Thought for the Day – 6 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
A Ladder Ascending to God
“Let us lower our eyes and observe the world around us. Here again, everything speacks to us of God, for everything is a reflection of His power and goodness. From the tiny flowers which opens its perfumed petals to the dawn and closes them again to the sunset, as if in an an act of self-effacement before its Creator, to the pines and cedars of the forest, all nature seems to send up a hymn of praise and thanksgiving to God. We are surrounded by marvels but the greatest of them all is man, the lord of the universe. The beauty and order which we admire in creatures are concentrated in him; the eye, the ear and the tongue are among the extraordinary gifts which his body has received from God.
But, when we pass from the body to the soul, that spiritual flame which God has kindled in us, we we have reached an object of wonder, far surpassing the splendour of material things. A mind which is capable of thought and reasoning and a heart which is capable of love, belong, not merely to this world but are a living image of our Creator. It is for Him, therefore, that the intellect should function; it is He, that the heart should love!”
Quote/s of the Day– 6 July – “Month of the Precious Blood” – Readings: Genesis 32: 23-33, Psalms 17: 1b, 2-3, 6-7ab, 8b and 15, Matthew 9: 32-3
We are not without a Shepherd!
“I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me, because they are yours. All mine are yours and all yours are mine and I am glorified in them. … Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.”
John 17:9-11
“This, beloved, is the way in which we found our salvation, Jesus Christ, the High Priest who offers our gifts, the patron and helper in our weakness (Heb 10:20; 7:27; 4:15). I t is through Him, that we look straight at the heavens above. Through Him, we see mirrored, God’s faultless and transcendent countenance. Through Him, the eyes of our heart were opened. Through Him, our unintelligent and darkened mind shoots up into the light. Through Him, the Master was pleased to let us taste the knowledge that never fades,”
St Pope Clement I (c 35 – c 99)
“The mark of Christ’s sheep is their willingness to hear and obey, just as disobedience is the mark of those who are not His. We take the word ‘hear’ to imply obedience to what has been said.”
St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) Father and Doctor of the Church
“Pray in the spirit and sentiment of love, in which the royal prophet said to Him, ‘Thou, O Lord, are my portion.’ Let others choose to themselves, portions among creatures, for my part, You are my portion, You alone I have chosen for my whole inheritance.”
St Augustine of Canterbury (Died c 605)
And if by chance you do not know Where to go in quest of Me, Do not go far My Face to see, Searching everywhere high and low, But in yourself must seek for Me.
For, soul, in you I am confined, You are My dwelling and My home; And if one day I chance to find Fast-closed the portals of your mind I ask for entrance when I come.
Oh, do not seek me far away, For, if you would attain to Me, You only need My Name to say And I’ll be there, without delay. Look in yourself to seek for Me!”
One Minute Reflection – 6 July – “Month of the Precious Blood” – Readings: Genesis 32: 23-33, Psalms 17: 1b, 2-3, 6-7ab, 8b and 15, Matthew 9: 32-38 and the Memorial of St Maria Goretti
“And seeing the multitudes, he had compassion on them because they were distressed and living like sheep without a shepherd.” – Matthew 9:36
REFLECTION – “Look around you, my brethren, on every side … Look around, I say and answer why it is that there is so much change, so much strife, so many parties and sects, so many creeds? because men are dissatisfied and restless; and why restless, with everyone his psalm, his doctrine, his tongue, his revelation, his interpretation? they are restless because they have not found … It has not yet brought them into the Presence of Christ, in which “is fulness of joy” and “pleasure for evermore” (Ps 16[15]:11).
Had they been fed with the bread of life (Jn 6:35) and tasted of the honeycomb, their eyes, like Jonathan’s (1 Sam 14:27), had been enlightened, to acknowledge the Saviour of men but having no such real apprehension of things unseen, they have still to seek and are at the mercy of every rumour from without.
O sad and pitiable spectacle, when the people of Christ wander on the hills as “sheep which have no shepherd;” and instead of seeking Him in His ancient haunts and His appointed home, busy themselves in human schemes, follow strange guides, are taken captive by new opinions, become the sport of chance, or of the humour of the hour, or the victims of self-will, are full of anxiety and perplexity,and jealousy and alarm, “tossed to and fro, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive;” (Eph 4:14) —and all because, they do not seek the “one body” and the “one Spirit,” and the “one hope of their calling,” the “one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all,” (Eph 4:5-6) and “find rest for their souls” (Mt 11:29)! – St John Henry Newman (1801-1890) Cardinal, Founder of the Oratory in England, Theologian, Writer, Poet, Hymnist – Sermon “Invisible Presence of Christ” Sermons on Subjects of the Day, no 21
PRAYER – True Light of the world, Lord Jesus Christ, as You enlighten all men for their salvation, give us grace, we pray, to herald Your coming, by preparing Your ways of justice and of peace. We lift our hearts and eyes in prayer and beg of You that we may always offer You the souls of those in need of You. And may the prayers of Bl At Maria Goretti, strengthen us on our journey. Who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 6 July – “Month of the Precious Blood”
An Old Morning Prayer – Excerpt From The Blossoms of the Cross — 1894 The Sisters of St Joseph
I rise In God’s strength, In God’s power, In the Agony of Christ, In the Cross of Christ, In Christ’s Precious Blood, These will sustain me against my enemies, visible and invisible. I rise in the blessing of Christ which my dearest Jesus left to the whole world. Protect me, All-Holy Trinity, God the Father, Who created me, God, the Son, Who redeemed me in His Precious Blood, God, the Holy Ghost, Who sanctified me in Holy Baptism. God, the Father, I give myself to Thee! God, the Son, I commend myself to Thee! God, the Holy Ghost, teach me! Mary, Mother of God, assist me! All you Saints of God, pray for me! All you Holy Angels, protect me! The Cross of Christ preserve me! Amen
Saint of the Day – 6 July – Saint Dominica of Campania (c 287-303) Virgin Martyr. Born in c 287 in Tropea, Calabria, Italy and died in the first attempt by being thrown to wild animals who refused to harm her. Thereafter, she was beheaded on 6 July 303, making her between 15 and 16 years old. Patronages – Camaldoli, Italy, Caraffa di Catanzaro, Italy, Mandanici, Italy, Scorrano, Italy, Torre di Ruggiero, Italy, Tremestieri, Italy, Tropea, Italy, in Nicomedia, Bithynia (in modern Turkey). Also known as – Dominica of Tropea, Ciriaca.
