Thought for the Day – 20 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Leaving Our Worries in God’s Hands
“We should try to behave with similar serenity. We should remain close to God and live in complete conformity with His will. We should perform our duties attentively and whole-heartedly but, we should never worry about them. As a result, we shall do more and do it more effectively. Most important of all, we shall be sure that God shall bless our work.”
Quote/s of the Day – 20 July – St Jerome Emiliani (1486–1537) Confessor, Founder of the Somascan Fathers (known as “The Fathers of the Orphans since 1534”)
My Dear Jesus Return Thy Spouse to Apostolic Sanctity By St Jerome Emiliani (1486–1537)
Our sweet Father Lord Jesus Christ, because of Thine Infinite Goodness, we ask Thee to return Thy Spouse, the Church to tha state of sanctity as of the time of the Apostles. Hear us, O Lord because Thou art kind and merciful. In Thy bountiful compassion look upon us. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy upon us. May the power of God the Father, the Wisdom of the Son and the Strength of the Holy Ghost and too, the glorious Virgin Mary, guide and protect us on the way to peace, love and prosperity. May the Angel Raphael, who always assisted Tobias, be with me in every place I stop and on every road I travel. My dear Jesus, my dear Jesus, my dear Jesus, my love and my God, I trust in Thee. Amen
One Minute Reflection – 20 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Pentecost VI – St Jerome Emiliani (1486–1537) Confessor, Founder of the Somascan Fathers (known as “The Fathers of the Orphans since 1534”) – Romans 6:3-11 – Mark 8:1-9 – Scripture search here: htps://www.drbo.org/
“If I send them away to their homes fasting, they will faint on the way,” – Mark 8:3
REFLECTION – “Lord Jesus, how well I know Thou hast no wish to allow these people here with me, to remain hungry but to feed them with the food Thou distributes and so, strengthened with Thy food, they will have no fear of collapsing from hunger. I know, too that Thou hast no wish to send us away hungry, either… As Thou hast said: Thou do not wish them to collapse on the way, meaning, to collapse in the byways of this life, before reaching the end of the road, before coming to the Father and understanding, that Thou hast come from the Father…
Our Lord takes pity, then, so that none may collapse along the way… Just as He makes it rain on the just, as well as the unjust, (Mt 5:45) so He feeds the just as well as the unjust. Was it not thanks to the strength of the food that the holy Prophet Elijas, when he was collapsing on the way, was able to walk for forty days? (1 Kgs 19:8). It was an Angel who gave that food to him but, in your case, it is Christ Himself Who feeds you. If you preserve the food you have received in this way, then you will walk, not forty days and forty nights … but for forty years, from your departure from the borders of Egypt, to your arrival in the land of plenty, the land where milk and honey flow (Ex 3:8)…
And so, Christ shares out the foodstuffs and, there is no question, He wants to give it to all. He withholds it from no-one, for He provides for everyone. Nevertheless, when He breaks the loaves and gives them to the disciples, unless you hold out your hands to receive your portion, you will collapse along the way … This bread which Jesus breaks, is the Mystery of the Word of God: it increases as it is distributed. With only a few words, Jesus has provided abundant nourishment for all peoples. He has given us His Words as bread and, while we are tasting them, they increase in our mouths … Even as the crowds are eating, the pieces increase and become more numerous, to such an extent that, in the end, the leftovers are even more plentiful than the loaves that were shared.” – St Ambrose (340-397) Bishop of Milan, Father and Doctor of the Church (Commentary on the Gospel of Saint Luke VI, 73-88).
PRAYER – O God, the Father of mercies, by the merits and intercession of St Jerome, whom Thou willed to be the helper and father of orphans, grant that we may faithfully guard the spirit of adoption which makes us Thy sons both in name and reality.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 – 20 July – The Feastday of St Jerome Emiliani (1486–1537) Confessor, Founder of the Somascan Fathers
O Mary, Twice Mother of Mercy By St Jerome Emiliani (1486–1537)
O Mary, thou art twice Mother of Mercy because thou hast been made Mother of our most merciful Saviour, and, furthermore because, thou hast given to us so many signs of thy maternal care and love. Turn upon us, we beseech thee, thy glance of compassion and grant, that we may always live free from sin, which is the only impediment to receiving the fruits of the Divine Mercies. Amen
Saint of the Day – 20 July – St Wulmar (Died 689) Priest, Founder Abbot of the Monastery of Saint-Vulmaire in Boulogne, France, Hermit, Born near Boulogne in Picardy, France and died in the same region at his Abbey in 689). Patronage – Samer, France. Also known – as Ulmar, Ulmer, Vilmarus, Volmar, Vulmaro, Vulmarus.
