62, Psalm 23, John 8:1-11 and the Memorial of St Antoine Daveluy MEP (1818-1866) Martyr
“Neither do I condemn you; go and do not sin again.” … John 8:11
REFLECTION – “The scene is full with drama – the life of that person and also His own life depend on Jesus. Indeed, the hypocritical accusers pretend to entrust the judgement to Him whereas it is actually He, Himself, whom they wish to accuse and judge. Jesus, on the other hand, is “full of grace and truth” (Jn 1: 14) – He can read every human heart, He wants to condemn the sin but save the sinner and unmask hypocrisy. St John the Evangelist highlights one detail – while His accusers are insistently interrogating Him, Jesus bends down and starts writing with His finger on the ground. St Augustine notes that this gesture portrays Christ as the divine legislator, in fact, God wrote the law with His finger on tablets of stone (cf. Commentary on John’s Gospel, 33,5). Thus Jesus is the Legislator, He is Justice in person. And what is His sentence? “Let him who is without sin among you, be the first to throw a stone at her.” These words are full of the disarming power of truth that pulls down the wall of hypocrisy and opens consciences to a greater justice, that of love, in which consists the fulfilment of every precept (cf. Rom 13: 8-10). This is the justice that also saved Saul of Tarsus, transforming him into St Paul (cf. Phil 3: 8-14).
When His accusers “went away, one by one, beginning with the eldest,” Jesus, absolving the woman of her sin, ushers her into a new life oriented to good. “Neither do I condemn you; go and do not sin again.” … Pope Benedict XVI – 21 March 2010
PRAYER – Lord God, Your abounding grace has enriched us with every blessing. Transform us from our sinful condition to newness of life and prepare us for the glory of Your kingdom. Open our eyes to see by the light of Your Son, who always walks with us. Let us lift our eyes to Him, for even now He is preparing for us a place, in His Father’s house. Listen, we pray, to the prayers of all the angels and saints, St Antoine Daveluy a Martyr for Christ, who petition on our behalf and may our Mother Mary, keep ever close to our path. Through Christ, our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for always and forever, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 30 March – Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent
Lord, Kindle our Lamps By St Columban (543-615)
Lord, kindle our lamps,
Saviour most dear to us,
that we may always shine
in Your presence
and always receive light
from You, the Light Perpetual,
so that our own personal darkness
may be overcome
and the world’s darkness
driven from us.
Amen
(This is an excerpt from a much longer prayer and is taken from the wonderful Sermon XII by St Columban)
Saint of the Day – 30 March – Saint Marie-Nicolas-Antoine Daveluy MEP (1818-1866) Bishop Martyr, Missionary of the Paris Foreign Missionary Society, Apostolic Vicar to Korea – commonly known as St Antoine Daveluy – born on 16 March 1818 in the parish of Saint-Leu, Amiens, Somme, France and died by beheading on Good Friday, 30 March 1866 at the Galmaemot naval base, Boryeong, Chungcheong-do, South Korea, he was 48, along with two French priests, Pierre Aumaître and Martin-Luc Huin and two lay catechists, Lucas Hwang Sŏk-tu (Bishop Daveluy’s personal assistant) and Joseph Chang Chu-gi. Additional Memorial – 20 September as one of the Martyrs of Korea.
Antoine Daveluy was born 16 March 1818 in Amiens, France. His father was a factory owner, town councilman and government official. The members of his family were devout Catholics and two of his brothers became priests. He entered the St Sulpice Seminary in Issy-les-Moulineaux himself, in October 1834 and was Ordained a Priest on 18 December 1841.
His first assignment was as an assistant Priest in Roye. Despite poor health, he joined the Paris Foreign Missions Society on 4 October 1843. He departed for East Asia on 6 February 1844, intending to serve as a Missionary in the Ryukyu Islands of Japan. He arrived in Macau, where he was persuaded by the newly appointed Apostolic Vicar of Korea, Jean-Joseph-Jean-Baptiste Ferréol, to accompany him there instead. The two were joined by St Andrew Kim Taegŏn, a Korean Seminarian who had been studying for the Priesthood in Macau. They first traveled to Shanghai, where Bishop Ferréol ordained Father Kim on 17 August 1845. The three priests then made a stormy crossing by sea to Korea, arriving in Chungcheong Province in October.
