Passionate Catholic.
Being a Catholic is a way of life - a love affair "Religion must be like the air we breathe..."- St John Bosco
Prayer is what the world needs combined with the example of our lives which testify to the Light of Christ.
This site, which is now using the Traditional Calendar, will mainly concentrate on Daily Prayers, Novenas and the Memorials and Feast Days of our friends in Heaven, the Saints who went before us and the great blessings the Church provides in our Catholic Monthly Devotions.
This Site is placed under the Patronage of my many favourite Saints and especially, St Paul.
"For the Saints are sent to us by God
as so many sermons.
We do not use them, it is they who move us
and lead us, to where we had not expected to go.”
Charles Cardinal Journet (1891-1975)
This site adheres to the pre-Vatican II Catholic Church and all her teachings. .
PLEASE ADVISE ME OF ANY GLARING TYPOS etc - In June 2021 I lost 100% sight in my left eye and sometimes miss errors. Thank you and I pray all those who visit here will be abundantly blessed. Pax et bonum! 🙏
Quote/s of the Day – 6 December – Hebrews 13:7-17; Matthew 25:14-23 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“To one He gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one— to each according to his ability. …”
Matthew 25:15
“What dost thou have that thou hast not received?”
1 Corinthians 4:7
“Are we going to neglect our own salvation? Let us show great compassion towards the poor so as to be made worthy of possessing good things to come for all eternity!”
St John Chrysostom (347-407) Father and Doctor of the Church
“For the devil may tempt the good but he cannot find rest in them; for he is shaken violently and upset and driven out – now by their prayers, now by their tears of repentance and now. by their almsgiving and similar good works.”
St Bruno (c1030-1101)
“What great profit you gain from God when you are generous! You give a coin and receive a Kingdom; you give bread from wheat and receive the Bread of Life; you give a transitory good and receive an everlasting one. You will receive it back, a hundred times more than you offered.”
St Thomas of Villanova (1488-1555)
“As well as the corporal works, there are the spiritual works of mercy. Everyone is not obliged to undertake the former, that would be impossible, for instance, for the desitute, the sick, the aged. But, everyone is OBLIGED to undertake the latter. Sometimes a kind word is more valuable than money!” … Remember, however, that the practice of the spiritual works of mercy, does not excuse us from the exercise of material works of charity, wherever that is possible for us (Cf Js 2:16).
One Minute Reflection – 6 December – St Nicholas (270-343) Confessor, Bishop – Hebrews 13:7-17; Matthew 25:14-23 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“To one He gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one—to each according to his ability. Then, he went away, immediately …” – Matthew 25:15
REFLECTION – “What do thou have that thou hast not received?” St Paul says to us (1 Cor 4:7). So, let us not be greedy of our goods, as though they belonged to us …They have been entrusted to our care; we have the use of a wealth in common, not the eternal possession of a personal good. If you acknowledge that this good is yours only for a time here below, you will be able to gain a possession in Heaven which will never end. Remember the servants in the Gospel who had received some talents from their master and what the master, on his return, rendered to each of them. You will then understand that to place your money on the Lord’s table, to make it bear fruit, is far more profitable, than to preserve it in fruitless faithfulness without its returning anything back to its creditor, to the great loss of the useless servant whose punishment will be all the more heavy …
Let us then lend to the Lord, the goods we have received from Him. Indeed, we possess nothing which is not a gift from the Lord and we exist only because He wills it! What is there we could think of as our own, since, by reason of an enormous and exceptional debt, we do not even belong to ourselves! For God created us but He has also redeemed us. Let us be thankful, then; redeemed at great price, the price of the Lord’s Blood, we are no longer worthless things … Let us return to the Lord what He has given us. Let us give to Him, Who receives in the person of every poor man. Let us give with joy that we may receive from Him in gladness, as He has promised!” – St Paulinus of Nola (354-431) Bishop, Father of the Church (Letter 34: 2-4).
