Thought for the Day – 1 May – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Month of Mary
“Holy Mary, my most tender Mother, I love you and desire to love you more and more. I realise that I am spiritually poor and imperfect. You are close to the all-powerful God, please help me by your favour and intercession. I know that Jesus will grant everything you ask of Him. Obtain for me, therefore, during this month, the grace to eradicate all my vices and cause to flourish in my aoul, all the virtues of which I stand in need. Set my heart on fire with the love of God and help me to grow more and more, like you and like your Divine Son, Amen.”
It’s 1 May The Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary The Month of our Loving Mother!
“The name of Mary is a tower of strength, which saves sinners from punishment and defends the just from the assaults of hell.” St Lawrence Justinian (1381-1455)
Mary Pondered All These Things in Her Heart (Cf Luke 2:19)
“While Mary contemplated all she had come to know through reading, listening and observing, she grew in faith,increased in merits and was more illuminated by Wisdom and more consumed by the fire of charity. The Heavenly Mysteries were opened to her and she was filled with joy; she became fruitful by the Spirit, was being directed toward God and watched over protectively, while on earth. So remarkable are the divine graces, that they elevate one from the lowest depths to the highest summit and transform one to a greater holiness. How entirely blessed was the mind of the Virgin which, through the indwelling and guidance of the Spirit, was always and in every way, open to the power of the Word of God. She was not led by her own senses, nor by her own will, thus, she accomplished outwardly, through her body. what Wisdom, from within, gave to her faith. It was fitting for Divine Wisdom, which created itself a home in the Church, to use the intervention of the most Blessed Mary, in guarding the law, purifying the mind, giving an example of humility and providing a spiritual sacrifice. Imitate her, O faithful soul! Enter into the deep recesses of your heart, so that you may be purified spiritually and cleansed from your sins. God places more value on goodwill in all we do, than on the works themselves. Therefore, whether we give ourselves to God in the work of contemplation or whether we serve the needs of our neighbour by good works, we accomplish these things because, the love of Christ urges us on. The acceptable offering of the spiritual purification, is accomplished, not in a man-made temple but, in the recesses of the heart where the Lord Jesus freely enters!”
Mary! How Sweetly Falls That Word Anonymous, 19th Century
Mary! How sweetly falls that word On my enraptured ear! Oft do I breathe in accents low, That sound when none are near. Chorus: Sing, O my lips and loudly proclaim: O Mary, O Mary, how sweet is thy name! Sing, O my lip, and loudly proclaim; O Mary, O Mary, how sweet is thy name!
Sweet as the warbling of a bird, Sweet as a mother’s voice; So sweet to me is that dear name, It makes my soul rejoice. Chorus.
Bright as the glittering stars appear, Bright as the moonbeams shine, So bright in my mind’s eye is seen Thy loveliness divine! Chorus.
Through thee I offer my requests, And when my prayer is done, In ecstasy sublime I see Thee seated near thy Son. Chorus.
Quote/s of the Day – 1 May – “The Month of The Blessed Virgin Mary”
“Mary seeks for those who approach her devoutly and with reverence, for such she loves, nourishes, and adopts as her children. ”
St Bonaventure (1221-1274) Seraphic Doctor of the Church
“We may seek graces but shall never find them without the intercession of Mary.”
St Cajetan (1480-1547)
“Truly we are passing through disastrous times, when we may well make our own, the lamentation of the Prophet: “There is no truth and there is no mercy and there is no knowledge of God in the land” (Hosea 4:1). Yet in the midst of this tide of evil, the Virgin Most Merciful rises before our eyes like a rainbow, as the arbiter of peace between God and man.”
One Minute Reflection – 1 May – The Second Sunday after Easter – St Joseph the Worker, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Colossians 3:14-15, 17, 23-24, Matthew 13:54-58
“Is not this the carpenter’s son? ” – Matthew 13:55
REFLECTION – “For if I do not understand the nature placed at my service, I discern Your goodness from the mere fact that it is there to serve me. I perceive that I do not even understand myself but I wonder at You all the more… You have given me intellect, life and human feeling, the source of so many joys, yet I do not begin to understand how I began to be… So it is through failing to understand what surrounds me, that I grasp what You are and, it is through perceiving what You are, that I come to adore You. That is why, in what concerns Your mysteries, my incomprehension lessens not a bit my faith in Your omnipotence… Your eternal Son’s birth exceeds even the idea of eternity – it is prior to the times everlasting. Before any other thing that exists, He was Son proceeding from You, O God and Father. He is true God… You have never existed without Him… Before ever time was, You are the eternal Father of Your Sole Begotten One.”… St Hilary (315-368) Bishop of Poitiers, Father and Doctor of the Divinity of Christ of the Church
PRAYER – O God, Creator of all things, Who dost impose on man the law of work, grant in Thy goodness, that, by the example and patronage of blessed Joseph, we may both accomplish the work Thou dost command and attain the reward Thou hast promised. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Our Morning Offering – 1 May – The Second Sunday after Easter
You are Holy, Lord, All-Powerful God Prayer known as “Of Peter and the Other Apostles” (Papyrus of the early Church)
You are Holy, Lord, All-Powerful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Paradise of happiness, Royal sceptre, Infinite love, Assurance of hope… You are Holy, Lord God, You are “the King of kings and the Lord of lords: You alone have immortality, You live in the inaccessible light, that no-one has ever seen” (1 Tm 6:15-16). You walk on the wings of the winds (Ps 103:3); You created the sky, the earth and the sea and all they contain (Acts 4:24). You make the winds Your messengers and burning fire Your servant (Ps 103:4); You made man in Your image and likeness (Gen 1:26), You measured out the span of the sky and the whole earth with the Fingers of Your Hand. Yes, in Your Presence, Your works are altogether lovely. Amen
Saint of the Day – 1 May or the Second Sunday of Easter – St Brieuc of Brittany (c 420-c 510) Welsh Bishop, Monk, Abbot and Missionary to Brittany, Miracle-worker, Apostle of the poor. Brieuc was the Founder and first Abbot of a Monastery near Treguier, Brittany, which grew into the town called Saint-Brieuc. He is also one of the Seven Founder Saints of Brittany. Born in c 420 at Dyfed, Cardiganshire, Wales and died in c 510 at Saint-Brieuc-des-Vaux, France of natural causes. Patronages – purse makers (from the legendary size of his alms-giving), Saint-Brieuc-des-Vaux, France. Also known as – Breock, Briach, Brieg, Brigomalos, Brimael, Brioc, Brioch, Briock, Brioco, Briocus, Briog, Briomaglus, Bru, Bryan. Additional Memorials – 30 April (Scotland), 18 October (translation of relics).