The Roman Martyrology states of her today: “In Campania, St Dominica, Virgin and Martyr, in the time of the Emperor Diocletian. For having destroyed idols, she was condemned to the beasts but being uninjured by them. she was beheaded and departed for Heaven. Her body is kept with great veneration at Tropea, in Calabria.”
Almost nothing more is known of Dominica except that she was the daughter of Christian parents, Doroteo and Arsenia.
The Sacred Congregation of Rites granted a special Mass in her honour to Tropea, Calabria, Italy on 14 May 1672.
Notre-Dame d’Iron / Our Lady of Iron, Dunois, France (1631) – 6 July:
Saint-Sulpice-le-Dunois is a small Village located near the centre of France. Once home to Our Lady of Iron, it is situated near the larger Town of Blois, its population was only 517 citizens in the year 2007, which was a decrease from the 636 citizens who had lived there in 1999. It was in the Chapel of this tiny Village of Saint-Sulpice-le-Dunois, in the year 1631, that our story takes place involving Our Lady of Iron.
There was a young French couple living in the village at that time, who felt themselves singularly blessed. Were they not fortunate? They took pleasure in their youth and enjoyed good health, had happy employment,lived in a modest home and they had recently been blessed with a fine baby whom they felt was as sweet as the Babe of Bethlehem. Thus they mused on their way home together after early morning Mass one day. As soon as they entered their home, Pierre hurried to the cradle to gaze lovingly at his infant son. The child must have been restless, he thought, as there was evidence that he had struggled with the bedclothes which were tossed about and tangled strangely about the infant. Pierre reached in and lifted his son to hold him in his arms, only to find that the tiny figure was rigid and cold. Stunned, he called for his wife disbelieving, for it seemed their baby was dead! Pierre’s thoughts turned to Our Blessed Mother and then to the Statue of Our Lady of Iron at the Parish Church. They had spent many hours there in the past praying for her assistance and her help had never failed them. They determined to take their baby there instantly! Surely, Mary would not fail them in this time of dire need. Together they entered the Church, and sadly laid the lifeless form at the feet of the Statue of Our Lady of Iron. As they began to pray for her intercession, they dedicated their baby to the Blessed Virgin Mary. In that very instant, the child who had been smothered by struggling in its cradle, cried out and came back to life. News of the miracle spread far and wide and the fame of Our Lady of Iron was assured.
Bl Angela of Bohemia Bl Augustin-Joseph Desgardin Bl Christopher Solino St Cyril of Thessaloniki St Dominica of Campania (c 287-303) Virgin Martyr St Gervais St Giusto of Condat St Goar of Aquitaine St Godelieve
St Saxburgh of Ely St Sisoes the Great Bl Suzanne Agathe de Loye St Thomas Alfield St Tranquillinus of Rome — Martyrs of Campania – 23 saints: A group of 23 Christians arrested, tortured and then beheaded together in the later 3rd century by order of governor Rictiovarus in the persecutions of Diocletian. The names that have come down to us are – Antoninus, Arnosus, Capicus, Cutonius, Diodorus, Dion, Isidore, Lucia, Lucian, Rexius, Satyrus and Severinus.
Martyrs of Fiesole – 5 saints: Five Christians martyred together in the persecutions of emperor Domitian – Carissimus, Crescentius, Dulcissimus, Marchisianus and Romulus. c 90 near Fiesole, Italy.
Thought for the Day – 5 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Faith and Hope
“Christian hope derives from faith. When we believe in the infinitely good and merciful God, Who was made man for us and Who shed His Precious Blood, for our salvation, we experience a great hope and a great confidence. No matter how numerous our sins and our defects, as long as we are sincerely repentant, we should continue to hope for the forgiveness of God. Despair, which led Judas to commit suicide, should never be allowed to enter our minds. Like the penitent Magdalen, like the prodigal son, like the lost sheep and, like the good thief, let us trust in Jesus with faith, hope and sorrow for our sins. Let us remember, that He is infinitely good and merciful and ardently desires to pardon us. Together with this hope of God’s forgiveness, we should nurture the hope of gaining Heaven, which the Lord, in His infinite goodness, has promised, not only to innocent souls but, also to repentant sinners. In order that this hope may not be in vain, however, we should include, in our repentance for our sins, a firm purpose of amendment.
Let us remember, that the more we hope for, the more we shall obtain!”
Quote/s of the Day – 5 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – the Memorial of St Anthony Mary Zaccaria CRSP (1502-1539)
“In His mercy, God has chosen us, unworthy as we are, out of the world, to serve Him and thus, to advance in goodness and to bear the greatest possible fruit of love in patience.”
“If you want to pray well, first detach yourself from things of the world, purify yourself from your passions, which deprive your soul of your trust in God, then prepare yourself for prayer through meditation.”
“ True spiritual life consists in this: that man keep his eyes on God all the time, long for nothing but for God, keep nothing in mind but God, begin every single action,in God’s name and direct it to Him.”
One Minute Reflection – 5 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Readings: Genesis 28: 10-22a, Psalms 91: 1-2, 3-4, 14-15ab, Matthew 9: 18-26 and the Memorial of St Anthony Mary Zaccaria CRSP (1502-1539)
“The girl is not dead but sleeping” – Matthew 9:24
REFLECTION – “Let us consider, dear friends, how the Master is continually proving to us, that there is to be a resurrection, of which He made the Lord Jesus Christ the first fruits, when He raised Him from the dead.
Let us observe, dear friends, the resurrection that is regularly taking place. Day and night show us a resurrection – night falls asleep, day arises; day departs, night comes on. Let us take the crops – how and in what way does the sowing take place? The sower goes out and sows each seed in the ground. They fall into the ground dry and bare, and decay; – then from their decay, the greatness of the Master’s providence raises them up, and from a single grain, many spring up and bear fruit…
Do we, then, regard it as a great and marvellous thing, for the Creator of all things, to bring about the resurrection of those who have served Him with holiness in the assurance of a good faith?… With this hope, then, let our souls be bound to Him, that is faithful, to His promises and upright in His judgements. He, Who has commanded us not to lie will much more not lie Himself. For nothing is impossible to God except lying (Jn32:17; Lk 1:37; 6,18).
