Saint of the Day – 19 March – Blessed John of Parma OFM (c1209-1289) Priest and Friar of the Friars Minor, the 7th Minister General of the Order (1247–1257) and a noted Theologian. He was known for his attempts to bring back the earlier spirit of the Order after the death of Saint Francis of Assisi. Born in 1209 at Parma, Italy as Giovanni Burali and died in 1289 at Greccio, Italy of natural causes. Patronage – of his birthplace, Parma, Italy. His cult was confirmed in 1777 by his Beatification by Pope Pius VI. Also known as – Giovanni di Parma, John Burall. Additional Memorial – 20 March on some calendars.
John was born in Parma, Italy, around 1209 of the noble Burali family. His education was undertaken by his uncle, the Chaplain of the St Lazarus hospice in Parma. It was when he was a young Philosophy Professor known for his piety and learning that God called him to bid good-bye to the world he was used to and enter the new world of the Franciscan Order.
After his profession, John was sent to Paris to complete his Theological studies in order to be Ordained to the Priesthood. After his Ordaination, he was appointed to teach Theology at Bologna, then in Naples and finally in Rome.
In 1245, Pope Innocent IV called a General Council in the City of Lyons, France. Crescentius, the Franciscan Minister General at the time, was ailing and unable to attend. In his place he sent Friar John, who made a deep impression on the Church leaders gathered there. Two years later, when the same Pope presided at the election of a new Minister General of the Franciscans, he remembered Friar John well and proposed him as the man best qualified for the office.
And so, in 1247, John of Parma was elected to the position of the 7th Minister General. The surviving disciples of St Francis rejoiced in his election, expecting a return to the spirit of poverty and humility of the early days of the Order. And they were not disappointed. As General of the Order, John travelled on foot, accompanied by one or two companions, to practically all of the Franciscan Convents in existence. Sometimes he was able to visit incognito and unrecognised, remaining there for a number of days to test the true spirit of the Friars.
The Pope called on John to serve as the Papal Legate to Constantinople, where he was most successful in winning back the schismatic Greeks. Upon his return, he asked that someone else take his place to govern the Order. At John’s urging, Saint Bonaventure was chosen to succeed him. John then took up a life of prayer in the Hermitage at Greccio, one of St Francis favourite Hermitages. and where he founded the first Nativity devotion.
Many years later, John learned that the Greeks who had been reconciled with the Church for a time, had again relapsed into schism. Although 80 years old by then, John received permission from Pope Nicholas IV to return to the East in an effort to restore unity once more. On his way, John became ill and died. He was Beatified in 1777. The Office was granted to the Franciscan Order in 1780 and extended to the ducal States on 24 April 1781.
Blessed Clement of Dunblane (1200-1258) Bishop of Dunblane in Scotland, , Priest and Friar of the Order of Preachers, a great and humble carer of the poor and needy, a zealous Administrator but just as much, a shepherd of souls, Reformer, Writer, a highly renowned Preacher and Linguist, a very learned man indeed. Clement was the first member of the Dominican Order in Britain and Ireland to become a Bishop. Born in Scotland in 1200 and died in 1258 in Dunblane, Scotland of natural causes. Biography: https://anastpaul.com/2023/03/19/saint-of-the-day-19-march-blessed-clement-of-dunblane-op-1200-1258-bishop/
St Colocer of Saint-Brieuc St Corbasius of Quimperlé St Cuthbert of Brittany St Gemus
Blessed John of Parma OFM (c1209-1289) Priest, 7th Minister General of the Friars Minor.
St John the Syrian of Pinna St Lactali of Freshford St Landoald of Maastricht St Leontinus of Braga St Leontinus of Saintes Bl Mark of Montegallo St Pancharius of Nicomedia
Martyrs of Sorrento: A group of Three sisters and a brother who were Martyred together. We have little more than their names – Mark, Quartilla, Quintilla and Quintius. They were Martyred in Sorrento, Italy, date unknown.
Thought for the Day – 18 March – The Spiritual Combat (1589) – Dom Lorenzo Scupoli OSM (c1530-1610)
“None shall be crowned who has not fought well.” 2 Tim 2: 5
XXXIII: … Instructions for Mortifying Passions, to Attain the Necessary Virtues (Part Two)
“And a last 3 points of advice:
+++ 4. Let your whole heart desire nothing, think of nothing, crave nothing, long for nothing but to conquer that passion with which you are struggling and to attain its contrary virtue. Be this your world, your Heaven, your earth, your whole treasure and all with the sole view of pleasing God. Whether eating or fasting, labouring, or resting, watching or sleeping, at home or abroad, whether engaged in devotion or in manual labour, let all be directed to the conquest and extinction of this passion and, to the attainment of the contrary virtue.
+++ 5. Wage unceasing war against earthly pleasures and comforts, so will no vice have much power to assail you. For all vices spring from this one root of pleasure – when this, therefore, is cut away by hatred of self, they lose their strength and power. For, if with one hand you will try to fight against some particular sin, or pleasure and, with the other dally, with other earthly enjoyments, although their guilt be not mortal but only venial, your battles will be difficult and bloody, your victories infrequent and uncertain. Keep, therefore, constantly in mind these Divine words: “He that loveth his life shall lose it and he that hateth his life in this world keepeth it unto life eternal.” John 12:25.
“Brethren, we are not debtors to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh, you shall die. ”
+++ 6. Lastly, it would be well, it maybe even necessary, for you to make, in the first place, a general Confession, with all the necessary conditions that you may be the better assured of your Lord’s favour, to Whom Alone you must look for all grace and victory!”
Quote/s of the Day – 18 March – St Cyril of Jerusalem (315-387) Bishop of Jerusalem, Confessor Father & Doctor of the Church
Let us not then be ashamed to confess the Crucified!