Father Daveluy began work as a Missionary in Korea. Two years later, he was in charge of the Seminary. He then took over the administration of a district, while doing it, he scrupulously prepared a Chinese-Korean-French dictionary, translated several Korean works of history and chronology and revised the books of the Faith.
On 13 November 1855, Pope Pius IX appointed him titular Bishop of Akka and coadjutor to Bishop Siméon-François Berneux, who had been appointed Apostolic Vicar in 1854 after the death of Bishop Ferréol in 1853. He was Consecrated by Bishop Berneux on 25 March 1857.
In 1859 he completed various works for the instruction of Christians, as well as, the the annals of the country’s first Martyrs and wrote biographical notes on most Korean confessors. In the same year, he embarked on a three-month trip to search for and interview, the living witnesses to the persecution of 1801. In October 1802, he sent his work on the history of the mission to the Motherhouse of the Missionary Society in Paris. It is thanks to these documents, often literally reproduced, that Mr Dallet wrote the History of the Church of Korea which, must very largely, be attributed to Bishop Daveluy.
Residence of Bishop Antoine Daveluy between 1845 and 1866 in the village Sin-ri (rural part of Dangjin)
After Bishop Berneux was executed during a campaign by the Korean government against Christians, Bishop Daveluy became Apostolic Vicar on 8 March 1866.
He was promptly arrested on 11 March. Imprisoned and tortured, he staunchly defended his Catholic faith. When he appeared before his judges, he was able, thanks to his in-depth knowledge of the Korean language, to make several long apologetic explanations for Christianity. Perhaps for this reason but above all, because of his dignity as grand master of the Faith in their eyes, he had to suffer more frequently and more severely than his companions – whipping the legs, blows with wooden batons and puncturing with the sharpened rods.
Finally, the court imposed a death sentence against the three prisoners. St Antoine asked to be executed on Good Friday, 30 March. But the king was then sick and numerous sorcerers, assembled in the palace, made to cure him by superstitious ceremonies; moreover, he was soon to celebrate his marriage. It was feared that the torture of the Europeans would harm the effect of the spells and that an outpouring of human blood in the capital, would be an unfortunate omen for the royal wedding. This is why, the regent prescribed that the beheading of the condemned be committed on the peninsula of Syou-yeng, twenty-five miles south of Seoul.
The Bishop and his Priests were led on horseback to the designated place. Their hearts overflowed with joy and, to the astonishment of the officials and the curious, they addressed fervent thanksgiving to God, singing psalms and hymns. On Maundy Thursday, 29 March they had arrived fairly close to Syou-yeng. Archbishop Daveluy heard the officials chatting among themselves, deciding to delay the immolation of the confessors and first to parade them through the neighbouring town. Touched by a strong desire to die on the anniversary of the Saviour’s death, he interrupted them: “No, he cried, what you are saying is impossible. You will go tomorrow, right to the place of execution, because it is tomorrow that we must die.” The prisoner was obeyed and the next day, Good Friday, 30 March 1866, was the day of their Martyrdom.
The mandarin who presided over their torture enjoined the martyrs to bow down to him. It is the custom in Korea for convicts to salute those who kill them. Daveluy replied that he would greet in the French manner and he refused to kneel. A brutal push threw him face down. Another horrific incident marked the death of the holy Bishop, who was beheaded first. The executioner had not set the price for his bloody work. After striking the condemned man with the first blow of his saber, which cut his neck deeply, he stopped and refused to continue, unless he was promised a large sum. The avarice of the mandarin resisted these pretensions. Employees of the prefecture had to be brought together to make a decision. The discussion lasted a long time, the victim struggled on the ground in convulsions of agony, finally the deal was concluded and two new saber strokes delivered the soul of the witness of Jesus Christ.