Brieuc is called a Bishop in an inscription in marble at his Shrine built in 1210,but it is not certain that he was a Bishop; more likely he was an Abbot because no evidence is recorded in the See, which dates only to 844. Still, it is possible that he had been a Bishop and an Abbot before records were properly kept in Brittany.
Very little is known about Brieuc’s early life. His 9th century Acta states that he came from Ceredigion in Wales, where the Church at Llandyfriog was originally dedicated to him. He received his education in Ireland and then studied under St Germanus of Auxerre. He is believed to have spent time at Rothesay on the Isle of Bute in Scotland, where a Church was dedicated to him and his name was commemorated in the annual St Bruix Fair. He most likely returned to France early in 431, accompanied by Saint Illtud.
In 480, he settled in Armorica, France and founded a Monastery at Landebaeron. He then travelled to Upper Brittany where he established an Oratory at St Brieuc-des-Vaux, where he became the Abbot of a Monastery which he had founded.
The first Oratory built by St Brieuc
Brieuc died in his own Monastery at St. Brieuc-des-Vaux and was interred in his Cathedral Church, dedicated to Saint Stephen.
His Acta cites numerous miracles, especially his cure of Count Riguel, who gave the Saint his own Palace of Champ-du-Rouvre, as also the entire attached manorial estates. He is represented as treading on a dragon or presented with a column of fire as seen at his Ordination.
In old age, St Brieuc is said to have been travelling in a cart, singing hymns together with a group of Monks walking alongside, when suddenly they were surrounded by a pack of wolves. His companions fled but Brieuc confronted the beasts fearlessly with the Sign of the Cross offered in benediction and they knelt before him humbly and seemed to pray with him. The Statue below depicts this scene and is kept in the Cathedral.
Statue of Saint-Brieuc by Elie le Goff dated 1891.
Saint Brieuc’s relics were moved to the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus of Angers in 865, and again, in a more solemn manner, on 31 July 1166. However, in 1210, a portion of the relics were restored to St Brieuc Cathedral, where the saint’s ring is also preserved.
In honour of Saint Brieuc’s link between Ceredigion and Brittany, the Town of St Brieuc has been twinned with Aberystwyth and a road, Boulevard St Brieuc, is located in the Town.
Note:The Seven Founder Saints of Brittany are: Paol Aoreliann in Saint-Pol-de-Léon, Tudwal in Tréguier, Brieuc in Saint-Brieuc, Maloù in Saint-Malo, Samsun of Dol in Dol-de-Bretagne, Padarn in Vannes, Kaourintin in Quimper.
St Aceolus of Amiens St Acius of Amiens St Aldebrandus of Fossombrone St Amator of Auxerre St Ambrose of Ferentino St Andeolus of Smyrna Bl Arigius of Gap St Arnold of Hiltensweiler St Asaph of Llanelwy St Augustine Schöffler
St Benedict of Szkalka OSB (Died 1012) Monk and Hermit
St Bertha of Avenay St Bertha of Kent St Brieuc of Brittany (c 420-c 510)Welsh Bishop Monk and Missionary to Brittany. St Ceallach of Killala St Cominus of Catania Evermarus of Rousson Bl Felim O’Hara St Grata of Bergamo St Isidora of Egypt St Jeremiah the Prophet St John-Louis Bonnard Bl Klymentii Sheptytskyi St Marculf St Orentius of Auch St Orentius of Loret St Patientia of Loret
St Peregrine Laziosi OSM (1260-1345) The “Angel of Good Counsel,” Priest of the Servite Order (The Order of Servants of Mary), Apostle of the poor and the sick, Miracle-worker, Spiritual Advisor. Patronages – against cancer, against breast cancer, against open sores, against skin diseases, AIDS patients, sick people, Diocese of Forli-Bertinoro, Italy, City of Forli, Italy. St Peregrine’s body is Incorrupt. Beautiful St Peregrine: https://anastpaul.com/2020/05/01/saint-of-the-day-1-may-saint-peregrine-laziosi-osm-1260-1345-today-is-the-675th-anniversary-of-his-death/
Bl Petronilla of Moncel
St Richard Pampuri OH (1897-1930) aged 33 – Italian Religious of the Hospitallers of St John of God, Medical Doctor, Founder of the Band of Pius X (a Youth movement) which he dedicated to the medical care of poor people, Third Order Franciscan. He was an outstanding lover of the Holy Eucharist in Adoration and an avid Marian devotee, as well as living out his short but faith-filled life in total charity to all the needy and poor. Biography: https://anastpaul.com/2019/05/01/saint-of-the-day-1-may-saint-richard-pampuri-oh-1897-1930/
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