“BE THE CROSS OUR SEAL, made with boldness by our fingers, on our brow and in everything, over the bread we eat and the cups we drink, in our comings in and goings out, before our sleep, when we lie down and when we awake, when we are in the way and when we are still.
Great is that preservative, it is without price, for the poor’s sake, without toil, for the sick, since also its’ grace is from God.
It is the Sign of the faithful and the dread of evils – for He has triumphed over them in it, having made a shew of them openly – for when they see the Cross, they are reminded of the Crucified; they are afraid of Him, Who hath bruised the head of the dragon.
Despise not the Seal because of the freeness of the Gift but for this, rather honour thy Benefactor!”
“Now then, we do not just rest only on His first advent but look forward to His second too, when, meeting our Master with the Angels, we may worship Him and say: “Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord” (Mt 21:9). The Saviour will come, not to be judged again but to judge those who judged Him … He came the first time because of a Divine dispensation, teaching people with persuasion but on that day, they will of necessity have Him for their King.”
“And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, Take courage, son, your sins are forgiven you.” Matthew 9:2
“Perhaps, your own faith is feeble. Nevertheless, the Lord, who is love will stoop down to you, provided only that you are penitent and can say sincerely, from the depths of your soul: “Lord, I believe. Help thou mine unbelief,” (Mark 9:23)……”
“Before all this happens, however, they will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons and they will have you led, before kings and governors because of my name …” Luke 21:12
“Jesus gives them clear and evident signs of the time when the consummation of the world draws near. He says that there will be wars, turmoil, famines and epidemics everywhere. There will be terrors from heaven and great signs. … Christ promises, however, that He will deliver them certainly and completely. He says that a hair of your head will not perish!”
“Let us then, my brethren, endure in hope. Let us devote ourselves, side-by-side with our hoping, so that the God of all the universe, as He beholds our intention, may cleanse us from all sins, fill us with high hopes from what we have in hand and grant us the change of heart which saves. God has called you and you have your calling!”
Our Lenten Journey with the Angels and the Saints – 18 March – The Feast of St Cyril of Jerusalem (315-387) Bishop of Jerusalem, Confessor Father & Doctor of the Church
“Blessed is the man who feareth the Lord, he shall delight exceedingly in His commandments.” Psalm 111:1
“Go, sell what you possess and give to the poor and you will have treasure in Heaven.” Matthew 19:21
Use Your Money for Good!
St Cyril of Jerusalem (315-387) Father & Doctor of the Church
“Riches, gold and silver do not belong to the devil, as some think. For the whole world of riches belongs to the faithful man but not a penny to the faithless.
Now, nothing is more faithless than the devil,and God says plainly, by the Prophet, “The gold is mine and the silver is mine” (Haggai 2:8) and He gives it to whoever He wills. Simply use it well and there is nothing wrong with money. But whenever you have made bad use of it, you are unwilling to blame your own management, so you impiously throw the blame back at the Creator.
A man may even be justified by money. “I was hungry and you gave Me to eat” that certainly was from money. “I was naked and you clothed Me” that too was certainly from money.
Do you want to learn how money can become a door to the Kingdom of Heaven? “Go,” Jesus says, “sell what you possess and give to the poor and you will have treasure in Heaven” (Matthew 19:21).
Now, I have made these remarks because of those heretics who say that our possessions and our money and our bodies, are cursed. I do not want you to be a slave to money but neither do I want you to treat, as your enemies do, the good things, to be used for good which God has given you.”
One Minute Reflection – 18 March – Monday in Passion Week – St Cyril of Jerusalem (315-387) Bishop of Jerusalem, Confessor Father & Doctor of the Church – Ecclesiasticus Ecclus 39:6-14, Matthew 10:23-28 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“What you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.” … Matthew 10:27
REFLECTION – “It is not I who undertook this work but, it is Christ the Lord Who commanded me to come to be with these Irish pagans for the rest of my life, if the Lord shall Will it and shield me from every evil … But I do not trust myself “as long as I am in this mortal body” (2 Pt 1:13; Rm 7:24) … I did not lead a perfect life like other believers but I confess to my Lord and do not blush in His sight because I am not lying, from the time when I came to know Him in my youth, the love of God and fear of Him increased in me and right up until now, by God’s favour, “I have kept the faith” (2 Tm 4:7).
What is more, let anyone laugh and taunt, if he so wishes. I am not keeping silent, nor am I hiding “the signs and wonders” (Dn 6:27) which were shown to me by the Lord many years before they happened, He Who knew everything, even before the beginning of time. Thus, I should give thanks unceasingly to God, who has frequently forgiven my folly and my negligence, in more than one instance and has never been angry with me, who am placed as His helper, though I did not easily assent to what had been revealed to me, as the Spirit was urging. The Lord “took pity” on me “thousands upon thousands” of times, (Ex 20:6) because He saw within me, that I was prepared to serve Him. … Many were trying to prevent this mission, they were talking among themselves behind my back and saying, “Why is this fellow throwing himself into danger among enemies who do not know God?” Not from malice did they say this, as I myself can testify, they perceived my rusticity. And I was not quick to recognise the grace that was then in me, I now know, that I should have done so earlier.
Now I have put it frankly to my brothers and co-workers, who have believed me because of what “I have proclaimed and still proclaim” (2 Co 13:2) to strengthen and reinforce your faith. I wish only, that you too, would make greater and better efforts. This will be my pride, for “a wise son makes a proud father.” (Pr 10:1)” … St Patrick (c 385-461) (The Confessions,# 43-47)
PRAYER – Grant us, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, through the intercession of the blessed Bishop Cyril, so to acknowledge Thee, the only true God and Jesus Christ Whom Thou have sent, that we may be found worthy to be forever numbered among the sheep who hear His Voice.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 – 18 March – Monday in Passion Week
This Prayer is part of a very long and most beautiful Night Prayer by St John which I will post shortly.