The bodies of the Martyrs, buried in the sand at the very place of execution by pagans in the neighbourhood, were collected by Christians the following June and buried in the district of Hong-san, 3 miles from the coast. Transferred elsewhere as a result of various circumstances, they were exhumed in March 1882 by order of the preacher, Fr Blanc and in the following November they were sent to Nagasaki (Japan), in order to be protected from any profanation. They were brought back to Korea when there was no longer any fear of persecution and since 1900 they have been buried in the Seoul Cathedral.
Reliquary of saint Anthony Daveluy in Amiens Cathedral
Bishop Daveluy was a stubborn zealous worker. He was also distinguished by his spirit of renunciation and mortification, as much as by his perseverance and humility. Unfortunately, due to this humility, his important dictionary and most of his writings had not been sent to the Motherhouse and they were destroyed during the persecution.
All five were Canonised on 6 May 1984 by St Pope John Paul II, along with Father Kim, Bishop Berneux and 96 other Korean martyrs.
St Julio Álvarez Mendoza
St Leonard Murialdo
St Ludovico of Casoria
St Mamertinus of Auxerre St Marie-Nicolas-Antoine Daveluy MEP (1818-1866) Bishop Martyr
Bl Maria Restituta Kafka
St Osburga of Coventry
St Pastor of Orléans
St Patto of Werden
St Peter Regulatus
St Quirinus the Jailer
St Regulus of Scotland
St Regulus of Senlis
St Secundus of Asti
St Tola
St Zozimus of Syracuse
—
Martyrs of Constantinople: ourth-century Christians who were exiled, branded on the forehead, imprisoned, tortured, impoverished and murdered during the multi-year persecutions of the Arian Emperor Constantius. They were martyred between 351 and 359 in Constantinople.
Martyrs of Korea:
Marie-Nicolas-Antoine Daveluy
Iosephus Chang Chu-gi
Lucas Hwang Sok-tu
Martin-Luc Huin
Pierre Aumaître
Thought for the Day – 29 March – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Jesus Lost in the Temple
The Gospel of St Luke relates that when Jesus was twelve years of age, He went with Mary and Joseph to Jerusalem to celebrate the Pasch. When the feast was over, Our Lady and St Joseph set out on the return journey and, as was the custom, they went in separate caravans, one being for men and the other for women. Each believed that the Child Jesus was in the other group but, at the end of the first day’s journey, they failed to find Him in either. They were stricken with worry and sorrow and returned immediately to Jerusalem, where they searched anxiously for Him. At last they found Him in the Temple. There He was, carrying on a discussion in the midst of a gathering of doctors of the Law, who were amazed at the wisdom of His answers. When the Blessed Virgin gently reproved Him, Jesus replied: “How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be about my Father’s business?” (Cf Lk 2:41-51) After this, He went back readily with them to Nazareth “and was subject to them.” We have a great deal to learn from this chapter of the Gospel. Above all, let us learn the humility and mildness of Jesus, Who quietly replied, in answer to Mary’s gentle reproach, that it was His special mission to look after the work of His Heavenly Father, for He owed obedience, in the first place, to God and then to men (Cf Acts 5:29). What is our attitude when we are rebuked or criticised? Are we humble in the manner of Jesus Christ? Or, are we angry and resentful? Let us earnestly examine ourselves in this matter.
Lenten Reflection – 29 March – The Fifth Sunday of Lent, Readings: Ezekiel 37:12-14, Psalm 130:1-8, Romans 8:8-11, John 11:1-45
“Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise.”
“Lazarus, come out!” … John 11:43
Daily Meditation: The Way, the Truth and the Life
“Here we have a man past the prime of life, a corpse, decaying, swollen, in fact, already in a state of dissolution, so that even his own relatives did not want the Lord to draw near the tomb because the decayed body enclosed there, was so offensive. And yet, he is brought into life by a single call, confirming the proclamation of the resurrection, that is to say, that expectation of it, as universal, that we learn by a particular experience to entertain. For as in the regeneration of the universe, the apostle tells us that “the Lord himself will descend with a shout, with the voice of the archangel” and by a trumpet sound, raise up the dead to incorruption — so now too, he who is in the tomb, at the voice of command, shakes off death as if it were only sleep. He rids himself of the corruption that had come on his condition of a corpse, leaps forth from the tomb whole and sound, not even hindered as he leaves by the bonds of the grave cloths round his feet and hands.” … St Gregory of Nyssa (c 335–C 395) Father of the Church – On the Making of Man, 25
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning.