So let faith in Him be rekindled in us and let us understand, that all things are possible to Him. With His majestic Word He constituted all things and with a Word, He can overturn them…when He pleases and as He pleases, He will do everything and none of the things He has decreed will pass away. All things are in His sight and nothing has escaped His Providence.” – St Pope Clement I (c 35-c 99) Pope from about 90 to 99 – Letter to the Corinthians, §24-28 ; SC 167
PRAYER – Almighty Lord and God, protect and strengthen us by Your power throughout this day, even as You have enabled us to begin it. By Your grace, may the our faith be our guide and let our every thought, word and deed aim at doing Your will and what is pleasing in Your sight. Grant that by the prayers of Saint Anthony Zaccaria, we may ever turn our eyes and hearts to our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him, Your divine Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, God now and forever, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 5 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood”
Your Blood, The Fire of Love! By St Catherine of Siena (1347-1380) Doctor of the Church
O sweet Jesus, my Love, to strengthen my soul and to rescue it from the weakness into which it has fallen, You have built a wall around it and have mixed the mortar with Your Blood, confirming my soul and uniting it to the sweet will and charity of God! Just as lime mixed with water is placed between stones to cement them together, so You, O God, have placed between Your creature and Yourself, the Blood of Your only-begotten Son, cemented with the divine lime of the fire of ardent charity, in such a way that there is no Blood without fire, nor fire without Blood. Your Blood was shed, O Christ, by the fire of love! Amen.
Saint of the Day – 5 July – Blessed Elias of Bourdeilles OFM (c 1423-1484) Archbishop of Tours and Cardinal, Defender of the Church against the State and a political prisoner because of it, devout son of St Francis of Assisi, living a life of poverty and caring for the poor. Born in c 1423 at Périgord, France and died on 5 July, 1484, at Artannes near Tours, France of natural causes. Also known as – Elie, Hélie.
You know enough about Saint Jeanne d’Arc (Joan of Arc) to understand that she was a victim of international politics and rival patriarchal systems. Within twenty-five years of her death, Pope Callixtus III concluded an inquiry with a declaration of her innocence and Martyrdom. One of the advocates who worked on the report that vindicated her was a Bishop named Elias of Bourdeilles.
Elia was the son of the Viscount Arnaud de Bourdeilles and was born at the Castle of Bourdeilles in Périgord,
Having entered the Franciscan Order at an early age, he was only twenty four years old when, at the request of King Charles VII, he was appointed to the See of Périgueux in 1447.
During the wars between France and England he was held prisoner for several years by the English, in consequence of his defence of ecclesiastical immunity.
In 1468 he was appointed to the Archepiscopal See of Tours and in 1483 he was raised to the Cardinalate by Pope Sixtus IV.
He was a devout Franciscan and he lived in personal poverty and used the Church’s available resources to aid the poor. Elias was an intimate friend of St Frances of Paola.
He is mentioned among the Blessed in the Franciscan Martyrology for the 5th day of July. A stanch defender of the rights of the Church against the encroachments of the State, Cardinal Elias advocated the abolition of the Pragmatic Sanction of Bourges, as may be seen from his treatise, “Pro Pragmaticæ Sanctionis Abrogatione” (Rome, 1486). He also wrote “Libellus in Pragmaticam Sanctionem Gallorum” (Rome, 1484) and a Latin defence of Jeanne d’Arc which is attached in manuscript to the process of her rehabilitation.
Our Lady of Mount Athos, Great Lavra, Greece , 8th cent. – 5 July:
In the 900s, the unfinished Great Monastery on Mount Athos ran out of funds and the starving Monks had to leave. Finally the Monastery Founder, St Athanasius the Athonite, left too in search of help. On the road he met a woman in a long blue veil, who said, “Go back! You will have everything you need if you do not abandon the Monastery!” When Athanasius asked the lady’s name, she answered, “I am the Mother of your Lord.” The Abbot asked for a sign. “Strike the rock with your staff,” she said, and promised to be responsible for the Monastery provisions herself — to be its stewad. As water flowed from the rock, she vanished.
Athanasius returned to find the building completed and stocked with supplies. Soon it was full of Monks again To this day, the Great Lavra regards the Mother of God as its steward, helped by a Monk with the title of assistant steward. In a Shrine on the left of the entrance to the Monastery Church, the Icons depict many saints connected with the Monastery. To Our Lady’s right St. Athanasius holds a model of the building. Down the road, the holy spring still flows.
St Agatho of Sicily St Athanasius the Athonite St Athanasius of Jerusalem St Cast St Cyprille of Libya St Cyrilla of Cyrene St Domèce St Domitius of Phrygia St Edana of West Ireland Bl Edward Cheevers Blessed Elias of Bourdeilles OFM (c 1407-1484) Archbishop of Tours and Cardinal St Erfyl St Fragan Bl George Nichols St Grace of Cornwall St Gwen Bl Humphrey Pritchard
St Marinus of Tomi St Mars of Nantes St Marthe Bl Matthew Lambert St Modwenna St Numerian of Treves Bl Patrick Cavanagh St Philomena of San Severino St Probus of Cornwall Bl Richard Yaxley Bl Robert Meyler St Rosa Chen Aijieh St Sedolpha of Tomi St Stephen of Reggio St Teresia Chen Qingjieh St Theodotus of Tomi Bl Thomas Belson St Thomas of Terreti St Triphina of Brittany St Triphina of Sicily St Zoe of Rome
Thought for the Day – 4 July– Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Faith
“A man without the light of faith is like a blind man groping in the dark. The world which surrounds us is an inconceivable absurdity, unless, we have faith in a God who creates and orders. Life is an aimless journey if it is not illuminated by faith in a Creator, Who will reward us. Everything without us and within us, speaks to us of God and directs our steps towards Him, our supreme benefactor, our judge and our eternal reward. The stars of the heavens and the flowers of the fields, tell us of the infinite beauty and goodness of their Creator. In the pages of the Gospel, we find, a clearer and more penetrating light which invites us to adore and love the divine Redeemer and to believe in Him, Who alone, has the words of eternal life and Who alone can satisfy the infinite desires of our hearts.
All this is true. Everything around us and within us leads us to God and invites us to have faith. The virtue of faith, however, is a supernatural gift, which we must humbly and perseveringly beg from God. It is, as St Thomas Aquinas says, the foundation of the entire spiritual life (Summa Theologiae,III,q 73, a 3); without it, the spiritual edifice would collapse. How thankful, therefore, we should be to God for having been called to the faith and for having been born in the Catholic Church. There are so many souls outside Her, who grope in the darkness, longing for the truth. We should pray for them that they may reach the port of salvation and may be able to join with us in praising, loving and serving Our Lord Jesus Christ. We should also be well aware that, as pointed out by St James, faith without good works is dead (Cf Js 2:17-20). Even the devils believe, as St Augustine observes (De Caritate, 10) but, this does not help their salvation. Besides faith, the love of God and love of our neighbour are necessary. The result of this double charity, should be a gradual increase in good works.”