Hail, Most Precious and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord! By St John Damascene (675-749) Confessor, Father and Doctor of the Church
Let God arise and let His enemies be scattered and let those, who hate Him, flee from His Presence. As smoke vanishes, let them vanish and as wax melts by the presence of fire, so let the demons perish by the presence of those who love God and who sign themselves with the Sign of the Cross and say in gladness: Hail, Most Precious and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, for Thou drives away the demons by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ Crucified on thee, Who went down to hell and trampled on the power of the devil and gave us thee, His venerable Cross, for driving away all enemies. O Most Precious and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, help me with our holy Lady, the Virgin Mother of God and with all the Saints throughout the ages. Amen.
Saint of the Day – 18 March – St Cyril of Jerusalem (315-387) Bishop of Jerusalem, Confessor Father and Doctor of the Church, Theologian, Writer. Born in c315 possibly near Caesar in Palestine and died at the age of around 73 in c387 in Jerusalem. Also known as – Cirillo, Kyrillos.
The Roman Martyrology reads: “At Jerusalem, St Cyril, the Bishop and Doctor, who suffered many inhuries from the Arians for the Faith. Often exiled from his Church, he at length rested in peace, with a great reputation for sanctity. A magnificent testamony of the purity of his faith is given by a general Council, in a letter to the Pope Damasus.”
Cyril of Jerusalem, Ordained Presbyter around 345, was a man particularly attentive to the preparation of Catechumens aspiring to the Sacrament of Baptism celebrated on Easter night.
It is in these years of his Priesthood that he composed the work which is still rightly known today, the ‘Catecheses‘ contain sermons which illustrate Christian doctrine (the first 19 sermons held in the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre built in Jerusalem by Constantine are addressed to the Catechumens) and they explain the Sacraments (discourses 20-24 were addressed to the already Baptised and admitted to the Church and aimed at teaching the understanding of the meaning of Liturgical practices).
St Cyril’s Catechesis
As a young man of around 33 in c348, Cyril was appointed as the Bishop of Jerusalem. Cyril was severely involved in the Christological controversy following the affirmation of the Nicene Creed. The term “of the same substance” constituted the Christological affirmation against the Arian heresy. In fact, once the Council ended, a long and very painful period began which saw the Church divide on the Christological question. Not all professed Nicenes (like the illustrious Bishop and Doctor of the Church, Saint Athanasius of Alexandria in Egypt), nor did the Arian party constitute a monolithic group. Most oscillated between the two positions.
Cyril of Jerusalem, like St Acacius, Bishop of Caesarea (340-366) and many others, held an intermediate and personal position. Due to issues related to the relationship between Churches, Acacius, definitively espousing a markedly Arian doctrine and thus guaranteeing imperial support, managed to repeatedly remove Cyril from his Episcopal Seat. He was thus first deposed and exiled by the Emperor Constantius in 357 and 360, then by the Emperor Valens from 367 to 378. This Acacius, Bishop from 340 to 366, is certainly no small figure. Having succeeded the great Bishop St Eusebius, he continued to enrich the library of Caesarea. Saint Jerome, in fact, who died in 420, spoke of his great works of commentary and interpretation of Sacred Scripture which were then sadly lost).
The Emperor Theodosius (379-395) put an end to his exile which lasted a total of 16 years. Now, no-one will chase him away again. In 381 Cyril took part in the Council of Constantinople (the 2nd Ecumenical Council) and in the following one in 382, in which the validity of his consecration as the Bishop of Jerusalem was again reiterated,, where he finally remained undisturbed until his death.
Cyril’s whole life was involved in the troubles of the Church during the first Centuries. That is, in the theological debates, even very harsh ones, mixed with human weaknesses and then intertwined with politics, with external wars to defend the Empire and internal ones to seize the throne. Fifteen Centuries laster, in 1882, Cyril was declared Doctor of the Church by Pope Leo XIII.
Martyrs of Nicomedia – Commemorates the Christians who were Martyred anonymously, either singly and in small groups, by local pagans in the area of Nicomedia prior to the year 300 and who may have been over-looked in the waves of Diocletian persecutions that resulted in the deaths of thousands.
Thought for the Day – 17 March – The Spiritual Combat (1589) – Dom Lorenzo Scupoli OSM (c1530-1610)
“None shall be crowned who has not fought well.” 2 Tim 2: 5
XXXIII: … Instructions for Mortifying Passions, to Attain the Necessary Virtues (Part One)
“Although I have said so much on the course to be pursued in order to conquer self and adorn it with all virtues, there still remain, some other points concerning which, I would give you some advice.
+++ 1. In your endeavours after holiness, never, be persuaded to use such spiritual exercises as select formally, different virtues, for different days of the week, setting apart one for the attainment of each. But, let the order of your warfare and your exercise, be to combat those passions which have always injured and still continue to assault and injure you and, to adorn yourself and that, with all possible perfection, with their contrary virtues. For having once acquired these virtues, all others will be readily attained, as occasion offers, with little comparative exertion. And occasions will never be wanting, for all the virtues are linked together in one chain and he who possesses one in perfection, has all the others ready on the threshold of his heart.
+++ 2. Never set a fixed time, such as days, or weeks, or years, for the attainment of any virtue but, as an infant newly born, a soldier just enlisted, fight your way continually towards the summit of perfection. Never stand still, even for a moment – for to stand still in the way of virtue and perfection, is not to regain breath or courage but, to fall back, or to grow feebler than before. By standing still, I mean flattering ourselves that we have perfectly acquired the virtue in question and so, taking less heed of the occasions which call us to fresh acts of it, or of little failures therein. Therefore, be careful, be fervent, be watchful – that you neglect not the slightest opportunity of exercising any virtue. Love all such occasions and especially those which are attended with the greatest difficulty because, habits are quickest formed and deepest rooted, when the difficulties to be overcome, are greatest! Love those occasions, therefore which present such difficulties. Fly from those only and, with rapid step, with all diligence and speed which might lead to the temptation of the flesh.