PRAYER – O God, Thou Who made the holy Bishop Nicholas renowned for countless miracles, grant, we beseech Thee that by his merits and prayers, we may be saved from the fires of hell. 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 – 6 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – The First week of Advent
A Great and Mighty Wonder By St Germanus (c 640-c 733)
A great and mighty wonder, a glorious mystery, a Virgin bears an Infant who veils His Deity. Refrain: Proclaim the Saviour’s birth, “To God on high be glory and peace to all the earth!” The Word becomes incarnate and yet remains on high, and Cherubim sing anthems to shepherds from the sky. … [Refrain] While thus they sing your monarch, those bright angelic bands, rejoice, O vales and mountains and oceans, clap your hands. [Refrain] Since all, He comes to ransom, by all, be He adored, the Infant born in Bethl’em, the Saviour and the Lord. [Refrain] All idols then shall perish and Satan’s lying cease, and Christ shall raise His sceptre, decreeing endless peace. [Refrain]
St Germanus was one of the Greek hymnwriters and one of the grandest among the defenders of the Icons. He was born at Constantinople of a patrician family, was Ordained there and became subsequently, Bishop of Cyzicus. He was present at the Synod of Constantinople in 712, which restored the Monothelite heresy but, in after years, he condemned it. He was made Archbishop of Constantinople in 715. In 730 he was driven from the See, not without blows, for refusing to yield to the Iconoclastic Emperor, Leo the Isaurian. He died shortly afterwards in exile at a good old age. His Life below: https://anastpaul.com/2021/05/12/saint-of-the-day-12-may-saint-germanus-of-constantinople-c-640-733/
Saint of the Day – 6 December – Blessed Angelica Leonti of Milazzo TOM (1519-1559) Virgin, Lay Tertiary of the Order of the Minim. Also known as – Angela.
Blessed Angelica was born in 1519 in Milazzo in the Province of Messina on the western tip of Sicily in southern Italy. Her parents were Domenico Leonti and Bernarda Maiolino. She had two sisters, Blasia and the Blessed Pelagia (Died 1591).
Milazzo was an ancient City that was important in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, as a port for trade and a manufacturing centre but also, as a well-equipped military base. There the cult of Saint Francis of Paola (1416-1507) was particularly lively.
Angelica lived in constant struggle against the attractions of the world. Not its temptations per se but, the legitimate and human concerns of those, who wished her to live a normal and happy life, where she was respected and satisfied. She was beautiful, sensitive and virtuous and against her family’s wishes, she followed the fate of so many other girls of her age, by forgoing a spouse. It was not easy because she was exposed to constant pressure but she stubbornly resisted both flattery and threats.
In moments of most serious tension, she resorted to the Crucifix, imploring His help. She was granted, by the Cross a cross, that is, a very serious illness which put her very life in danger. It was then that she, by vow, wore the Habit of the Third Order of San Francesco di Paola. In that dress, as if inside a mystical armour, she felt sure that she could remain in the desired state forever.
When she recovered, she, like her two sisters, became a Tertiary in the Third Order of the Mimins, (Tertius Ordo Minimorum – TOM), a branch of the Saint Francis of Paola Order of the Friars Minor (OM or Ordo Minim), open to laypeople of both sexes. It was said of the three sisters that “fasting was their sustenance, prayer their recreation and assistance to the poor and sick their favourite activity”. “The City hailed Angela as holy and it was often said that when she was seen in the street with her sister, they were accompanied by two angels in human form, their faces shining with heavenly splendour.”
But Angelica was eaten up from within by a malignant tumour and her beauty was transformed into hideousness and, as the suffering became more and more unbearable, she honed the spirit that filled her body like a consuming fire. Angelica died in Milazzo, according to Piazza in Memorie della Città di Milazzo, on 1 November 1559, aged only forty. From this day Angelica Leonti was called Beata Angelica by the people of Milazzo. Her memorial day is 6 December. Her sister, Pelagia died in 1591.