Quote/s of the Day – 4 July – “Month of the Precious Blood”
“Greater love than this no man hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
John 15:13
“Jesus, knowing that his hour was come, … he loved them unto the end.”
John 13:1
“I beg you never to entertain the least dread and to place all your trust in the Blood of Christ Crucified … May all servile fear be banished from your spirits. You will say with Saint Paul … “I can do all things through Christ crucified, since he is within me by desire and love and he strengthens me” (cf. Phil 4:13; Gal 2:20). Love, love, love! By His Blood, the gentle Lamb has made an unassailable rock of your soul.”
St Catherine of Siena (1347-1380) Doctor of the Church
“The actions of good Christians are of such great value, that heaven is given to us for them. However, … it is not because they come from us and are the wool of our hearts. Rather, it is because they are dyed with the Blood of the Son of God. I mean, that the Saviour sanctifies our actions by the merits of His Blood. A branch of the vine, united and joined to the stock, produces fruit, not by it’s own power but empowered by the stock. Now we are united by charity to our Redeemer, as members to the head (Eph 4:15-16). That is why our fruits and good works, drawing their value from Him, merit life everlasting.”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of Charity
“How long are you going to be deaf to His call? Or are you going to lose your soul, which Jesus Christ bought at the price of His Precious Blood?”
One Minute Reflection – 4 July – “Month of the Precious Blood” – Ezekiel 2: 2-5, Psalms 123: 1-2, 2, 3-4, Second Corinthians 12: 7-10, Mark 6: 1-6
“So he could notperform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them …” – Mark 6:5
REFLECTION – “One meaning of “could not” is simply the limits of some human will. Take, for example, the point ,that Christ “could not” fulfill any signs in Nazareth was due to disbelief on their part. Something essential for healing is required on both sides—faith on the part of the patients, power on that of the healer. So one side without its counterpart “could not,” so to speak, perform them. As this can be seen in medical care, it can also be seen in moral transformation. Similarly involving the limits of the will are the texts: “The world cannot not hate you” and “How can you speak good, being evil?” The metaphor of “impossibility” here must mean free refusal by the will. The same idea applies to those passages which say that what is, impossible for humanity is possible for God. Note also those passages that say that a person “cannot” (in one sense) be born a second time and a needle’s eye “cannot” let a camel through. What would stop these events happening if God willed them directly? Besides all these, there is, as in the case we are presently considering, a “cannot” in the sense of that which is totally inconceivable. We cannot conceive that God can be evil or fail to exist. It is inconceivable that reality cannot exist or two times two is fourteen. So here, it cannot be the case, that the Son would do anything which the Father would not do!” – St Gregory Nazianzen (330-390) Archbishop of Constantinople, Father and Doctor of the Church – Oration 30 (On the Son),10-11.
PRAYER – Lord our God, make us love You above all things and all our fellow-men, with a love that is worthy of You. May we look to Your Divine Son in total trust, faith, love and imitation. Grant too, that by the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we too may be granted the grace to follow Your only Son, no matter our sufferings, to one day reach You, in our heavenly home. We make our prayer, through Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever amen. Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Precious Blood of Jesus in satisfaction for my sins and for the wants of holy Church. – Indulgence 100 days, Each time, Pope Pius VII, 22 September 1817.
Our Morning Offering – 4 July – “Month of the Precious Blood”
For those unable to attend Holy Mass today and for all of us, everyday!
Act of Spiritual Communion By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor
I desire, good Jesus, to receive Thee in Holy Communion and since I cannot now receive Thee in the Blessed Sacrament, I beseech Thee to come to me spiritually and to refresh my soul with Thy sweetness. Come, my Lord, my God and my All! Come to me and never let me ever again be separated from Thee by sin. Teach me Thy blessed ways, help me with Thy grace to imitate Thy example, to practise meekness, humility, charity and all the virtues of Thy Sacred Heart. My divine Master, my one desire is to do Thy will and to love Thee, more and more. Help me, that I may be faithful to the end, in Thy service. Bless me in life and in death, that I may praise Thee, forever in heaven, Amen
Saint of the Day – 4 July – Blessed John Cornelius SJ (1557– 1594) Martyr, English Priest of the Society of Jesus, Missionary. Born in 1557 as John Conor O’Mahony at Bodmin, Lanherne, Cornwall, England on the estate of Sir John Arundell and died by hanging and being hacked to pieces on 4 July 1594 at Dorchester, Oxfordshire, England. Additional Memorials – 29 October as one of the Martyrs of Douai, 1 December as one of the Martyrs of Oxford University. Also known as – John Mohun and John O’Mahony.
John Corneliu, actually John Conor O’Mahony latinised his middle name. He was born of Irish parents in Bodmin, Cornwall. His father worked for Sir John Arundell who took great interest in young John and it was through him, that John was admitted to Exeter College, Oxford. After his expulsion from Oxford for “popery” i.e. for maintaining Catholic beliefs, John went to the English College in Rheims, France and, a year later, to the English College in Rome. His scholastic achievements were so outstanding, that he delivered the College’s Christmas address before Pope Gregory XIII on the Feast of St Stephen, 26 December 1581. He was Ordained in Rome in 1583 and returned to England the same year.
Fr Cornelius made the home of Sir Arundell in London as his operations centre and was responsible for getting the latter, back to his faith, as well as his own Mother back to the Church. His strong zeal to bring people back to Catholicism and for celebrating Mass, soon made him the prime target for government spies who were out to apprehend him.
All this while Fr Cornelius’ longstanding wish was to become a Jesuit as he came to know them during his student days in Rome and had resolved to enter the Society when time permitted. His years on the English mission only strengthened that desire and he wrote to the Jesuit General in Rome to seek admission. As the custom then was for all English candidates to go to Flanders for their Novitiate, Fr Cornelius’ admission had to be delayed as he couldn’t leave his flock without a Priest. He, nevertheless, kept in contact with Fr Henry Garnet, the Superior of the English Jesuits and placed himself under his direction.
Fr Cornelius was betrayed by William Holmes, a servant of the Arundell’s household whom he had previously reprimanded for annoying one of Lady Arundell’s maids.
When apprehended, the Sheriff said, “I’m glad that I finally have you in my hands.” to which Fr Cornelius replied, “And I, more so, for having been captured.”