+++ 3. Be prudent and discreet in those exercises which may prove injurious to bodily health, such as – self-chastisement by means of disciplines, hair-cloths, fasts, vigils, meditations and the like – for these virtues must be acquired slowly and by degrees, as will be hereafter explained. As to other virtues which are wholly internal, such as – the love of God, contempt of the world, self-abasement, hatred of vicious passions and of sin, meekness and patience, love towards all men, towards those who injure us and the like, – it is not necessary to acquire these gradually, nor to mount by degrees to perfection therein but, you should strive, at once, with all your might, to practice each without delay and with all possible perfection!
Quote/s of the Day – 17 March – St Patrick (c386-461) “The Apostle of Ireland,” Bishop, Confessor
Excerpt from St Patrick’s Breastplate (also known as “The Deer Cry”)
I bind unto myself today the power of God to hold and lead, His Eye to watch, His Might to stay, His Ear to hearken to my need; the Wisdom of my God to teach, His Hand to guide, His shield to ward; the Word of God to give me speech, His Heavenly Host to be my guard. Against the demon snares of sin, the vice which gives temptation force, the natural lusts which war within, the hostile men who mar my course; of few or many, far or nigh, in every place and in all hours against their fierce hostility, ……. Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me, Christ beside me, Christ to win, Christ to comfort and restore me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger, Christ in hearts of all who love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger. I bind unto myself the Name, the strong Name of the Trinity, by invocation of the same, the Three in One and One in Three, of Whom all nature hath creation, Eternal Father, Spirit, Word. Praise to the Lord of my salvation: Salvation is of Christ the Lord. Amen
Our Lenten Journey with the Angels and the Saints – 17 March – Passion Sunday and the Feast of St Patrick (c386-461) “The Apostle of Ireland,” Bishop, Confessor, Missionary. – Hebrews 9:11-15, John 8:46-59 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“To execute upon them the judgement which is written, this glory is to all His saints. Alleluia.” Psalm 149:9
“Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, he saw it and was glad.” John 8:56
Binding Ourselves
St Patrick (c386-461) “The Apostle of Ireland”
“The man of God, Patrick, was marvellously favoured with heavenly visions and revelations in prayer. ‘When,’ says his biographer, ‘he everyday, in the Mass, sacrificed the Son to the Father, or devoutly recited the Apocalypse of St John, it was granted to him to see the heavens opened and Jesus standing there, surrounded by a multitude of Angels and whilst he meditated on these great visions, his soul was altogether lost in God.’ Three times in the week the Angel Victor, visited and conversed with him, filling his soul with celestial consolations. The labours of the day, amongst men, seem to have been less arduous than those of the night with God.” (The Life of St Patrick, Apostle of Ireland)
Prayer of St Patrick:
I bind unto myself today the power in the love of the Seraphim, in the obedience of the Angels, in the ministration of the Archangels, in the hope of Resurrection unto reward, in the prayers of the Patriarchs, in the predictions of the Prophets, in the preaching of the Apostles, in the faith of the Confessors, in the purity of the holy Virgins, in the deeds of Righteous men. Amen
One Minute Reflection – 26 March – Passion Sunday – Hebrews 9:11-15, John 8:46-59 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, he saw it and was glad.” – John 8:56
REFLECTION – “Since Abraham was a Prophet he saw the day of the Lord’s coming in the Spirit, as also the designs of His Passion, through which, both he and all those like him, who believed in God, would be saved. And he was seized with great joy. Thus, the Lord was not unknown to Abraham, since he longed to see His day… He longed to see His day, so that he, too, might clasp Christ to himself and having seen Him prophetically in the Spirit, he rejoiced.
That is why Simeon, who was of his descendants, fulfilled the Patriarch’s joy and said: “Now, Master, Thou may let Thy servant go in peace, according to Thy Word, for my eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou prepared in sight of all peoples”… And Elizabeth said : “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.” Abraham’s rejoicing descended, as it were, on those who were watching and who saw Christ and believed in Him. And this rejoicing returned to Abraham through his children.
So it was altogether fitting that our Lord bore witness to him when He said: “Your father, Abraham rejoiced to see My day,. he saw it and was glad.” Nor was it only with regard to Abraham that He said this but of all those who, from the beginning, had come to know God and prophesied of Christ’s coming. For they had received this revelation from the Son Himself that Son, Who, in these the last days, became visible and palpable and talked with men, so that He might raise up sons from Abraham out of stones and make his posterity to be like the stars of the heaven.” – St Irenaeus (c130-c202) Martyr, Father of the Church, Bishop of Lyons, Theologian (Against the heresies IV, 5-7).
PRAYER – O, God, Who graciously sent blessed Patrick, Thy Confessor and Bishop, to preach Thy glory to the nations, grant through his merits and intercession that by Thy mercy, we may be able to accomplish what Thou command. 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).
Faithful Cross! Above All Other By St Venantius Fortunatus (c 530 – c 609)
Faithful Cross! above all other, one and only noble tree! None in foliage, none in blossom, none in fruit thy peer may be; sweetest wood and sweetest iron, sweetest weight is hung on thee.
Bend thy boughs, O tree of glory! Thy relaxing sinews bend; for awhile the ancient rigour that thy birth bestowed, suspend and the King of heavenly beauty gently on thine arms extend.
Praise and honour to the Father, praise and honour to the Son, praise and honour to the Spirit, ever Three and ever One: One in might and One in glory while eternal ages run.
Saint of the Day – 17 March – St Patrick (c386-461) “The Apostle of Ireland,” Bishop, Confessor, Missionary, wondrous Miracle-worker. Born between 387 and 390 either in Scotland, or somewhere in England, or in Brittany, France (so many sources and so many different traditions) as Maewyn Succat and died between 461 and 464 at Saul, County Down, Ireland of natural causes. Also known as – “The Apostle of Ireland,” Maewyn Succat, Patricius, Patrizio.