Psalm 130:5-6
Intercessions:
Let us always and everywhere give thanks to Christ our Saviour
and ask Him with confidence:
– Lord, create a new spirit within us.
Christ, our life, we were buried with You in Baptism, to rise from the dead
– lead us this day along the new path of life.
Help us to work with others to build the earthly city
– but never let us lose sight of Your heavenly kingdom.
Healer of souls, mend our broken lives
– let us receive all the blessings of Your holiness.
Call us, bid us come to You
– let our ears be deaf to the calls of the world.
Closing Prayer: Preface
It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to give You thanks,
Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God,
through Christ our Lord.
For as true man He wept for
Lazarus His friend
and as eternal God, raised him from the tomb,
just as, taking pity on the human race,
He leads us, by sacred mysteries, to new life.
Through Him, the host of angels adores Your majesty
and rejoices in Your presence forever.
May our voices, we pray,
join with theirs in one chorus of exultant praise, as we acclaim:
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts …
One Minute Reflection – 29 March – The Fifth Sunday of Lent, Readings: Ezekiel 37:12-14, Psalm 130:1-8, Romans 8:8-11, John 11:1-45
“Lazarus, come out!” … John 11:43
REFLECTION – “Lazarus, come out!” Laid to rest in the tomb, you heard the resounding call. Is there any voice greater than that of the Word? Then you came out, you who were dead not merely for four days but for a very long time indeed. You were raised with Christ …, your burial bands fell to the ground. Do not fall back again now into death, do not rejoin those who dwell in the tombs, do not allow yourself to be stifled by the burial bands of your sins. For would you be able to come back to life once again? Would you be able to bring out from the death of here below, the resurrection of all men at the end of time? …
So let the Lord’s call resound in your ears! Do not close them today to the teaching and admonitions of the Lord. If you used to be blind, without light in your tomb, open your eyes lest you sink into the sleep of death. In the light of the Lord, behold light, in the Spirit of God, fix your eyes on the Son. If you take to yourself the Word, in it’s entirety, then you focus onto your soul all the power of Christ, who heals and restores to life …. Don’t be afraid to put some work into preserving your baptismal purity and set the ways that lead to the Lord within your heart. Take care to preserve the act of acquittal, which you received through pure grace ….
Let us be light, as the disciples learned from He who is the great Light – “You are the light of the world” (Mt 5,14). Let us be lamps in this world by holding up on high the Word of life, by being a life force for others. Let us set out in search of God, in search of the One who is the first and purest of lights.” … Saint Gregory Nazianzen (330-390) Bishop, Father and Doctor of the Church – Sermon on Holy Baptism.
PRAYER – Give us good God, a heart of flesh, that we might resemble the heart of Your love. For truly following the steps of Your divine Son, we would make peace in the world and give glory to Your kingdom. Help us Lord, to see with Your eyes and hear with Your ears, that the Word may dwell in us all and bring us to rise with You. May the immaculate heart of Mary, our Mother dwell in us and help us to reach our eternal home. We make our prayer through Christ, our Lord, with You and the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 29 March – The Fifth Sunday of Lent
“Here I Am, Lord” By Daniel Schutte
I, the Lord of sea and sky
I have heard My people cry
All who dwell in dark and sin
My Hand will save.
I, who made the stars of night
I will make their darkness bright
Who will bear my light to them?
Whom shall I send?
Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night
I will go, Lord, if You lead me
I will hold Your people in my heart.
I, the Lord of snow and rain
I have borne My people’s pain
I have wept for love of them
They turn away.
I will break their hearts of stone
Give them hearts for love alone
Who will speak My word to them
Whom shall I send?
Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night
I will go, Lord, if You lead me
I will hold Your people in my heart.
I, the Lord of wind and flame
I will tend the poor and lame
I will set a feast for them
My hand will save.
Finest bread I will provide
‘Til their hearts be satisfied
I will give My life to them
Whom shall I send?
Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night
I will go, Lord, if You lead me
I will hold Your people in my heart.
Daniel Schutte is an American composer of Catholic liturgical music and a contemporary Christian songwriter best known for composing the hymn “Here I Am, Lord” (1981, also incorrectly known as “I, the Lord of Sea and Sky”) and over 150 popular hymns and Mass settings.
Mr Schutte said the positive reception of “Here I Am, Lord” has continued consistently since the song’s premiere in 1979 and its publication in 1981. He even has a file of letters he has received praising the song. One of his favorites came from an army captain serving in Afghanistan.
The captain wrote that the troops would gather in a field for Mass, near where they were fighting and their chaplain would lead them in singing “Here I Am, Lord.” The servicemen and women who had grown up with the song could all sing it by heart.
“We stand here in this awful place, where we are asked to serve our country but fear for our own lives and we sing ‘Here I Am, Lord,’”
I asked Mr Schutte how he reacts when he receives personal, emotional letters like these.
“There’s a whole constellation of feelings that surround it for me,” he said. “I feel so grateful that God seems to have chosen that song to accompany people through so many moments of their life…. I didn’t plan that. I didn’t know that the song was going to be special. I’m very aware that God is doing something beyond me when I get those letters from people…. It’s also very humbling because it’s something way, way far beyond what I can do.”
A great story of the circumstances surrounding the writing of this most wonderful and emotive Hymn.
Saint of the Day – 29 March – Blessed Bertold of Mount Carmel (Died 1195) Priest, Monk, Hermit, Crusader – born in Limoges, France and died in 1195 of natural causes – also known as Bartoldus of Calabria.
Blessed Bertold was born in France, the son of a Count. He excelled at his studies and was Ordained a Priest. Berthold’s brother, Aymeric, became the Latin Patriarch of Antioch. The two joined together to participate in a Crusade to the Holy Land.
While in the Holy Land, Berthold travelled to Mount Carmel and built a Monastery and Church dedicated to the Prophet Elijah. His reputation for holiness spread, other hermits were attracted to the area, including Saint Brocard. Many hermits who were scattered throughout Palestine, followed Bl Bertold and came to live together in imitation of the life of the great prophet as recorded in the Old Testament.
St Elijah the Prophet
Aymeric appointed Berthold the first Superior and he lived with his community at Mount Carmel for 45 years until his death in 1195. Later the community became known as the Hermit Brothers of St Mary of Mount Carmel.
It was the life and work of Bl Berthold that laid the foundation for the Carmelite Order, which, in 1206 received a written rule from St Albert of Jerusalem, whose rule was approved by Pope Honorius III in 1226. In the same century, some members moved to Europe and established similar groups from Sicily to Oxford.
Carmelites returned to Mount Carmel in 1631 and finally completed the Stella Maris Monastery in the 18th century. Its stout walls and small openings reflect the need for defence against hostilities during its establishment.
Later a lighthouse was built, giving a further meaning to the title Stella Maris. Because of its commanding position, the lighthouse has been commandeered as a military establishment.
Inside the church, the décor features vividly coloured Italian marble and dramatic paintings in the dome, one depicting Elijah being swept up to heaven in a fiery chariot. A cedar and porcelain statue of Mary, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, is above the altar. Steps lead down to a grotto, with a small altar, where the Prophet Elijah is believed to have occasionally lived. People have lived in caves on Mount Carmel since prehistoric times.
