Thought for the Day – 31 May – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Pray for Us … at the Hour of Our Death
“O Mary, my tender Mother, be at my side throughout my life but especially at the hour of death. Shelter me beneath thy maternal mantle and never let me be far apart from thee. Grant that I may have a calm and peaceful death like thine own, a death made easy by a great love for Jesus and for thee, by the reception of the Holy Sacraments and by thy special blessing and presence, amen.”
Quote/s of the Day – 31 May – “The Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – The Queenship of Mary
“She is the eldest daughter of the Great King. If you enjoy her favour, she will introduce you to the Monarch of the Universe. No-one has so great an interest with Him than Mary, who was the occasion of His coming down from Heaven to become man, for the redemption of mankind.”
St John the Merciful (c 552-c 616)
“Just as Mary surpassed in grace all others on earth, so also, in Heaven, is her glory unique. If eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him (1 Corinthians 2:9), who can express, what He has prepared, for the woman who gave Him birth and who loved Him, as everyone knows, more than anyone else?”
St Bernard (1090-1153) The Last Father and Mellifluous Doctor of the Church
“The Angels rejoiced to see their Queen, the Apostles rejoiced to see their lady and both obeyed her, with loving devotion. … Therefore, when the Virgin of virgins was led forth by God and her Son, the King of kings. amid the company of exulting Angels and rejoicing Archangels, with the Heavens ringing with praise, the prophecy of the psalmist was fulfilled, in which he said to the Lord: At your right hand stands the Queen, clothed in gold of Ophir.”
One Minute Reflection – 31 May – “The Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – The Queenship of Mary – Eccli 24:5; 14:7; 14:9-11; 24:30-31, Luke 1:26-33 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Hail, full of grace!”– Luke 1:28
REFLECTION – “The degeneration caused by sin had obscured the beauty of our original nobility. But when the mother of supreme Beauty is born, our nature finds its purity once more and sees itself moulded according to the perfect model, worthy of God (Gn 1:26)… We had all preferred the world below to that above. There no longer remained any hope of salvation. The state of our nature cried aloud to Heaven to come to the rescue… Then, at last, in His good pleasure, the world’s Divine Artificer determined to make a new world appear, a different world full of harmony and youth.
Now, was it not fitting, that a most pure virgin without stain, should place herself at the service of this mysterious plan, first of all?… And where was this virgin to be found if not in this woman, alone of her kind, chosen by the world’s Creator before all generations? Yes, she indeed is Mother of God, divinely named Mary, whose womb gave birth to God Incarnate and whom, He Himself, had supernaturally prepared as His temple…
In this way, then, the design of the Redeemer of our race was to bring about a birth and, as it were, a new creation to replace the one that went before. Therefore, just as in Paradise He had taken a little clay, out of the pure and spotless earth, to fashion the first Adam (Gn 2:7), so, at the moment of bringing about His own Incarnation, He made use of another earth, so to speak, namely this pure and immaculate Virgin, chosen from among all other beings He had created. It is in her that He, Adam’s Creator, has remade us in our very substance and become a new Adam (1 Cor 15:45) that the old might be saved by the new and eternal.” – St Andrew of Crete (660-740) Bishop, Father (Sermon 1 for the Nativity of the Mother of God).
PRAYER – Grant we beseech Thee, O Lord, that we who keep the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Queen, safe under her protection, may be worthy to have peace now and glory, in the future. 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).Through the same 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 – 31 May – Pentecost Wednesday
Prayer for the Gifts of the Holy Ghost By St Bonaventure (1221-1274) Seraphic Doctor of the Church
We beg the All-Merciful Father through Thee, His Only-Begotten Son, made Man for our sake, Crucified and Glorified for us, to send upon us, from His treasure-house, the Spirit of Sevenfold Grace, Who rested upon Thee in all His fullness.
The Spirit of Wisdom, enabling us to relish the fruit of the tree of life, which is indeed Thyself. The Gift of Understanding, to enlighten our perceptions. The Gift of Prudence, enabling us to follow in Thine Footsteps. The Gift of Strength, to withstand our adversary’s onslaught. The Gift of Knowledge, to distinguish good from evil, by the light of Thine holy teaching. The Gift of Piety, to clothe ourselves with charity and mercy. The Gift of Fear, to withdraw from all ill-doing and live quietly in awe of Thy Eternal Majesty.
These are the things for which we petition. Grant them for the honour of Thy Holy Name, to which, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, thanksgiving, renown and Lordship, forever and ever. Amen
Saint of the Day – 31 May – St Petronilla (1st Century) Virgin Martyr. Born in the 1st Century as a Roman citizen and died in the same Century. Her Relics reside at Saint Peter’s Basilica Rome. Patronages – against fever, heirs of the Throne [Dauphins] of France, mountain travellers, treaties between Popes and Frankish Emperors, Acciano, Italy. Also known as – Petronilla of Rome, Aurelia Petronilla, Pernelle, Perolin, Perrenotte, Perrette, Perrine, Perronell, Petronella, Peyronne, Peyronnelle, Pierrette, Pérette, Périne, Pétronille.
The Roman Martyrology reads today: “In Rome in the cemetery of Domitilla on the Via Ardeatina, Saint Petronilla, Virgin and Martyr.”
As for many Saints of the early Christian era, even in this case there are conflicting reports or ‘Vitas.’ Also for Petronilla, despite the fact that she has had such a widespread cult, we have dubious legends about her.