Today on Ireland’s Patronal and National Festival, the Patron Saint of miners, hairdressers, coopers and blacksmiths; for cattle and poor souls; against fear of snakes, against pests and cattle diseases, against evil – just some of our bel;oved St Patrick’s many patronages.
The Roman Martyrology reads: “In Ireland, the birthday of St Patrick, Bishop and Confessor, who was the first to preach Christ in that country and became illustrious by great miracles and virtues.”
A painting inside the Church office shows a haloed, ornately robed St. Patrick driving snakes out of Ireland.
According to his own testimony however, Patrick was born in Banna Venta Berniae in Roman Britain. His father, Calpurnius, was an Official of the Roman occupying power and was later Ordained a Deacon; his grandfather was a Priest. At the age of 15, Patrick was kidnapped by pirates from his father’s country estate near the town of Bannauem Taburniae – which is also unknown today – and taken to Ireland as a slave. There, according to tradition, he had to look after the sheep of the tribal chief Maelchu on Mount Slieve Mish – today’s Slemish. After six years he heard a promise in a dream that he would soon find his way home on a ship and should then proclaim the good news to the Irish. He fled and returned home on a ship.
There he was Ordained a Priest. According to tradition,, he then went to the northern coast of Gaul, where he initially stayed as a Monk in the Noirmoutier Monastery. Again he had a dream which shaped his future life – an Irishman gave him a letter asking him to return home. In preparation, he studied Theology on the Lérins Island of St-Honorat and in Auxerre under St Germanus . Although he was criticised for his lack of education, he was appointed as the successor to the first Irish missionary, St Palladius . St Germanus is said to have Consecrated him as a Bishop but a trip to Rome with Consecration and Commission by Pope Celestine I, is also reported. It is confirmed that in 432, he arrived in Ireland with 24 companions, where he worked successfully as a Missionary in the north of the Island for decades.
When he arrived, all snakes and poisonous animals were said to have left the Island. Patrick lured the last snake in Ireland into a box and promised to let it out again tomorrow. When the snake asked when tomorrow was , he always answered tomorrow. Finally, he threw the box into the sea. It tells how he exposed a mutton thief by summoning the eaten prey to come forward from the robber’s stomach. At Patrick’s request, God established an earthly purgatory in Ireland that allows penitents to cleanse themselves of their sins.
Despite all odds, Patrick converted tens of thousands of people, as he reports in ‘Confession.’ He ahad 365 Churches built. Since Patrick had learned the Irish language during his captivity, he was able to use the local language in teaching. This was one of the reasons why the Christian faith was accepted by the Irish as something of their own and has taken particularly strong roots to this day. He is said to have illustrated the Trinity to his congregation using a three-leaf clover, which became the Irish National Symbol called the Shamrock.
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo: St Patrick Preaching, 1746, in the Municipal Museums of Padua
On Easter 433, Patrick lit a fire on a hill visible far into the country near what is now Slane, marking the victory of the Light of Christ over darkness where the Kings once ruled. In 449 he is said to have retreated to the mountain in County Mayo, now known as Croagh Patrick, for forty days – like Moses at Sinai – for pre-Easter fasting . Every night an Angel came to ask him about his wishes – Patrick had asked to be allowed to judge the Irish himself in the Last Judgement. When this wish was rejected, he threatened never to leave the mountain again, whereupon the Angel admitted to him that since the Apostles, there has not been a man who is more to be admired which is why the wish was finally agreed to. Now the mountain has become the most important pilgrimage site in Ireland. Crowds of pilgrims trek up the mountain, many walking with bare feet or crawling on their knees to do penance. The stone on which Patrick is said to have knelt in prayer, for so long that his knees left an imprint, can still be seen today – yes, this is a living miracle!
Statue of St Patrick in front of the 765 meter high mountain called Croagh Patrick
Patrick left behind two writings providing much insight into the life of a Missionary among pagans on the edge of the world . His ‘Confession’ – only preserved as a translation done three centuries after St Patrick’s death and its authenticity is questionable in parts – and a letter to the soldiers of Croticus.
Patrick was dearly venerated in Ireland as early as the end of the 6th Century and in France from the 7th Century onwards. From the Episcopal See of Armagh, Patrick was praised as the Founder of the Church in Ireland. In the Middle Ages, St Patrick’s cult spread to many areas of Europe. Patrick’s Purgatory on Station Island in Lough Derg in County Donegal, became a much-visited place of pilgrimage . Patrick’s Day is celebrated as the Irish National holiday, Dublin celebrates Saint Patrick with a large parade and four days of celebration. Artificial snakes are carried through the City with their red tongues poking threateningly out of paper and plastic bodies. On people’s lapels is the Shamrock , the three-leaf clover.
The counties of Armagh and Down – around Downpatrick – in Protestant Northern Ireland were declared St Patrick’s Country a few years ago to stimulate tourism.
It is not only in Ireland that a holiday is still celebrated in honour of the National Saint of Ireland. Many Irish emigrant communities also celebrate in Canada, the USA, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and elsewhere – for example, in Munich in Germany – with cheerful, colourful parades which also invite non-Irish people to join in the celebrations. Rivers such as the Chicago River are coloured green on this day and even the beer is green.
The green Chicago River on St Patrick’s Day in front of Trump Tower in Chicago
St Joseph of Arimathea Joseph of Arimathea (Died 1st Century) “The Secret Disciple of Jesus.” Patronages – of pallbearers, funeral directors, morticians, undertakers, tin miners, tin smiths, Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Vancouver, Glastonbury Cathedral. Feast day moved after Vatican II to 31 August “The Secret Disciple of Jesus:” https://anastpaul.com/2021/08/31/saint-of-the-day-31-august-saint-joseph-of-arimathea-died-1st-century/
St Llinio of Llandinam St Paul of Cyprus St Stephen of Palestrina St Theodore of Rome St Thomasello St Withburga (Died 743) Abbess, Princess
Martyrs of Alexandria – Also known as Martyrs of Serapis: An unknown number of Christians who were Martyred together by a mob of worshippers of the Graeco-Egyptian sun god Serapis. They were Martyred in c 392 in Alexandria, Egypt.