St Acacia of Antioch
St Archmimus of Africa
St Armogastes of Africa
St Barachasius Blessed Bertold of Mount Carmel (Died 1195)
St Constantine of Monte Cassino
St Eustachio of Naples
St Firminus of Viviers
St Gladys (Sixth Century)
St Gwynllyw
Bl Hugh of Vaucelles
Bl John Hambley
St Jonas of Hubaham
St Lasar St Ludolf of Ratzeburg O.Praem. (Died 1250) Martyr Biography: https://anastpaul.com/2019/03/29/saint-of-the-day-29-march-st-ludolf-of-ratzeburg-o-praem-died-1250-martyr/
St Mark of Arethusa
St Masculas of Africa
St Pastor of Nicomedia
St Saturus of Africa
St Simplicius of Monte Cassino
St Victorinus of Nicomedia
St William Tempier
Thought for the Day – 28 March – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Conscience
“Conscience is the inner judgement of the soul, which keeps us in full conformity with the law of God and the precepts of the Church, by indicating the principles in accordance with which we should act, from moment to moment. Unfortunately, this judgement is not always enlightened and sincere. Some people become so broad-minded, that they appear to have no conscience at all. In their vocabulary, sins become mere acts of folly, scruples become melancholic tendencies which ought to be ignored and our natural weaknesses become necessary handicaps of nature, which we can do nothing to overcome. As a result, they join their disorderly pleasures and sins of every kind, with the practice of their religion. They imagine that they will be able to compensate for their offences against God, by their false and superficial sanctimoniousness. But Jesus tells us: “You are to be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect (Mt 5:48). Moreover, He has given us a law to be observed and has instituted the Church to interpret God’s law and to lay down for us, specific standards of behaviour. Our Lord said to His Apostles and their successors: “He who hears you, hears me” (Lk 10:16). He warns us that it is not enough to cry: “Lord, Lord! but it is necessary to do the will of His Father Who is in Heaven” (Mt 7:21). He warns us, moreover, that “everyone who hears these, my words and does not act upon them, shall be likened to a foolish man who built his house on sand” (Mt 7:26). We must form a reliable conscience in ourselves with the help of the Church’s teaching and the advice of a good Spiritual Director. Then we must earnestly put it’s dictates into practice.”
Quote of the Day – 28 March – Saturday of the Fourth week of Lent
“Your Master is not disturbed by mockery and do you get upset? He bears spittle, blows, strokes of the lash and can you not take a harsh word? He accepts the cross, a humiliating death, the torture of the nails and can you not undertake to carry out the lowliest of tasks? How can you become a sharer in His glory (1 Pt 5:1) if you will not consent to become a sharer in His humiliating death?”
Lenten Reflection – 28 March – Saturday of the Fourth week of Lent, Readings: Jeremiah 11:18-20, Psalm 7:2-3, 9-12, John 7:40-53
“Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise.”
Others said, “This is the Christ.” ... John 7:41
Daily Meditation:
Apart from You we can do nothing.
“In Christ we encounter such human characteristics that they have nothing to distinguish them from the weakness common to us mortals. At the same time, we encounter characteristics so divine, that they can only be appropriate to the sovereign and ineffable divine nature. Too small to comprehend this, the human mind is so dumbfounded, that it does not know what to take its stand on, nor which path to follow. Is it aware of God in Christ? Yet it sees Him die. Does it take Him to be a man? But see Him coming back from the dead with the prize of His victory, having destroyed the reign of death. In the same way our contemplation needs to be practised with such reverence and fear that, in the same Jesus, it considers the truth of the two natures, avoiding attributing to the divine essence those things that are not worthy of it or do not belong to it but also avoiding seeing only an illusory appearance in historical events.
In truth, causing such things as these to be heard by human ears, trying to express them in words considerably surpasses our ability, talent and language. I even think it surpasses the capability of the apostles. More still, the explanation of this mystery probably transcends the entire order of angelic powers.” … Origen (c 185-253) Father, Priest and Theologian
My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart.
Psalm 7:10
Intercessions:
Let us always and everywhere give thanks to Christ our Saviour
and ask Him with confidence:
Lord, help us with Your grace.
May we keep our bodies pure,
– as temples of the Holy Spirit.
May we offer ourselves this day to the service of others
– and do Your will in all things throughout the day.
Teach us to seek the bread of everlasting life,
– the bread that is Your gift.
May Your Mother, the refuge of sinners, pray for us,
– and gain for us your loving forgiveness.
Closing Prayer:
O Jesus, Mary’s Son! By St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) Doctor Angelicus, Doctor communis
Hail to Thee! True body sprung
From the Virgin Mary’s womb!
The same that on the cross was hung
And bore for man the bitter doom.
Thou Whose side was pierced and flowed
Both with water and with blood.
