Saint Fortunatus of Thibiuca, also known as Fortunato, was a martyr in the persecutions of Diocletian. Born in modern-day Tunisia, he was beheaded in 303 alongside SaintFelix of Thibiuca and companions (including Audactus, Januarius, and Septimus) for refusing to surrender the sacred scriptures to be burned.
His relics are enshrined in the church of Our Lady of Sorrows, Bari, Italy.
Diocletian and his co-ruler, Maximian
Diocletian is thought to have committed suicide in despair, and after his death, his wife and daughter were executed, while his co-ruler, Maximian, rebelled against Constantine the Great, who defeated and killed him.
The Scriptures will be despised, and everywhere they will sing the songs of the adversary.
Saint Raphael the Archangel The Feast day of Saint Raphael was included for the first time in the General Roman Calendar in 1921, for celebration on 24 October.
Beata Vergine delle Grazie / The Blessed Virgin of Grace, Udine, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy (1479) – Fourth Sunday of October:
When Sir John Emo was serving as Venetian Ambassador to Constantinople, Sultan Mohammed II gave him a Byzantine-style icon of the Virgin nursing the Child.
In 1479, Sir Emo became Lieutenant of Udine, a City in northeast Italy then under the Republic of Venice, bringing the icon with him to the governor’s castle. Not long afterward, one of the palace cooks nearly lost a hand in the kitchen but it healed when touched to the image. News of the miracle inspired popular devotion, so Sir Emo decided to move the image to the Church of Sts. Gervais and Protasius, where it entered in procession on 8 September 1479. By 1495, the Church was too small for all the pilgrims and a new Sanctuary was begun, consecrated to Our Lady of Graces and run by the Servants of Mary. On 6 September 1870 the Church Crowned the icon; in 1922, it named the Shrine a Minor Basilica.
On the fourth Sunday of October, the City both fulfills and renews, a vow made during the plague of 1555. The Beata Vergine delle Grazie is also credited with saving the region from the plague of 1599, the cholera of 1836 and the bombardment of the war in1944.
St Anthony Mary Claret CMF (1807-1870) Known as “The Spiritual Father of Cuba.” In the first years, records show, that he Confirmed 100,000 people and performed 9,000 Sacramental Marriages.Archbishop of Cuba, one of the Fathers of the First Vatican Council,Confessor to the Queen of Spain, Missionary, Founder of the Congregation of Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, commonly called the Claretians, Confessor, Mystic, Social Reformer, Spiritual Director, Writer, Publisher, Preacher, Apostle of Charity. He was declared venerable by Pope Leo XIII in 1899. He was Beatified in 1934 and in 1950, Canonised by Pope Pius XII. His heart is incorrupt.
Bl Amado García Sánchez St Audactus of Thibiuca St Cadfarch St Ciriacus of Hierapolis St Claudian of Hierapolis St Ebregislus of Cologne St Felix of Thibiuca St Fortunatus of Thibiuca St Fromundus of Coutances St Giuse Lê Dang Thi
St Proclus of Constantinople (Died c 446) Archbishop of Constantinople, Confessor, Defender of the Church and of the Blessed Virgin, Writer, renowned Preacher.
St Senócus of Tours St Septimus of Thibiuca — Martyrs of Ephesus – 3 saints: Three Christians martyred together. All we know about them are the names Mark, Sotericus and Valentina. They were stoned to death near Ephesus, Asia Minor (in modern Turkey). Their relics are enshrined on the island of Tasos.
Prayer before Holy Communion By St Basil the Great (329-379) Father and Doctor of the Church
Lord, I know that I am not worthy to receive Thy Holy Body and Precious Blood; I know that I am guilty and that I eat and drink condemnation to myself, not discerning the Body and Blood of Christ, my God. But trusting in Thy loving kindness, I come to Thee, Who hast said – ‘Whoever eats My Body and drinks My Blood, will dwell in me and I in him’; Therefore, Lord, have compassion on me and do not put to shame Thy sinful servant But deal with me according to Thy great mercy And grant that these holy gifts, may be for me, healing, cleansing, enlightenment, protection, salvation and sanctification of soul and body. May they cast out from me every dark delusion, sinful deed or work of the evil one. May they move me to trust and love Thee always, to amendment of life, increase of virtue, obedience to Thy commandments, communion of the Holy Spirit, provision for my final journey and a good defence before the dreadful seat of judgement. Amen
One Minute Reflection – 24 October – “Month of the Holy Rosary”- Readings: Ps 102:20, Ps 102:1, Tob 12:7-15, John 5:1-4
For an Angel of the Lord used to come down at certain times into the pool, and the water was troubled. And the first to go down into the pool after the troubling of the water was cured of whatever infirmity he had.
John 5:1-4
REFLECTION – Christ’s miracles are symbols of the different events of our eternal salvation, this pool is the symbol of the precious gift the Lord’s Word gives us. To sum up, this water is the Jewish people; the five porticos are the Law that Moses wrote in five books. And so this pool was surrounded by five porticos like the people enclosed by the Law. The water that was stirred and troubled is the Savior’s Passion in this people’s midst. Whoever went down into this water was healed – but only one person so as to express unity. Those who were unable to bear anyone speaking to them about the Passion are the proud; they do not want to go down and are not healed. “What!” says that arrogant man: “Believe a God to be incarnate, that a God was born of a woman, that a God has been crucified, scourged, covered in wounds, that he died and has been buried? No, I would never believe in these humiliations of a God, they are unworthy of him.”