PREPARATORY PRAYER: In thy conception, O Virgin Mary, thou wast immaculate; pray for us to the Father, Whose Son Jesus, conceived in thy womb by the Holy Ghost, thou didst bring forth.
Indulgence. 200 days, every time. (Pius VI, 21 November
MEDITATION: Holy Scripture and the Fathers agree, in the statement that the Blessed Virgin Mary made the vow of perpetual virginity. For when the Archangel Gabriel brought God’s message to the Immaculate spouse of St Joseph, that she was to become the Mother of the Most High, she asked, “How shall this be done, for I know not man?” (Luke 1: 34.) Indeed, Mary would not have been, in the full and most excellent sense of the word, the “Virgin of virgins,” had she not, from her own free choice, vowed her virginity to God. During the whole Christian era there have been heroic souls who made the vow of perpetual chastity, consecrating themselves to God. Trusting in the powerful protection of the Immaculate Virgin, they persevered, in their resolve to bear this priceless treasure, before God’s throne, despite the dangers of the world, the temptations of concupiscence and the assaults of hell and, with the help of the Queen of Virgins, they achieved a triumphant victory!
PRACTICE: Since the fall of Adam our senses are in rebellion against the law of God. “I see another law in My members, fighting against the law of My mind and captivating Me in the law of sin” (Rom 7: 23). Chastity is the virtue which causes us the greatest struggles. St Augustine says: “The fiercest of all combats, is the one for the preservation of chastity and, we must engage in it, everyday!” Fierce as this combat is, the aid which Mary gives her children to achieve victory, is all-powerful. She sustains them by her maternal love and protection. Those who lead a chaste life receive the Divine Spirit, are happy in this life and will receive a special crown in Heaven.
Among the means for the preservation of chastity, the following are especially recommended: The assiduous and constant practice of self-denial; the frequentation of the Sacraments; the daily invocation of Mary for her aid and protection; scrupulous avoidance of the occasions of sin. St Chrysostom writes: “He errs who believes that he can overcome his sensual propensities and preserve chastity, by his own efforts. God’s mercy must extinguish nature’s ardour.” Have recourse to the intercession of the Immaculate Virgin and rest assured, you will obtain this mercy!
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH: O God, Who through the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin didst prepare a worthy dwelling-place for Thy Divine Son; grant that, as in view of Thy Son, Thou didst preserve her from all taint, so Thou wouldst vouchsafe unto us that cleansed from all sin by her intercession, we too may arrive at Thine eternal glory. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
PRAYER: Mary Immaculate, rising morn of purity, I rejoice with thee, gazing in wonder upon thy soul, confirmed in grace, from the very first moment of thy conception and rendered inaccessible to sin. I thank and magnify the Ever-Blessed Trinity, Who chose thee, from all our race, for this special privilege. Holy Virgin, obtain for me, utter and constant hatred of all sin, and let me rather die, than ever again fall into sin.
Thought for the Day – 5 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Peace of Soul
“After expounding this doctrine of interior peace, The Imitation of Christ goes onto saw: “But never to feel any grief at all, nor to suffer any trouble of heart or body, is not the state of this present life but, of everlasting rest. Think nor, therefore, that thou hast found true peace, if thou feel no burden; nor that then all is well, if thou have no adversary, nor that thou hast attained to perfection, if all things be done according to thy inclination. Neither do thou conceive a great notion of thyself, or imagine thyself to be especially beloved, if thou experiences great devotion and sweetness; for it is not in such things as these, that a true lover of virtue is known; nor doth the progress and perfection of man consist in these things!” (Bk III c25).
We can see from this that peace of soul in this life, is alway the product of strife and sacrifice. We must pay the price, if we desire to acquire it. Only when we have attained, at last, to everlasting happiness, shall we enjoy perfect peace, as the reward of our perseverance and fidelity on earth.”
Quote/s of the Day – 5 December – The First Week of Advent – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary”
“The night is far advanced; the day is at hand.”