Fr Cornelius and three laymen from the Arundell household, were arrested with him and pending trial, he discussed religion with the Trenchard’s household, the arresting Officer and it was reported that he converted Trenchard’s sister-in-law. At the Marshalsea Prison in London, Fr Cornelius was tortured on the rack to reveal the names of Catholic households that had given him hospitality and the names of those who had attended his services but he revealed nothing. Knowing that his time was fast approaching, Fr Cornelius pronounced the vows of the Society before two laymen and a Jesuit and instructed them to make this fact known to Fr Garnet, the Jesuit Superior in England.
Fr Cornelius was sentenced to die for high treason and to be hanged and quartered, because he was a Priest, had celebrated Ma, and had reconciled Protestants to the Catholic Church. His three lay companions were condemned to be hanged for having aided and assisted a Priest and were executed first. The first to ascend the scaffold was John Carey; he kissed the rope, exclaiming “O precious collar,” made a solemn profession of faith and died a valiant death . Before his execution, Patrick Salmon exhorted the spectators to embrace the Catholic faith, for which he and his companions were giving their lives. Then followed Thomas Bosgrave, who delivered a stirring address on the truth of his belief. When it was Fr Cornelius’ turn, he approached the gallows and knelt at the foot of the ladder, prayed, then kissed the ground and the feet of his three dead companions and turning towards the scaffold said, with the words of St Andrew,“O good cross, so long desired.” Once on the ladder, he prayed for his persecutors and the Queen and though forbidden to speak further, he revealed to the bystanders that he was a Jesuit, just before he was pushed from the ladder. His body was subsequently quartered.
All the bodies were retrieved and given proper burial by Lady Arundell. Fr Cornelius and his three companions, the Martyrs of England, were Beatified by Pope Pius XI on 15 December 1929.
Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June) +2021
Nuestra Señora del Refugio / Our Lady of Refuge, Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico (1720) – 4 July:
Jesuit Missionary Father Juan José Güica brought a painting of Our Lady, Refuge of Sinners from Italy to Mexico in 1720. In a dream, the Virgin told Padre Güica to ask the Franciscans of Zacatecas to use and promote the image; – they distributed over 150 copies, making this one of the most widespread Marian devotions in Mexico.
In 1793 Franciscan Friars came to the new settlement which would become Matamoros, renaming the area “Nuestra Señora del Refugio de los Esteros Hermosos” (Our Lady of the Refuge of the Lovely Marshes).
The Cathedral of Our Lady of Refuge, built in 1832, displays an 1886 painting of her. Her fiesta, celebrated in many Mexican Towns, commemorates the coronation of the original “Refugium Peccatori” in the Jesuit Church of Frascati, Italy, on 4 July 1717.
Bl Agatha Yun Jeom-Hye St Albert Quadrelli St Andrew of Crete St Anthony Daniel St Aurelian of Lyons St Bertha of Blangy St Carileffo of Anille Bl Catherine Jarrige St Cesidio Giacomantonio Bl Damiano Grassi of Rivoli St Donatus of Libya St Edward Fulthrop St Elias of Jerusalem St Finbar of Wexford St Fiorenzo of Cahors St Flavian of Antioch St Giocondiano Bl Giovanni of Vespignano St Haggai the Prophet Bl Hatto of Ottobeuren Bl Henry Abbot St Henry of Albano St Hosea the Prophet St Innocent of Sirmium Bl John Carey Blessed John Cornelius SJ (1557– 1594) Martyr, English Priest of the Society of Jesus, Missionary. Bl Jozef Kowalski St Jucundian St Laurian of Seville St Lauriano of Vistin Bl Maria Crocifissa Curcio St Namphanion the Archmartyr Bl Natalia of Toulouse St Odo the Good Bl Odolric of Lyon Bl Patrick Salmon Bl Pedro Romero Espejo
Thought for the Day – 3 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The New Life
Only a Christian,” wrote Tertullian, “can be wise, sincere and lofty” (De praescriptione haereticorum, 3).
He had in mind, of course, the true follower of Jesus Christ, who is practising the precepts of Our Lord. “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with they whole heart ... Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Mt 22:37, MK 12:30, Lk 10:27). “You are to be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5:48).
A man who loves God above all things, can fairly be called wise. God is the supreme good and as such, should be the final end towards which we direct all our thoughts and actions. If anyone adopts his own ego or some created good as his goal in life, he is not wise because he has upset the proper scale of values. It is not true to say that we should love ourselves before anything else because we are creatures who belong to God and should refer everything to Him. Only if we love God above all things, even above ourselves, can we really be said to love ourselves. How can we love ourselves, if, in the first place, we do not love our highest good, which is God? Since this love must be active, it makes us faithful to God’s commandments and raises us above the rest of creation to a state of immediate dependence on God. A love of all mankind flows as a natural consequence from this union of love with God. If we regard all men as our brothers in Jesus Christ, we shall be perfect Christians in the manner intended by our divine Redeemer when He desires us to be like His heavenly Father. This is the new life which Jesus came to bring into the world and which we should nurture in ourselves (Cf Heb 4:23-24).”
Quote/s of the Day – 3 July – Feast of St Thomas Apostle – Readings: Ephesians 2: 19-22, Psalms 117: 1bc, 2, John 20: 24-29
Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”
John 20:28-29
“For by your doubting, I am taught to believe, by your forked-tongue, that revealed the Wound on the Divine Body that was pierced, I harvest the fruit for myself, without pain!”
St John Chrysostom (347-407) Father and Doctor
“I believe though I do not comprehend and I hold by faith, what I cannot grasp with the mind.”
St Bernard (1090-1153) Mellifluous Doctor
“To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.”
“Believing is an act of the intellect assenting to the divine truth, by command of the will, moved by God through grace.”
St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) Doctor Angelicus/Doctor Communis
One Minute Reflection – 3 July – Feast of St Thomas Apostle – Readings: Ephesians 2: 19-22, Psalms 117: 1bc, 2, John 20: 24-29
“Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” – John 20:29
REFLECTION – “There was a wonderful providence behind these words of the Saviour and they can be of very great help to us. They show, once again, how much He cares for our souls, for He is good and| as Scripture says: “He wants everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth” (1Tm 2,4).