Thought for the Day – 16 March – The Spiritual Combat (1589) – Dom Lorenzo Scupoli OSM (c1530-1610)
“None shall be crowned who has not fought well.” 2 Tim 2: 5
XXXII: … The Last Artifice of the Devil – Making even Virtue, an Occasion of Sin! (Part Five)
“I should never weary of telling you this: –
If you would give praise to God, accuse yourself and desire to be accused by others. Humble yourself with all and below all, if you would exalt Him in yourself and yourself in Him.
Would you find Him? – exalt not yourself, or He will fly from you. Abase yourself to the utmost and He will seek you and embrace you. And the more you humble yourself in your own sight and the more you delight to be accounted vile by others and to be spurned as a thing abominable, the more lovingly will He esteem and embrace you.
Account yourself unworthy of so great a grace bestowed on you by your God, Who suffered shame for you, in order to unite you to Himself. Fail not to return Him continual thanksgiving and be grateful to those who have been the occasion of your humiliation and, still more, to those who have trampled you under their feet, thinking that you have endured it reluctantly and not with your own goodwill. Yet were it even so, you must suffer no outward token of reluctance to escape you.
If, notwithstanding all these considerations which are only too true, the cunning of the devil and our own ignorance and evil inclinations, should yet prevail over us, so that thoughts of self-exaltation will still molest us and make an impression on our hearts, then is the time to humble ourselves the more profoundly in our own sight. For we see by this proof that we have advanced but a little way in the spiritual life and in true self-knowledge, inasmuch as we are unable to free ourselves from those annoyances which spring from the root of our empty pride.
So shall we extract honey from the poison and healing from the wound!”
Quote/s of the Day – 16 March –Saturday of the Fourth Week in Lent – Ferial Day – Isaias 49:8-15; John 8:12-20 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“I Am the Light of the world. He who follows Me does not walk in the darkness but will have the Light of Life. ”
John 8:12
“Then go and learn, neither to be moved with injuries nor flatteries. If you die to the world and to yourself, you will begin to live to Christ.”
St Macarius of Egypt (c300-390)
“We must follow Christ, cleaving to Him, nor should we forsake Him until we die. As Elisha said to his master: “ As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you ” (2 Kgs 2:2) … So, let us follow Christ and stay close to Him! “To be near God is my good” says the Psalmist (72:28). “ My soul clings fast to Thee; Thy right hand upholds me ” (Ps 62:9). And Saint Paul adds : “ Whoever is joined to the Lord becomes One Spirit with Him ” (1 Cor 6:17). Not just One Body but One Spirit. His whole body, lives from the Spirit of Christ, through the Body of Christ, we attain to the Spirit of Christ.”
Guigo II “The Angelic” O.Cart. (Died c1188) The 9th Prior of Grande Chartreuse, from 1174 to 1180 (Meditation 10).
“The one who walks in the love of God seeks neither gain nor reward but seeks only, with the will, to lose self and all things, for God and this loss, the lover judges to be a gain! ”
St John of the Cross (1542-1591) Doctor of the Church
“Let us not strive for the rewards of Heaven, valuable though they may be but live, so as to please the God of Heaven. If God were not in Heaven, all its beauty, riches and sweetness, would be dull rather than delightful. By faith, we know, God already dwells within us. But in Heaven, we will see God face-to-face. May we so live that one day, we will be in Heaven praising and praying eternally, before our Lord and Saviour!”
Our Lenten Journey with the Angels and the Saints – 16 March – Saturday of the Fourth Week in Lent – Ferial Day – Isaias 49:8-15; John 8:12-20 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.” Psalm 22:1
“I am the light of the world. He who follows Me does not walk in the darkness but will have the light of life. .” John 8:12
Faithful Sheep or Foolish Travellers?
St Pope Gregory the Great (540-604) Father and Doctor of the Church
“… . I know My Own — by which I mean, I love them — and My own know Me. In plain words, those who love Me are willing to follow Me, for anyone who does not love the Truth has not yet come to know it.
… Ask yourselves whether you belong to His flock, whether you know Him, whether the Light of His Truth shines in your minds. I assure you that it is not by faith that you will come to know Him but by love; not by mere conviction but by action. John the Evangelist is my authority for this statement. He tells us that anyone who claims to know God without keeping His commandments is a liar. …
Again He says: My sheep hear My Voice and I know them; they follow Me and I give them eternal life. Shortly before this, He had declared – If anyone enters the sheepfold through Me, he shall be saved; he shall go freely in and out and shall find good pasture. He will enter into a life of faith; from faith, he will go onto vision, from belief to contemplation and will graze in the good pastures of everlasting life.
So Our Lord’s sheep, will finally reach their grazing ground, where all who follow Him, in simplicity of heart, will feed on the green pastures of eternity. These pastures are the spiritual joys of Heaven. There, the elect look upon the Face of God with unclouded vision and feast at the Banquet of Life for evermore.
BELOVED, … let us set out for these pastures where we shall keep joyful festival with so many of our fellow citizens. May the thought of their happiness urge us on! Let us stir up our hearts, rekindle our faith and long eagerly for what Heaven has in store for us. To love thus, is to be already on our way. No matter what obstacles we encounter, we must not allow them to turn us aside from the joy of that Heavenly Feast. Anyone who is determined to reach his destination, is not deterred by the roughness of the road, that leads to it. Nor must we allow the charm of success to seduce us, or we shall be like a foolish traveller who is so distracted by the pleasant meadows through which he is passing, that he forgets where he is going!” – (An excerpt from his Homily 14).