Romans 13:12
“And the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of David, His father and He shall reign in the house of Jacob forever. And of His Kingdom there shall be no end.” Luke 1:32-33
“During this present life, Christ rules in the Church. By faith and love, He dwells in the hearts of His elect and guides them, by His unceasing care, toward their heavenly reward. In the life to come, when their period of exile on earth is ended, He will exercise His Kingship, by leading the faithful to their heavenly country. There, forever inspired by the vision of His Presence, their one delight will be to praise and glorify Him.”
The Venerable St Bede (673-735) Father and Doctor of the Church
“Listen! the reason He is called Saviour is because, for all those to whom He is united, He gains salvation. Now salvation means, to be delivered from all ills and, at the same time, to find all blessings forever – Life instead of death, Light in place of darkness and, instead of the slavery of the passions and unworthy deeds, the complete freedom granted to all those, who are united to Christ, Saviour of all beings. Thus they will possess, without being able to lose it, all joy, all happiness, all blessedness … that that none can ever know, or conceive, or see, if not sincerely and ardently attached to Christ.”
St Symeon the New Theologian (c 949-1022)
“Taking up the newborn Emmanuel, Mary beheld a Light incomparably fairer than the sun and saw a Fire that water cannot quench. She received, in the covering of flesh Whom she had borne, the Light Who enlightens all things and she was worthy, to carry in her arms, the Word Who carries the universe!”
St Amadeus of Lausanne (1108-1159) Bishop, Cistercian Monk
One Minute Reflection – 5 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – The First Week of Advent – Ferial Day – Romans 13:11-14; – Luke 21:25-33 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“The night is far advanced; the day is at hand.” Romans 13:12
REFLECTION – “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say, Rejoice !” (Phil 4:4). A double joy motivated by a double blessing – the First and the Second Coming. We should rejoice because, at His First Coming, the Lord brought riches and glory to us. We should rejoice again because, at His Second Coming, He will give us “length of days forever and ever” (Ps 20:5) As the Book of Proverbs says: “Long life is in her right hand, in her left, are riches and honour” (Ps 20:5). The left hand is the First Coming with its splendid riches – humility and poverty, patience and obedience. The right hand is the Second Coming with eternal life!
Isaiah speaks about the First Coming in these words: “Awake, awake! Put on strength, O Arm of the Lord! Awake as in the days of old, in ages long ago. Was it not Thou Who crushed Rahab, Thou Who pierced the dragon? Was it not Thou Who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep, Who made the depths of the sea a way for the redeemed to pass over?” (Is 51:9-10). The Arm of the Lord is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, through Whom and in Whom God created all things … O Arm of the Lord, O Son of God, awake! Come to us from the Father’s glory, assuming our flesh. Clothe Thyself with the strength of Divinity to do battle against the “prince of this world” (Jn 12:31) and “to cast out the strong one” Thou Who are “stronger than he” (Lk 11:21-22). Awake to redeem humankind as in days of old, Thou delivered the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt … Thou dried up the Red Sea – what Thou did then Thou will do again … as Thou made the way in the depths of hell for the redeemed to pass through (Is 25:8).” – St Anthony of Padua (1195-1231) FDoctor of the Church (Sermons for Sundays and Feast Days).
PRAYER – O God, Who, by the message of an Angel, willed to take flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, grant that we, Thy suppliants, who believe her to be truly the Mother of God, may be helped by her intercession with Thee. 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).
Dear Saviour, haste! Come, come to earth. Dispel the night and show Thy Face And bid us hail the Dawn of grace. O come, Divine Messias, The world in silence waits the day When hope shall sing its triumph, And sadness flee away. Amen
This is the Refrain from a beautiful Advent Hymn by Abbé Simon-Joseph Pellegrin, a French Cluniac Monk, Poet, Composer and Playwright.
Saint of the Day – 5 December – St Gerbold (Died c691) Bishop of Bayeux in Normany, France, Hermit, Founder of the Monastery of Livry in Normandy. Also known as – Gerbaud, Gerebaud, Gereboldus, Gerhold of of Bayeux. Died in c691 of natural causes. Patronages – against dysentery (popularly – St Gerbold’s Disease), hemorrhoids, headaches.