What is certain is that she was buried in the Domitilla Cemetery near or within the underground Basilica of the Catacombs. Archaeological sources indicate the oldest testimony in a 4th Century fresco which still exists behind the apse of the underground Basilica, built by Pope Siricius between 390 and 395. The fresco depicts the blessed introduced into a paradise full of roses, held by the hand of a girl with her head covered and on whose side is written “Petronilla Mart(yr). ”
Fresco of the mid-4th Century, with the Martyr Petronilla on the right, leading a young woman named Veneranda into the garden of Paradise.
Petronilla is traditionally identified as the daughter of the Apostle St Peter, although this may stem simply from the similarity of their names. It is believed she may have been a converted by St Peter (and thus a “spiritual daughter”or his disciple or servant. It is said that Peter cured her of paralysis.
Many stories found in the writings of St Marcellus (and retold in The Golden Legend) say that Peter, who thought his daughter too beautiful, asked God to afflict her with a fever, of which he refused to cure her until she began to be perfected in the love of God.
She is said to have refused Count Flaccus’ hand in marriage. Traditions say she died a natural death but accounts of her Martyrdom can be found.
Petronilla is thought to have been Aurelia Petronilla, a scion of the gens Flavius, the family of Vespasian and Domitian. She was also related to St. Domitilla, who was exiled in the 1st Century to Pandateria, whose property on the Via Ardentina became a Catacomb Cemetary. Inscriptions there describe Petronilla as a Martyr.
During the Papacy of Siricius (384-399), a Basilica was built on the site of her tomb. In the 8th Century, Pope Gregory III established a place of public prayer in the Basilica and her Relics were translated o St Peter’s, where a Chapel was dedicated in her honour.
The Burial and Reception of St Petronilla into Heaven by Giovanni Francesco Barbieri (Guercino)
Emperors Charlemagne (died 814) and Carlomen (died 771) were considered adopted sons of St Peter and they, along with the French Monarchs who succeeded them, considered Petronilla their sister. Her Chapel became the Chapel of the Kings of France. Her emblem, like that of St. Peter, is a set of keys.
St Petronilla Statue on the Colonnade of St Peter’s Basilica, Rome
St Camilla Battista da Varano OSC (1458-1524) Virgin, Italian Princess, Poor Clare Nun and Abbess, Mystic, Spiritual Writer, Stigmatist. Both Saint Philip Neri and St Alphonsus Liguori recorded their admiration for her. On 8 April 1821 Pope Leo XIII approved the acts of the process for her Canonisation. She was Beatified by Pope Gregory XVI on 7 April 1843, following recognition of her long-standing public cult. On 4 February 1893 her writings were also approved. On 17 October 2010 Pope Benedict XVI Canonised her, along with five others. Biography: https://anastpaul.com/2020/05/31/saint-of-the-day-31-may-saint-camilla-battista-da-varano-osc-1458-1524/
St Crescentian of Sassari St Donatian of Cirta St Felice of Nicosia St Galla of Auvergne St Hermias of Comana
Blessed James Salomoni OP (1231-1314) Priest of the Order of Preachers, “Father of the Poor,” “Apostle of the Afflicted,” Miracle-worker graced with the ability to cure sickness. Patronages – cancer patients, of the sick. He died on 31 May 1314, in his eighty-third year. His relics now lie in the Basilica of Sts John and Paul in Venice. Devotion to Blessed James has been approved and encouraged by several Popes. In 1526 he was officiallt Beatified by Pope Clement VII Biography: https://anastpaul.com/2022/05/31/saint-of-the-day-31-may-blessed-james-salomoni-op-1231-1314-apostle-of-the-afflicted/
St Juan Moya Collado Bl Kasper Gerarz St Lupicinus of Verona St Mancus of Cornwall Bl Mariano of Roccacasale St Mechtildis of Edelstetten St Myrbad of Cornwall Bl Nicholaus of Vangadizza Bl Nicholaus of Vaucelles St Nowa Mawaggali St Paschasius of Rome St Petronilla of Rome (1st Century) Virgin Martyr St Silvio of Toulouse Bl Vitalis of Assisi St Winnow of Cornwall
Martyrs of Aquileia – 3 Saints: Three young members of the imperial Roman nobility and who were raised in a palace and had Saint Protus of Aquileia as tutor and catechist. To escape the persecutions of Diocletian, the family sold their property and moved to Aquileia, Italy. However, the authorities there quickly ordered them to sacrifice to idols; they refused. Martyrs all – Cantianilla, Cantian and Cantius. They were beheaded in 304 at Aquae-Gradatae (modern San-Cantiano) just outside Aquileia, Italy.
Martyrs of Gerona – 29 Saints: A group of Christians Martyred together in Gerona, Catalonia, Spain, date unknown. No details about them have survived but the names – • Agapia• Amelia• Castula• Cicilia• Donatus• Firmus• Fortunata• Gaullenus• Germanus• Honorius• Istialus• Justus• Lautica• Lupus
Martyrs of the Via Aurelia – 4 Saints: Four Christians Martyred together. No information about them has survived except their names – Justa, Lupus, Tertulla and Thecla. The martyrdom occurred in 69 on the Via Aurelia near Rome, Italy.
AnaStpaul 
You must be logged in to post a comment.