Even so, this saying of His may surprise us. As always, Christ had to be patient with Thomas, when he said he would not believe and, with the other disciples too, when they thought they were seeing a ghost! Because of His desire to convince the whole world, He most willingly showed them the marks of the nails and the wound in His side; – because He wished those, who sought this evidence, as a support for their faith, to have no possible reason for doubt – He even took food, although He had no need for it (Lk 24,41)…
But when anyone accepts what he has not seen, believing on the word of his teacher, the faith, by which he honours the One his teacher proclaims to him, is worthy of great praise. Blessed, therefore, is everyone who believes the message of the holy Apostles who, as Saint Luke says, were eyewitnesses of Christ’s actions and “ministers of the word” (Lk 1,2). If we desire eternal life and long for a dwelling place in heaven, we must listen to them.” – St Cyril of Alexandria (380-444), Bishop, Father and Doctor of the Church – Commentary on Saint John’s gospel, 12, 22
PRAYER – Father, let our celebration on the feast of Saint Thomas the Apostle, be the source of his unfailing help and protection. Fill us with Your life-giving grace through our faith in Your Son, Jesus the Christ, whom Thomas acknowledged to be his Lord and his God. We make our prayer, through our Lord Jesus in union with the Holy Spirit, one God with You, forever and ever, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 3 July – “Month of the Precious Blood” and a Marian Saturday
Most Holy Mary, Virgin Mother of God Act of Consecration By St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Indulgence of 300 days, for each recitation St Pius X, 17 November 1906
Most Holy Mary, Virgin Mother of God, I ………., most unworthy though I am to be thy servant, yet touched by thy motherly care for me and longing to serve thee, do, in the presence of my Guardian Angel and all the court of heaven, choose thee this day to be my Queen, my Advocate and my Mother and I firmly purpose to serve thee evermore myself and, to do what I can, that all may render faithful service to thee. Therefore, most devoted Mother, through the Precious Blood thy Son poured out for me, I beg thee and beseech thee, deign to take me among thy clients and receive me as thy servant forever. Aid me in my every action and beg for me the grace never, by word or deed or thought, to be displeasing in thy sight and that of thy most holy Son. Think of me, my dearest Mother and desert me not at the hour of death. Amen
Saint of the Day – 3 July – Saint Anatolius of Constantinople (Died c 458) Bishop of Constantinople from 451 until his death on 3 July 458, Confessor. He died in 458 of unknown causes but it is believed he was martyred by heretics.
Anatolius was born at Alexandria. He was Ordained a Deacon by the great St Cyril of Alexandria and was present at the Third Ecumenical Council at Ephesus in the year 431.
He became Bishop of Constantinople through the influence of Pope Dioscorus I of Alexandria with Emperor Theodosius II, after the deposition of Flavian by the Second Council of Ephesus. After his Consecration, Anatolius publicly condemned the teachings not only of Eutyches,but also those of Nestorius, subscribing to the letters of St Cyril against Nestorius and of Pope Leo I against Eutyches.
In conjunction with Pope Leo, he requested that the Emperor Marcian summon a general Council against Dioscorus and the Eutychians but the Imperial letter instructing Anatolius in the preparations for the Council of Chalcedon, only mentions Pope Leo. In this Council, Anatolius presided in conjunction with the Roman legates. By the famous 28th Canon, passed at the conclusion of the Council, Constantinople was made equal in dignity with Rome, “second in eminence and power to the Bishop of Rome.” This displaced the traditional order of authority of the much older Sees of Antioch and Alexandria. Hence arose the controversy between Anatolius and the Roman Pontiff. However, the third Canon of the earlier First Council of Constantinople of 381 stated that “The Bishop of Constantinople, however, shall have the prerogative of honour after the Bishop of Rome because Constantinople is New Rome.” The Eastern position could be characterised as being political in nature, as opposed to a doctrinal view.
Leo complained to Marcian and to Pulcheria that Anatolius had over-stepped his jurisdiction by consecrating Maximinus II as Bishop of Antioch.
Following the Council of Chalcedon, Anatolius received a letter signed by several Egyptian Bishops, asking his assistance against Timothy, who was usurping the Bishopric of Alexandria, as a result Anatolius wrote to the Emperor Leo, against Timothy. The circular of the Emperor requesting the advice of Anatolius on the turbulent state of Alexandria is extant.
When he was in danger of death he was restored to health by St Daniel the Stylite, who came to Constantinople to see him.
The followers of Dioscorus are said to have murdered him in 458.
Notre-Dame-de-la-Carole / Our Lady of la Carole, Paris (1418) – 3 July:
Roadside Shrines can still be seen in places all over Europe, though it is nothing like it used to be in the Middle Ages when these Shrines were extremely prevalent. They were public reminders of God and His Saints and were meant for the good of the general public, who would come upon the Shrine and pause for a moment to pray. They could be simple or somewhat elaborate, ranging from unadorned crosses to free standing towers or even small Chapels. On 3 July in the year 1418, a Swiss soldier committed a sacrilege upon a Statue of the Blessed Virgin known as Our Lady of la Carole, or Our Lady of Carole. It was located at the corner of the Rue aux Ours, which was built in the 13th century and terminated at the hospital of Saint John, which is no longer in existence. The Rue aux Ours is now a short street that begins at Rue Saint-Martin and ends at the Boulevard Sebastopol in Paris, France. The soldier of the Duke of Burgandy’s troops, said to be a Swiss soldier, came upon the Shrine of the Blessed Virgin after having left a tavern where he had gambled away his money. He was probably intoxicated when he drew his sword and repeatedly struck the Statue of the Blessed Virgin with the weapon. The Statue of Our Lady of Carole then began to bleed profusely, as if made of flesh and blood and WAS wounded by the blows. The citizens who had observed the sacrilege were outraged and followed the soldier as he fled from the scene of his crime. The man was eventually caught and apprehended and then brought before the Chancellor where he was sentenced to death for the outrage.
In remembrance of this incident and in expiation for the crime, there was a popular feAST that took place on the Rue aux Ours every year. There were fireworks and a wax figure representing the sacrilegious wretch who had struck the image of the Blessed Virgin was set ablaze. This festival continued until the French Revolution brought an end to the traditional observance.