The Roman Martyrology reads today: “At Boulogne, in France, the Abbot St Wulmar, a man of admirable sanctity.”
St Wulmar (1600) Bibliotheque Municipale de Lyon
Wulmar was born near the Village of Picardy in the Province of Boulogne in France. Although he was married, he was separated by force from his wife, she having been originally promised to another was taken from Wulmar to fulfil this prior agreement, the marriage to Wulmar being declared null and void. Wulmar was inspired to join the Abbey of Hautmont in Hainaul.
His piety and devotion, even in his humble duties of keeping the cattle and hewing wood for the community, brought him to the attention of the Superiors. Upon observation, he was found to be a worthy candidate for Ordination and promoted to the dignity of the Priesthood.
Later, he obtained the consent of his Superiors to leave the Abbey and live his life alone as a Hermit near Mount Cassel. For several years he fulfilled this desire by living a life of solitude, prayer and fasting, intent on drawing ever closer to the Lord.
Becoming well-known and drawing disciples to himself, Wulman founded the Abbey of Samer, near Calais, where he served as the Abbot.
When Wulmar died this Monastery was re-named Saint-Vulmar in his honour and existed until the French Revolution.
Wulmar also founded the Convent for cloistered Nuns at Wierre-aux-Bois, about a mile from his own Monastery, for his Niece, Saint Eremberta.
St Wulmar has been glorified by miracles and his Relics were conveyed to Boulogne and from there to the Abbey of St Peter at Ghent.
Bl Anne Cartier St Ansegisus St Aurelius of Carthage
St Bernward (c960-1022) Bishop – Bernward was the thirteenth Bishop of Hildesheim from 993 until his death in 1022. He was an exceptionally gifted and talented Creative Artist and Craftsman, in particular, in the creation of Sacred Vessels and adornments of Holy items, in precious metals. Patronages – Architects, Builders, Goldsmiths, Sculptors, Craftsmen, Painters, This Holy and Creative Shepherd: https://anastpaul.com/2023/07/20/saint-of-the-day-20-july-st-bernward-of-hildesheim-c960-1022-bishop/
Blessed Gregory Lopez (1542-1596) “The Mystery Man” – Hermit, Spiritual Advisor, Writer. Around 1585, word of a “Mystery Man” began to leak into Mexico City, a strange hermit who lived out in the lonely valley of Guesteca, who walked miles to go to Mass, lived totally subject to “Lady Poverty” and had travelled from the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Spain (which dates from 712), to her Shrine in Mexico (which dates from 1531). The Mystery Man” : https://anastpaul.com/2018/07/20/saint-of-the-day-20-july-blessed-gregory-lopez-1542-1596/
St Joseph Barsabbas the Just (1st Century) Disciple of Jesus, Bishop, Martyr. The Roman Martyrology states today: “The birthday of the blessed Joseph, surnamed the Just, whom the Apostles selected with the blessed Matthias, for the Apostleshop in the place of the traitor, Judas. The lot having fallen upon Matthias, Joseph, notwithstanding, continued to preach and advance in virtue and after having sustained from the Jews, many persecutions for the Faith of Christ, happoily ended his life in Judea.” His Life and Death: https://anastpaul.com/2021/07/20/saint-of-the-day-20-july-saint-joseph-barsabbas-the-just-1st-century-disciple-of-jesus/
St Mère St Paul of Saint Zoilus St Rorice of Limoges St Severa St Severa of Saint Gemma St Wulmar (Died 689) Priest, Founder Abbot of the Monastery of Saint-Vulmaire in Boulogne, France.
Martyrs of Corinth – 22 Saints: 22 Christians who were Martyred together. We know nothing else about them but the names – • Appia • Calorus • Cassius • Celsus • Cyriacus • Donatus • Emilis • Felix • Fructus • Magnus • Maximus • Nestita • Partinus • Pasterus • Paul • Romanus • Spretus • Tertius • Theodolus • Ueratia • Valerian • Victor. They were martyred in Corinth, Greece.
Martyrs of Damascus – 16 Saints: 16 Christians who were Martyred together. We know the names of six of then, but no details about any of them – Cassia, Julian, Macrobius, Maximus, Paul and Sabinus. They were martyred in Damascus, Syria, date unknown.
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