Let your heart speak here rather than your head. The humiliations of a God seem unworthy to the arrogant and that is why they are very far from a cure. So protect yourself from this pride; if you desire your healing, accept to go down. There would be something to be worried about if someone said to you that Christ had undergone some sort of change in becoming incarnate. But no, your God remains what he was, have no fear; he does not perish and he prevents you yourselves from perishing. Yes, he remains what he is; he is born of a woman but according to the flesh. It is as man that he has been seized, bound, scourged, mocked and finally crucified and put to death. Why be afraid? The Word of the Lord remains forever. Anyone who refuses these humiliations of a God does not want to be cured of the mortal swelling of his pride.
By his incarnation our Lord Jesus Christ has therefore restored hope to our flesh. He assumed the fruits of this earth that are only too well known and common: birth and death. Birth and death: here indeed are goods that the earth possesses in abundance! But in them were found neither resurrection nor eternal life. He found here the unfortunate fruits of this unfruitful earth and gave us in exchange the possessions of his heavenly kingdom.
St Augustine
PRAYER – Lord God of Hosts, in Your all-wise Providence, You assign to Angels and to men, the services they have to render You. Grant that the Angels who adore You in Heaven, may protect and guide us here on earth. We make our prayer through Jesus Christ in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God now and for all eternity, amen.
For I am the angel Raphael, one of the seven who stand before the Lord.
The Angel of the Lord, Raphael, took and bound the devil.
Tob 8:3
It is good to hide the secret of a king: but honorable to reveal and confess the works of God. Prayer is good with fasting and alms, more than to lay up treasures of gold: for alms delivers from death, and the same is that which purges away sins, and makes to find mercy and life everlasting.
St Raphael
But they who commit sin and iniquity are enemies to their own soul. I discover then the truth to you, and I will not hide the secret from you. When you prayed with tears, and buried the dead, and left your dinner, and hid the dead by day in your house, and buried them by night, I offered your prayer to the Lord. And because you were acceptable to God, it was necessary that temptation should prove you. And now the Lord has sent me to heal you, and to deliver Sara your son’s wife from the devil.
St Raphael
What has now become of those famous conquerors of the world, the Alexanders and the Caesars? Where now are their laurels and their crowns? What remains to them of their triumphs and their victories? Come, my soul, let us visit in spirit those dungeons of fire and of flames where they have been burning for so many centuries, and let us learn in this dismal receptacle of all misery, what the riches, the pleasures, and the honours of this pleasurable life have profited them.
Henri Bouden
In the presence of the Angels I will sing Your praise; I will worship at Your holy temple and give thanks to Your name, O Lord. Alleluia.
The Angels as Servants and Subjects of the Blessed Virgin Mary
OCTOBER SECOND, OR ROSARY SUNDAY
Scarcely was it announced to the heavenly Spirits, that a Queen was “born to them,” than they descend in myriads, and hover round her cradle with wonder and delight. They guard her infant steps; they convey her to the temple; they unceasingly continue their celestial cares, until, by means of the Incarnation, she becomes the temple of the Word, when their visits are so frequent, that her little cottage becomes a species of Paradise. At Bethlehem, in Egypt, and at the Holy Sepulchre, they continue to wait on their blessed Queen, until expiring under the wounds of holy love, they conduct her with celestial song through realms of light, and presenting her to the Lamb, cast their crowns before her throne, vowing her eternal love, obedience and fidelity. If we love our blessed Mother, we cannot refuse to honour those by whom she is so much honoured.
Practice.—In honour of the Blessed Virgin and the Angels, say three times the Hail Holy Queen Aspiration—O Mary ! Mistress of the Angels and Queen of the holy Rosary, intercede for us! Lecture—11th Motive, 1st part of the preceding work.
OCTOBER THIRD. Sacred to the Angels of the First Choir.
Though all the blessed Spirits are commonly styled Angels, it is to those of the First Choir that the appellation strictly belongs. These are they who are charged with the execution of the divine ordinances, and who are appointed the guardians of men. Humility is the virtue particularly ascribed to them—for, though the last in order among the Choirs, they see without desiring them the greater and more excellent endowments of their celestial companions. Let us, like them, love to occupy the lowest place, especially when placed therein by Divine Providence, and to behold with joy the preference given to others.
Practice—Three Acts of Humility, interior, or exterior. Asp.—“ Who is like God?’ Lecture—1th Motive, 1st part of the preceding work.
OCTOBER FOURTH. To the Archangels—Second Choir.
The Archangels are distinguished from the Angels by the greater importance of their functions. They are supposed to be the guardians of the Pope, of the Bishops, and of all invested with authority, in Church and State—and are remarkable for love and care of men. Let us imitate them, doing our neighbour all the good we can, and invoking in his behalf these blessed Spirits.
Practice—Two Acts of Charity, with great affection. Asp.—Holy Archangels ! pray for us. Lecture—2d Motive, 1st part of preceding work.
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