St Anatolius of Constantinople (Diedc 458) Bishop Bl Andreas Ebersbach Bl Barbara Jeong Sun-mae St Bladus St Byblig St Cillene St Dathus of Ravenna St Eusebius of Laodicea St Firminus St Firmus Bl Gelduin St Giuse Nguyen Ðình Uyen St Gunthiern St Guthagon St Heliodorus of Altinum St Hyacinth of Caesarea St Ioannes Baptista Zhao Mingxi St Irenaeus of Chiusi
St Maelmuire O’Gorman St Mark of Mesia St Mennone the Centurian St Mucian of Mesia St Paul of Mesia St Petrus Zhao Mingzhen St Philiphê Phan Van Minh St Raymond of Toulouse (Died 1118) Layman — Martyrs of Alexandria – 13 saints: Thirteen Christian companions marytred together. No details about them have survived but the names – Apricus, Cyrion (2 of), Eulogius, Hemerion, Julian, Julius, Justus, Menelaus, Orestes, Porfyrios and Tryphon (2 of). They martyred in Alexandria, Egypt, date unknown.
Martyrs of Constantinople – 24 saints: A group of 24 Christians martyred in the persecutions of Arian emperor Valens. We know little more than their names – Acacios, Amedinos, Ammonius, Ammus, Cerealis, Cionia, Cionius, Cyrianus, Demetrius, Eulogius (2), Euphemia, Heliodoros, Heraclios, Horestes, Jocundus, Julian, Martyrios, Menelaeus, Sestratus, Strategos, Thomas, Timotheos and Tryphon. They were martyred in c367 in Constantintinople.
Theodotus and Companions – 6 saints: Six Christians who were imprisoned, tortured and martyred together in the persecutions of Trajan. Saint Hyacinth ministered to them in prison. We know nothing else about them but their names – Asclepiodotus, Diomedes, Eulampius, Golinduchus, Theodota and Theodotus. They were beheaded in c110, location unknown.
Thought for the Day – 2 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Grace of God
“God has endowed us with wonderful corporal and spiritual gifts, creating us after His own image with powers of intellect and of will. More than this, He has raised us to the supernatural order by communicating to us, His grace, which enables us to live His own life and to share in His divine nature, as His adopted sons.
Grace is the greatest gift which God has given us. It enlightens our minds and moves our will to obey His commands and to perform actions which merit an everlasting reward. It is an entirely supernatural and gratuitous gift. For this reason, we cannot merit it but, we should continually pray for it because, it is absolutely necessary if we are to do good and to merit Heaven. Our first ancestor, Adam, was endowed with this gift by our Creator. Unfortunately, by original sin, he lost it for himself and for his descendants.
We cannot complain to God about this loss, since grace is an entirely supernatural gift which is in no way, due to our human nature. For the same reason, we cannot merit it on our own. But God, being infinitely good, as well as, infinitely just, sent His only-begotten Son to redeem us from sin and to grant us His friendship once more.
We should be very grateful to God for this extraordinary favour and should unite our efforts to the divine action of grace, in the performance of good works, which will enable us to merit everlasting life.”
Quote/s of the Day – 2 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Readings: Genesis 23: 1-4, 19; 24: 1-8, 62-67, Psalms 106: 1b-2, 3-4a, 4b-5, Matthew 9: 9-13
“It is not the healthy who are in need of the physician but those who are sick”
Matthew 9:12
“… Veiled in a human body, He was able to communicate with humans. He who wanted to assist the guilty hides the fact that He is a Judge. He who did not deny dignity to faithful servants, conceals his Lordship. He who desired the weak to be embraced by a parent’s love, covers His Majesty.”
St Peter Chrysologus (c 400-450) “Doctor of Homilies” Father and Doctor of the Church
” Indeed, the instant you say: “I have sinned against the Lord”, the response is given you: “Your sins are forgiven” (Mt 9:2). … Only do not keep away, or distance yourself, from He who has chosen you to sing and pray but all your life long, remain close to Him, either through pure confidence, or by a holy audacity and courageous confession.”
John of Karpathos (7th Century) Bishop
“My beloved Redeemer, how much did it cost You to raise me from the ruin, which I brought on myself through my sins? What can I do without Your grace? I can do nothing but pray that You will help me but even this prayer comes from the merits of Your suffering and death! O my Jesus, help me!”
St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) Most zealous Doctor
“Even if we are unfaithful servants and are covered with the leprosy of sin, let us go to Him and He will heal us. Even if we have deserved Hell a thousand times, let us shed tears of repentance at His feet as Magdalen did and, He will give us His forgiveness and His peace.”
Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
“Lord Jesus Christ,Son of God, Have Mercy on me, a sinner.”
One Minute Reflection – 2 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Readings: Genesis 23: 1-4, 19; 24: 1-8, 62-67, Psalms 106: 1b-2, 3-4a, 4b-5, Matthew 9: 9-13
“It is not the healthy who are in need of the physician but those who are sick” – Matthew 9:12
REFLECTION – “And by this I wish to know if you love the Lord God and me, His servant and yours – if you have acted in this manner – that is, there should not be any brother in the world, however much he may have possibly sinned, who, after he has looked into your eyes, would go away without having received your mercy, if he is looking for mercy. And if he were not to seek mercy, you should ask him if he wants mercy. And if he should sin thereafter, a thousand times, before your very eyes, love him more than me, so that you may draw him back to the Lord. Always be merciful to such as these …
If anyone of the brothers, at the instigation of the enemy, should sin mortally, he is bound by obedience to have recourse to his guardian. And all the brothers who might know that he has sinned are not to bring shame upon him or speak ill of him but let them show great mercy toward him and keep most secret, the sin of their brother; “because it is not the healthy who are in need of the physician, but those who are sick” (Mt 9:12) … And let the Custodian mercifully take care of him, as he would like to be taken care of, if he were in a similar position.
And if this brother falls into some venial sin, let him confess this to a brother who is a Priest. And if there is no Priest at hand, let him confess to his brother, until he has contact with a Priest who will absolve him canonically. And the brothers should have no power to enjoin any other penance, except this: “Go and sin no more!” (Jn 8:11). – St Francis of Assisi (1182-1226) Founder of the Friars Minor – Letter to a Minister of the Franciscan Order.
PRAYER – Lord Jesus Christ You showed Your great mercy to Matthew the tax-gatherer, by calling him to become Your Apostle,. Supported by the intercession of the Your Mother and oursby and the prayers and example of Your Saints, may we always answer Your call, obey Your commandments, fulfil Your Will and thus live in close union with You. We make our prayer, in union with God our Father and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever.
Our Morning Offering – 2 July – “Month of the Precious Blood”
O God, Be With Us By St Benedict (c 480-547)
O God, from Whom to be turned, is to fall, to Whom to be turned, is to rise and in Whom to stand, is to abide forever, grant us in all our duties, Your help, in all our perplexities, Your guidance, in all our dangers, Your protection, and in all our sorrows, Your peace, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Saint of the Day – 2 July – Servant of God Bernard of Quintavalle OFM ( Died 1241) “The First fruits of the Minor Orders,”The First Follower of St Francis of Assisi,” his faithful and devout companion who received. from St Francis on his deathbed, custody of the Friars Minor. He died nearly 20 years after St Francis.