Gerbold became the Bishop of Bayeux in 689. According to some records and traditions, he took part in the Synod in Rouen in 692 or 693 and founded a Monastery in Livry – on the site of the current Chapel dedicated to St Sulpicius of Bayeux. The Bishops’ list puts Gerbold’s death at 691.
According to tradition, Gerbold became a Steward for a wealthy lord in England. There, the lord’s wife made advances to Gerbold which he rejected, whereupon the disappointed woman complained about him to her husband, probably reversing the story.
Gerbold fell into disgrace, his master imprisoned him and then threw him into the sea, weighed down with a millstone! But miraculously it turned into cork, allowing Gerbold to cross the English Channel and land in Ver-sur-Mer near Bayeux. There – or in nearby Crépon – he lived as a Hermit. His miraculous deeds persuaded the people of Bayeux to appoint him as their Bishop.
As Bishop, Gerbold’s moral strictness turned the people against him and they drove him out of the City. He travelled on pilgrimage to Rome until the people of Bayeux were scourged with the diseases of dysentery and hemorrhoids. They recalled their Bishop, in haste, begged forgiveness for their sins, whereupon the illnesses immediately ceased.
Blessed Bartholomew Fanti of Mantua O.Carm. (c 1428-1495) Carmelite Priest, renowned Preacher. Humble and gentle, Bartholomew gave an example to everyone of a life of prayer, of loving kindness and generosity to all and of faithful service to the Lord. He was remembered and revered, even during his life, for his great love ot the Blessed Sacrament, which was the source and the summit of his apostolic life, together with his love and devotion to the Virgin Mother. His Beatification received the Papal approval of Pope Pius X on 18 March 1909. Biography: https://anastpaul.com/2021/12/05/saint-of-the-day-5-december-blessed-bartholomew-fanti-o-carm-c-1443-1495/
St Basilissa of Øhren St Bassus of Lucera St Bassus of Nice St Cawrdaf of Fferreg St Christina of Markyate St Consolata of Genoa St Crispina St Cyrinus of Salerno St Dalmatius of Pavia St Firminus of Verdun
St Gerbold (Died c691) Bishop St Gratus Bl Giovanni Gradenigo St Justinian St Martiniano of Pecco St Nicetius of Trier St Pelinus of Confinium
Martyrs of Thagura – 12 Saints: A group of twelve African Christians who were Martyred together in the persecutions of Diocletian. The only details about them that have survived are five of their names – Crispin, Felix, Gratus, Juliua and Potamia. They died in 302 in Thagura, Numidia
PREPARATORY PRAYER: In thy conception, O Virgin Mary, thou wast immaculate; pray for us to the Father, Whose Son Jesus, conceived in thy womb by the Holy Ghost, thou didst bring forth.
Indulgence. 200 days, every time. (Pope Pius VI, 21 November1793).
MEDITATION: We carry the precious treasure of sanctifying grace in a frail vessel. Our inclination to evil remains with us and continues to impel us to that which is forbidden. On whom shall we call for aid? Call on Mary! She is conceived without sin. She, the lily among thorns, who never lost God’s friendship. She, is our advocate! Let her, who was found worthy to become the Mother of our Redeemer, inspire you with trust and confidence. The Church invokes her as the refuge of sinners and, under no other title, does she show her love for us more convincingly and, her power with God, more efficiently.
PRACTICE: We may trust confidently in Mary’s intercession and aid, in all temptations and trials, if we but have recourse to her. Therefore, St John Damascene writes: “Come to my aid, O Mother of my Redeemer! Thou art my help, my consolation in life. Come to my aid and I shall escape. unscorched. from the fire of temptation; amongst a thousand I shall remain unharmed; I shall brave the storms of assault unwrecked. Thy name is my shield, thy help my armour, thy protection my defence. With thee, I boldly attack the enemy and drive him off in confusion; through thee, I shall achieve a triumphant victory.” In all temptations, therefore, let us have recourse to Mary and through her intercession we shall overcome them.