One Minute Reflection – 16 March – “The Month of St Joseph” – Saturday of the Fourth Week in Lent – Ferial Day – Isaias 49:8-15; John 8:12-20 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“I am the Light of the world.” – John 8:12
REFLECTION – “When Thou Thyself, lead me to the Light, Lord Jesus Christ and it is thanks to Thee, I find God and receive the Father, I become co-heir with Thee (Rm 8:17) since Thou were not ashamed to have me as Thy brother (Heb 2:11). So let us remove forgetfulness of the truth, let us take away ignorance and, when we have dispersed the darkness surrounding us, like mist over the eyes, let us behold the true God, crying: “Hail, thou true Light!”
For Light has arisen upon us who have been plunged into darkness and enclosed in the shadow of death (Lk 1:79), Light purer than the sun and more beautiful than this life here below. This Light is eternal life and all those who share in it live. Night flees from the Light and, hiding itself for fear, gives way to the Day of the Lord. The Light which cannot be extinguished, is shed abroad everywhere and the West has reunited with the East. This is what is meant by the “New Creation.” Indeed, the Sun of Justice (Mal 3:20) Who illumines all things, shines upon humankind after the example of His Father Who makes the sun to rise on all men (Mt 5:45) and waters them with the dew of Truth.” – St Clement of Alexandria (c150-c215) Father of the Church, Thelogian and Philosopher, Professor who taught at the Catechetical School of Alexandria. (Stromata).
PRAYER – From all perils of soul and body defend us, O Lord, we beseech Thee, and by the intercession of blessed and gloriosus ever Virgin Mary, Mother of God, of blessed Joseph, of Thy blessed Apostles Peter and Paul and all the Saints, graciously grant us safety and peace that all adversities and errors being overcome, Thy Church may serve Thee in security and freedom. 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).
Saint of the Day – 16 March – Blessed Robert Dalby (Died 1589) Priest Martyr Born at Hemingborough near Wakefield in North Yorkshire, England and died on 16 March 1589 at York, England by being hanged, drawn, and quartered during the persecutions of Elizabeth I. Also known as – Robert Drury. Additional Memorial – 29 October as one of the Martyrs of Douai. Blessed Robert was Beatified on 15 December 1929 by Pope Pius XI. A point of interest is that Yorkshire, as you will have noticed, was particularly strong in the Catholic Faith, regardless of the rampant and violent persecutions. Having lived in Yorkshire for 10 years, I have lots to tell you sometime soon.
The Blesseds John Amias and Robert Dalby, “At the Place of Execution” Illustration for Memoirs of Missionary Priests by Bishop Challoner (Jack, 1878)
Robert was born a Protestant and became a minister. But he became intrigued with Catholicism and after studying the Faith Robert became a Catholic. In September 1586, he went to study the subjects of the Priesthood, at the English College at Rheims. He was Ordained a Priest at Chalons on 16 April 1588.
On 25 August of that same year, he set out for England. He was arrested almost immediately upon landing at Scarborough on the Yorkshire coast and was imprisoned in York Castle. He was in contravention of English Law which made it a capital oiffence to be a Catholic Priest and which Law carried the penalty of Death by means of hanging, drawing and quartering.
A fellow Priest, Fr John Amias, accompanied him. They remained imprisoned from 25 August until 16 March 1589. The Court Sentencing was proclaimed for both Priests. Upon the arrival at the place of execution, the two Priests prostrated themselves in prayer. Fr John was chosen to be executed first, so Robert Dalby had to watch his fellow Priest being hanged and quartered before his own turn came but he displayed no hesitation in going to his death for the Faith of the Church of his Christ.
Those who venerated these young Priests, shortly after their deaths, reported many miracles. Both Priests were declared Blessed by Pope Pius XI on 15 December 1929.
St Julian of Anazarbus St Largus of Aquileia St Malcoldia of Asti St Megingaud of Wurzburg St Papas St Patrick of Clermont Blessed Robert Dalby (Died 1589) Priest Martyr
Thought for the Day – 15 March – The Spiritual Combat (1589) – Dom Lorenzo Scupoli OSM (c1530-1610)
“None shall be crowned who has not fought well.” 2 Tim 2: 5
XXXII: … The Last Artifice of the Devil – Making even Virtue, an Occasion of Sin! (Part Four)
“Further, I would advise you to be very reserved in making known the gifts which God may have bestowed upon you, for this is almost always displeasing to your Lord, as He, Himself, plainly shows us in the following lesson.
Appearing once in the form of a child to a devout servant of His, she asked Him, with great simplicity, to recite the Angelical Salutation. He readily began: “Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum, benedicta tu in mulieribus” and then stopped, being unwilling to praise Himself in the words which follow. And while she was praying Him to proceed, He withdrew Himself from her, leaving His servant full of consolation because of the heavenly doctrine which, by His example, He had thus revealed to her.
Do you also learn to humble yourself and to acknowledge yourself, with all your works, to be the nothing which you are. This is the foundation of all other virtues. God, before we existed, created us out of nothing and now, that we exist through Him, He wills that the whole spiritual edifice should be built on this foundation the knowledge that of ourselves we are nothing. And the deeper we dig into this knowledge, the higher will the building rise. And, in proportion, as we clear away the earth of our own misery, the Divine Architect will bring solid stones for its completion.
And never imagine that you can dig deep enough — on the contrary, think this of yourself, that if anything belonging to a creature could be infinite, it would be your unworthiness! With this knowledge, duly carried into practice, we possess all good, without it, we are little better than nothing, although we should do the works of all the Saints and be continually absorbed in God.
O blessed knowledge, which makes us happy on earth and blessed in Heaven! O Light, which, issuing from darkness, makes the soul bright and clear! O unknown joy which sparkles amid our impurities! O nothingness which, once known, makes us lords of all!”