Suffer us to taste of Thee
In our life’s last agony.
O kind, O loving One!
O Jesus, Mary’s Son!
Amen
One Minute Reflection – 28 March – Saturday of the Fourth week of Lent, Readings: Jeremiah 11:18-20, Psalm 7:2-3, 9-12, John 7:40-53
Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee?… John 7:41
REFLECTION – “There is just one Name in the whole world that lives – it is the Name of One who passed His years in obscurity and who died a malefactor’s death. (Two thousand years) have gone by since that time but still It has It’s hold upon the human mind. It has possessed the world and It maintains possession. Amid the most various nations, under the most diversified circumstances, in the most cultivated, in the rudest races and intellects, in all classes of society, the Owner of that great Name reigns. High and low, rich and poor, acknowledge Him. Millions of souls are conversing with Him, are venturing at His word, are looking for His presence.
Palaces, sumptuous, innumerable, are raised to His honour. His image, in it’s deepest humiliations, is triumphantly displayed in the proud city, in the open country, at the corners of streets, on the tops of mountains. It sanctifies the ancestral hall, the closet and the bedchamber, it is the subject for the exercise of the highest genius in the imitative arts. It is worn next to the heart in life, it is held before the failing eyes in death.
Here, then, is One who is not mere name, He is no empty fiction, He is substance, He is dead and gone but still He lives – as the living, energetic, thought of successive generations and as the awful motive power of a thousand great events ….
O my own Saviour, now in the tomb but soon to arise, You have paid the price – it is done – consummatum est – it is secured.
O fulfil Your Resurrection in us and as You have purchased us, claim us, take possession of us, make us Thine.” Amen Holy God, we praise Thy Name! – Saint John Henry Newman (1801-1890) – One Name That Lives
PRAYER – In Your gentle mercy Lord, guide our wayward hearts, for we know that left to ourselves, we cannot do Your will. Almighty God, turn our hearts to Yourself, so that we, seeking the one thing necessary, may worship You in spirit and in truth. We give You thanks for our faith, increase our faith O our God! May the prayers of all your saints and the Virgin Mary, Queen of All Saints, obtain the gift of humility and fidelity for us and for every believer, so that our prayer may always be genuine and pleasing to the Lord. Through Christ our Lord and Redeemer, with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 28 March – Saturday of the Fourth week of Lent Let us think of and call on our Blessed and Most Sorrowful Mother
My Sorrowful Mother By St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) Doctor of the Church
My sorrowful Mother,
by the merit of that grief
which you felt at seeing your beloved Jesus
led to death,
obtain for me the grace to bear with patience,
those crosses which God sends me.
I will be fortunate if I also shall know
hot to accompany you with my cross until death.
You and Jesus,
both innocent,
have borne a heavy cross
and shall I,
a sinner who has merited hell,
refuse mine?
Immaculate Virgin,
I hope you will help me
to bear my crosses with patience.
Amen
Saint of the Day – 28 March – Blessed Conon of Naso (1139-1236) Monk, Hermit and Abbot of the order of St Basil of Caesarea, miracle-worker – born on 3 June 1139 in Naso, Messina, Italy and died on Friday 28 March 1236 in the cave of San Michele near Naso, Italy of natural causes, while in prayer. Patronages – against ear problems, against nose problems, of Naso and San Cono, Italy.
Blessed Conon was the son of a count from Naso, Italy and was a wealthy nobleman. He was a devout young man and at the age of 15 he became a Monk and lived as a Hermit and later was appointed as the Abbot of the Monastery. When his parents died, he distributed his inheritance to the poor.
While on pilgrimage to Jerusalem he had a vision of a Priest he knew, being choked by a snake. Months later, upon his return home to Sicily, Conon told the Priest about the dream. Feeling the pangs of a guilty conscience, the Priest instantly confessed to Conon that he had been stealing funds from the Church and using the money for his own selfish desires. Under Conan’s direction the Priest gave his excessive savings to the poor and recommitted his life to serving others.