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH: O God, Who through the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin didst prepare a worthy dwelling-place for Thy Divine Son; grant that, as in view of Thy Son, Thou didst preserve her from all taint, so Thou wouldst vouchsafe unto us that cleansed from all sin by her intercession, we too may arrive at Thine eternal glory. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
PRAYER: Mary Immaculate, most brilliant star of purity, I rejoice with thee because thy Immaculate Conception has bestowed upon the Angels in Paradise, the greatest joy. I thank and bless the Ever-Nlessed Trinity, Who enriched thee with this high privilege. O let me, too, one day enter into this heavenly joy, in the company of Angels, that I may praise and bless thee, world without end.
Thought for the Day – 4 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
TRUE LOVE of SELF
“Any other kind of self-love is not true love but is a distorted affection which diverts us from the pursuit of our final end.
Let us examine ourselves on this point. What is the object of our thoughts, affections and actions? Is it the glory of God and the triumph of His Kingdom? If so, we can claim to love ourselves as we ought. Otherwise, our self-love is distorted or sinful!”
Quote/s of the Day – 4 December – St Peter Chrysologus (c400-450) “Golden Words” Confessor, Father & Doctor of the Church
“Listen to the Lord’s appeal: ‘Come, then, return to Me and learn to know Me as your Father, Who repays good for evil, love for injury and boundless charity for piercing wounds!”
“Christ’s birth was not necessity but, an expression of omnipotence, a sacrament of piety for the redemption of men. He, Who made man, without generation, from pure clay, made man again and was born from a pure body. The Hand which assumed clay to make our flesh, deigned to assume a body, for your salvation! That the Creator is in His creature and God is in the flesh, brings dignity to man. without dishonour to Him Who made him. Why then, man, are you so worthless in your own eyes and yet, so precious to God?!”
One Minute Reflection – 4 December – St Peter Chrysologus (c400-450) “Golden Words” Confessor, Father & Doctor of the Church – 2 Timothy 4:1-8; Matthew 5:13-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“So let your light shine before men …” – Matthew 5:16
REFLECTION – “The Lord had called His disciples “salt of the earth” because, by means of the taste of heavenly wisdom they changed the hearts of those, who had become tasteless, through the devil. And now, He calls them “light of the world” because, enlightened by Himself, Who is the Eternal and true Light, they, in turn, have become a light in the darkness (Jn 1:5). Because He, Himself, is the “Sun of Justice” (Mal 3:20), He too calls His disciples “light of the world.” Through them, as with shining rays, He can pour out the Light of His knowledge, over the whole earth. They really did, chase away the darkness of error, from the people’s hearts, by displaying the Light of Truth.
Enlightened by them, we too, who were darkness, have become light, as Saint Paul says: “There was a time, when you were darkness but now, you are light in the Lord. Well, then, live as children of Light.” (Eph 5:8) And again: “We belong neither to darkness nor to night; [we] are children of Light and of the day.” (1Thess 5:5). Saint John was correct when he asserted in his letter: “God is Light.” The person who abides in God is in the Light, just as He Himself is in the Light (1Jn 1:5-7). Since we have the joy of being freed from the darkness of error, we must live in the Light and walk in the Light, as true children of the Light.” – St Chromatius of Aquilaea (Died c407) Bishop, Father of the Church (Sermons on St Matthew 5 (Trans – Breviary)
PRAYER – O God, Who willed to foreshow divinely that blessed Peter Chrysologus would be a great Doctor to rule and teach Thy Church, grant, we beseech Thee that we may be worthy to have him as our intercessor in Heaven, who on earth was a teacher of life. 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 – 4 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – The First Week of Advent
The God Whom Earth and Sea and Sky By St Venantius Fortunatus (c 530 – c 609)
The God whom earth and sea and sky Adore and praise and magnify, Whose might they claim, whose love they tell, In Mary’s body comes to dwell.