Bernard, one of the wealthiest young men of Assisi, became intrigued by reports about one of his peers—Francesco di Bernardone, previously known as something of a dandy and carouser—who had recently aroused wonder, as well as ridicule, by his ostentatious embrace of poverty. His curiosity piqued, Bernard who invited Francis to dine with him and spend the night in his home.
During the course of the night, he was so moved by the sound of his guest’s ardent prayers that he confronted Francis the next day and asked his help in discerning God’s will. Opening the Missal at random, Francis alighted on the text, “If you wish to be perfect, go and sell all you own, and give it to the poor.” A second time he opened the book and found, “Take nothing for your journey.” On a third attempt, he found, “If anyone would follow me, let him deny himself.”“This is the advice that the Lord has given us,” Francis proclaimed. “Go and do as you have heard.” Taking these instructions to heart, Bernard disposed of his property and adopted Francis’s way of life.
This image shows Bernard peeking out from behind the curtains on the right. as St Francis prays.
Becoming one of Francis’s most trusted companions, Bernard accompanied him on many journeys. He established a house in Bologna and undertook a special mission to the Shrine at Santiago de Compostela. When Francis was on his deathbed in 1226, “like the patriarch Jacob, with his devoted sons standing around him, grieving and weeping over the departure of so beloved a father,” he asked, “Where is my firstborn son?” Placing his hand on Bernard, he bestowed a special blessing, and enjoined him to “be the head of all your Brothers.”
Bernard himself died about 20 years later, around 1241 and was buried near his spiritual father in the Basilica of Saint Francis. His last words were, “I find this in my soul – not for a thousand worlds equal to this one, would I want not to have served Our Lord Jesus Christ…. My dearest brothers, I beg you to love one another.”
“Of Bernard, St Francis said that he was worthy of all reverence and that he had founded this Order because he was the first who had left the world, keeping back nothing for himself but giving everything to Christ’s poor.” — From The Little Flowers of St. Francis.
Our Lady of the Walnut Our Lady of Madhu Our Lady of Montallegro Our Lady of the Grove Our Lady of the Leśniów Spring Our Lady of the Visitation Our Lady of the Way of Leon Our Lady of Vaussivieres
Notre Dame de la Visitation / Our Lady of the Visitation, Lescure, Valuéjols, Cantal, Auvergne, France (1717) – Commemorated on the Fourth Sunday of June, 2 July :
At around 19 years old, Shepherd Jean Paillé was devoted to the Virgin Mary, and would daily lead his flock, from his little village in central France ,to a wayside Cross on a bluff, where he would kneel to say the Rosary. On 2 July, 1717, his prayers at the Cross were met by an apparition of the Virgin herself, who asked that a Church be built on that spot, leaving behind a small Statuette of herself at the foot of the Cross. She returned several times with the same request. Finally, Jean answered, “But no one will believe me.”“Keep telling the people of Lescure,” she said “and eventually they will listen.” Both were right. When the shepherd mustered the courage to tell the villagers about his visions, they ridiculed him as a simpleton. So he built a small Shrine in the holy place himself, of dry stone, placing the Statuette inside it.
When bad weather threatened, Jean would go there to pray for help. Seeing those prayers answered, the villagers began to believe in his communication with the Virgin and decided to build her a Church in the village. Jean argued that the Holy Virgin wanted her Church on the promontory but wanting the convenience of building and having it in town, the people built the new Church in Lescure and installed the Statuette there. But, the next day, it had returned to the bluff. Jean was suspected of moving it but the same thing kept happening, even with the shepherd under watch, so finally everyone agreed, that Heaven wanted the Virgin’s Chapel to be on the heights and not in the town. This time Jean Paillé himself organised the work. Building materials poured in, which oxen carried up the hill as easily if they were made of feathers.
In 1724, some 3,000 pilgrims camped in the open air to witness the Consecration of the new Church. The Bishop’s delegate dedicated the Sanctuary to Our Lady of the Visitation, in memory of the first apparition date, 2 July, then the Catholic Feast of the Visitation, commemorating the visit of Mary, pregnant with Jesus, to her cousin Elizabeth, pregnant with John the Baptist. In recent years, the Feast of the Visitation has been moved to 31 May and the Solemnity of Our Lady of Lescure to the last Sunday in June.
She is invoked against illness, of the sick and for cures. Notre-Dame de Lescure, santé des infirmes, priez pour nous. Our Lady of Lescure, health of the sick, pray for us.
Bl Giovanni da Fabriano Becchetti St Jacques Fermin Bl Jarich of Mariengaarde St Jéroche St Lidanus of Sezze St Martinian of Rome St Monegundis St Oudoceus
Martyred Soldiers of Rome – 3 saints: Three soldiers who were converted at the martyrdom of Saint Paul the Apostle. Then they were martyred, as well. We known nothing else about them but their names – Acestes, Longinus and Megistus. Martyred c68 in Rome, Italy
Martyrs in Carthage by Hunneric – 7 saints: A group of seven Christians tortured and murdered in the persecutions of the Arian Vandal king Hunneric for remaining loyal to the teachings of orthodox Christianity. They were some of the many who died for the faith during a period of active Arian heresy. – Boniface, Liberatus, Maximus, Rogatus, Rusticus, Septimus and Servus.
Martyrs of Campania – 10 saints: A group of ten Christians marytred together in the persecutions of Diocletian. The only details about them to have survived are their names – Ariston, Crescention, Eutychian, Felicissimus, Felix, Justus, Marcia, Symphorosa, Urban and Vitalis. Martyred in 284 in Campania, Italy.
Martyrs of Seoul – 8 saints: Additional Memorial – 20 September as part of the Martyrs of Korea. A group of eight Christians who were martyred together as part of the lengthy persecutions in Korea. • Agatha Han Sin-ae • Antonius Yi Hyeon • Bibiana Mun Yeong-in • Columba Gang Wan-suk • Ignatius Choe In-cheol • Iuliana Gim Yeon-i • Matthaeus Gim Hyeon-u • Susanna Gang Gyeong-bok They were martyred on 2 July 1801 at the Small West Gate, Seoul, South Korea. Beatified on 15 August 2014 by Pope Francis.
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