Quote/s of the Day – 15 March – Friday of the Fourth Week in Lent – 3 Kings 17:17-24; John 11:1-45 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“I Am the Resurrection and the Life”
John 11:25
“Love Him, then, keep Him as a friend. He will not leave you as others do, or let you suffer lasting death. Sometime, whether you will or not, you will have to part with everything. Cling, therefore, to Jesus in life and death, trust yourself to the glory of Him, Who alone can help you when all others fail.“
Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471)
“If thou art bound down by sickness, if sorrows weary thee, if thou art trembling with fear, invoke the name of Jesus!”
St Lawrence Justinian (1381-1456)
“A person who is conscious of his misery, can certainly have great confidence in God. In fact, he cannot have true confidence in Him, without this consciousness of his misery. This knowledge and acknowledgement of our misery, leads us to the presence of God.”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church
“Although the sinner does not believe in Hell, he will, nevertheless, go there, if he has the misfortune to die in mortal sin.”
St Anthony Mary Claret (1807-1870)
“Let us weep for our sins and increase in love for our Divine Redeemer. The Crucifix will teach us, as it taught the Saints, the lesson of charity towards God and towards our neighbour. It will teach us to hate sin and to love virtue. If we cherish it during life, it will be our consolation to kiss the Crucifix at the moment of death.”
Our Lenten Journey with the Angels and the Saints – 15 March – Friday of the Fourth Week in Lent – 3 Kings 17:17-24; John 11:1-45 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Now, by this I know t hat thou art a man of God and the Word of the Lord in thy mouth is true.” 3 Kings 17:24
“ Lazarus, come forth!” John 11:43
Do Not Fall Back Again Into Death!
St Gregory Nazianzen (330-390) Father & Doctor of the Church
“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 its entirety, then you focus onto your soul, all the power of Christ Who heals and restores to life …. Do not 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.” – (Sermon on Holy Baptism).
One Minute Reflection – 15 March – “The Month of St Joseph” – St Clement Mary Hofbauer CSsR (1751-1820) “The Apostle of Vienna” –Friday of the Fourth Week in Lent – 3 Kings 17:17-24; John 11:1-45 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Lazarus, come forth! And at once he who had been dead came forth, bound feet and hands with bandages and his face was tied up with a cloth. ”- John 11:43-44
REFLECTION – “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 therein, 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 (c335–c395) Father of the Church (On the Making of Man, 25).
PRAYER – From all perils of soul and body defend us, O Lord, we beseech Thee, and by the intercession of blessed and gloriosus ever Virgin Mary, Mother of God, of blessed Joseph, of Thy blessed Apostles Peter and Paul and of blessed N.St Clement Mary Hofbauer and all the Saints, graciously grant us safety and peace that all adversities and errors being overcome, Thy Church may serve Thee in security and freedom. 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 – 15 March – Feast of the Most Precious Blood for the Friday after Laetare Sunday
By the Merits of the Precious Blood of Jesus By Servant of God Pope Pius VII (1742-1823) Papacy from 1800 to 1823 Indulgenced Act of Oblation to Our Father
Eternal Father! I offer Thee the merits of the Precious Blood of Jesus, Thy well-beloved Son, my Saviour and my God, for all my wants, spiritual and temporal, in aid of the Holy Souls in Purgatory and chiefly for those who most loved this Precious Blood, the price of our redemption and who were most devout to the sorrows and pains of most Holy Mary, our dear Mother.
Glory be to the Blood of Jesus, now and forever and throughout all ages. Amen.
Indulgence of 300 days, each time this prayed is offered, 22 September 1817 with a Plenary Indulgence, once a month, under the usual conditions.
Note of Interest:On 15 August 1811 – the Feast of the Assumption – it is recorded that the Pope celebrated Mass and was said to have entered a trance and began to levitate in a manner that drew him to the Altar. This particular episode aroused great wonder and awe among attendants, which included the French soldiers guarding him, who were awestruck at what had occurred and left records of it.
Saint of the Day – 15 March – Saint Eusebius II of Vercelli (Died c520) Bishop of Vercelli, Italy. Also known as – Eusebio II.
Neither the volume printed in 1581, edited by the Eusebian Chapter which contained the ancient litanies and the Offices of the Cathedral of Vercelli, nor the Eusebian Calendar, published in 1676, mention him.
What is certain, is that under this portrait, part of the ancient series of the first 40 Bishops of Vercelli, painted in the Cathedral, one could read his name, with the ranking of “the Second.”
Now let us frame the historical period of his Episcopate — to the left, i.e. a predecessor, is the Bishop Emilian, who ruled the Diocese of Vercelli at the end of the 5th Century (Died 501), was succeeded by a Bishop whose name is unknown. Then immediately after came our Eusebius II, who, in fact was the 12th Bishop of the See. Some local historians believe his Episcopacy to have occurred from 515 to 534 but without proof of this supposition.
The Bollandist hagiographers, who placed his memory on 15 March, established the date of his death around 520 and expressed themselves with his praise, saying that, following the example of the Diocesan Protobishop, St Eusebius I of Vercelli (Died 1 August 371), his namesake, fulfilled his pastoral duties with the utmost diligence and charity.
And Bishop Ferrero also expressed himself in these terms, in his work on the Bishops of Vercelli,which he published in the second edition, in 1609.
Bl Anthony of Milan St Aristobulos of Britannia St Bodian of Hanvec St Eoghan of Concullen St Eusebius II of Vercelli (Died c520) Bishop Bl Francis of Fermo St Longinus the Centurian Bl Ludovico de la Pena St Mancius of Evora St Matrona of Capua St Matrona of Thessaloniki St Menignus of Parium Bl Monaldus of Ancona St Nicander of Alexandria St Peter Pasquale St Sisebuto St Speciosus St Vicenta of Coria Bl Walter of Quesnoy
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