Blessed Conan died on Friday 28 March 1236. On that day, the bells in the town of Naso began ringing on their own. The locals went to the holy man to ask him why it was happening but they found him dead and believed that the bells were ringing to announce his passing. Conon was immediately hailed as a miracle worker.
In 1571, over three centuries after Conon’s death, the city of Naso was struck with storms that destroyed crops and stopped shipping trade. The people thereupon, invoked the intercession of Conon. The famine became severe and Conon appeared in a vision to a captain who was transporting grain. He instructed the captain to change his course and deliver the grain to Naso. The captain obeyed and arrived in Naso and relieved it of its famine. Thus, the people of Naso were saved and this miracle has never been forgotten in Naso, where the people still today venerate Blessed Conon and celebrate his Feast with great devotion.
Blessed Conon was Beatified in 1630 by Pope Urban VIII (cultus confirmation).
St Alkelda of Middleham
Bl Antonio Patrizi
St Castor of Tarsus
Bl Christopher Wharton Blessed Conon of Naso (1139-1236)
St Cyril the Deacon
Bl Dedë Maçaj
St Donal O’Neylan
St Dorotheus of Tarsus
St Gundelindis of Niedermünster
St Guntramnus
St Hesychius of Jerusalem
St Hilarion of Pelecete
Bl Jean-Baptiste Malo
Bl Jeanne Marie de Maille
St Proterius of Alexandria
Bl Renée-Marie Feillatreau épouse Dumont
St Rogatus the Martyr
St Successus the Martyr
St Tutilo of Saint-Gall Bl Venturino of Bergamo OP (1304-1346) Biography: https://anastpaul.com/2019/03/28/saint-of-the-day-28-march-blessed-venturino-of-bergamo-op-1304-1346/
Thought for the Day – 27 March – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Human Soul
The human body is one of the most wonderful things which God has created. Unlike the bodies of most animals, it does not bend, towards the earth but stands up, towards the sky, in the direction of our true heavenly fatherland. It communicates with creation outside it, by means of the five senses. It has contact with other bodies, as well, as a way of making use of them, when the opportunity arises, by means of the sense of touch. It has the sense of taste, to distinguish between different flavours and to act as a guide to it’s sustenance. The sense of smell, enables it to experience perfumes and to avoid unhealthy odours. By means of hearing and speech, it can communicate with other people, understand their ideas and express it’s own, as well as, listen to the wonderful music of creation. Lastly, there is sight, the most astounding of the senses, which helps us o see in earthly things, an enchanting reflection of the eternal beauty of God. The scientist is lost in admiration at the perfection of the human body and if his science is also wisdom, he should exclaim: ‘This is the hand of God!’ Nevertheless, in comparison with the greatness of human soul, the perfections of the body are quite insignificant. The soul is like a breath of the Divine Spirit and a ray of the Divine Wisdom. It is a simple, spiritual and immortal being, which bears in itself, the Image of God. Unlike the body, it is not tied to this earth but can soar high above it, by means of it’s faculty of thought. It can investigate the secrets of God’s own nature and is also capable of immense love. We should indeed be grateful to God, for His infinite goodness.
Quote/s of the Day – 27 March – Friday of the Fourth Week of Lent
“So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father, who is in heaven…”
Matthew 10:32
“O my God and my Father, may I know You and make You known, love You and make You loved, serve You and make You served, praise You and make all creatures praise You.”
St Anthony Mary Claret (1807-1870)
Founder of the Claretians
It is certain, however, that of the two thieves dying beside the Cross of our Redeemer, only one heard Him say: “This day, you will be with me in Paradise!” The other, remained obdurate in his sin. It is the height of stupidity, to wait to be converted, at the hour of death!”
Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
“The greatest freedom, is the freedom from the fear of death, when we know Who sent us and to Whom we must return.”
Msgr Alex Rebello CMF Claretian Priest Diocese of Wrexham, Wales
The two were joined by St Andrew Kim Taegŏn, a Korean Seminarian who had been studying for the Priesthood in Macau. They first traveled to Shanghai, where Bishop Ferréol ordained Father Kim on 17 August 1845. The three priests then made a stormy crossing by sea to Korea, arriving in Chungcheong Province in October.
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