O Mother blest! the chosen shrine Wherein the architect Divine, Whose hand contains the earth and sky, Has come in human form to lie.
Blest in the message Gabriel brought, Blest in the work the Spirit wrought, Most blest, to bring to human birth The long desired of all the earth.
O Lord, the Virgin-born, to You Eternal praise and laud are due, Whom with the Father we adore And Spirit blest for evermore.
Saint of the Day – 4 December – St Bernardo degli Uberti OSB Vall. (c1060-1133) Cardinal Bishop, Benedictine Vallombrosan Monk, Abbot of San Salvi Monastery, Abbot-General of the Vallombrosans. Created a Cardinal by Pope Urban II in 1097. Papal legate, Bishop of Parma, Italy in 1106. Exiled twice during disputes with Anti–Papal forces opposing Pope Saint Gregory VII. Born in c1060 in Florence, Italy and died on 4 December 1133 in Parma, Italy of natural causes. Patronage – of Pavia. – A fascinating Saint who even Pablo Picasso could not resist painting (2nd image below – maybe Senor Picasso’s ‘Blue Period?’
Bernardo was born around 1060 in Florence in the region of Tuscany in central Italy. His father’s name was Bruno and he came from a noble family which, in the following Century, took the name Uberti. But Bernardo gave up a life of power and luxury and, in July 1085, gave his inheritance to relatives, friends and the Town’s Monastery of San Salvi. He himself became a Monk in the Vallombrosan Order in the Mother house Monastery in Vallombrosa. It was an ascetic community, founded not long before, by Saint John Gualbertus .
In time, Bernardo was elected Abbot of San Salvio and then the 4th or 5th Abbot-General of the Vallombrosan Order. Under his leadership, the Order spread from Tuscany into Emilia Romagna and Lombardy. In 1097, while holding Office as Abbot-General, he was appointed Cardinal by the Blessed Pope Urban II (1088-1099) and he was entrusted with various assignments as Papal Vicar in northern Italy and Legate of Canossa. On behalf of Pope Paschalis II (1099-1118), he promoted the Ecclesiastical reform in many Cities in northern Italy. In 1106, on the occasion of the Consecration of the new Cathedral, Pope Paschalis II appointed Bernardo as the Bishop of Parma. Pope Paschalis himself, Consecrated Bernardo and under his guidance and governance, Parma became a centre of the reform movement.
At a time when many Bishops, not only accepted but sought secular power, Bernardo renounced all the secular power which his predecessors in the Episcopate had received. He never forgot and did not let others forget that he had been trained as a Monk in a very ascetic school and, so far as was compatible with his duties, he maintained his monastic observances.
Parma was, at this time, seriously affected by several schisms. First, on 28 October 1061, Bishop Peter Cadalus of Parma had established himself as antipope Honorius II (1061-1072) and then there were other Bishops who supported Archbishop Guibert (Wibert) of Ravenna, who, on 25 June 1080, also established himself as antipope Clement III (1080-1100). Bernardo was a zealous supporter of the true Pope, Saint Gregory VII (1073-1085) and his reforms. He was a particular opponent of simony which was widespread in his Diocese. He proved a very successful Bishop but was twice banished from Parma. The first time was in 1104 by the followers of the antipope Maginulf or Sylvester IV (1105-1111), who arrested him at the Altar, on 15 August 1104. He was in exile for two years.
In 1124, for the Vallombrosan Order, Bernardo obtained protection from Emperor Henry V (1106-1125) Emperor from 1111. In the investiture dispute, Bernardo took an intermediate position but nevertheless, he was arrested, together with the Pope, by Emperor Henry V.
In 1127 there was a civil war in Germany and the Hohenstaufen elevated Duke Frederick II of Swabia’s brother, Konrad of Staufen (Henry V’s nephew), to counter-king (1127-35) against Lothar III (1125-1137). Pope Honorius II (1124-1130) Excommunicated Konrad in 1128, along with Archbishop Anselm of Milan, who had crowned him King of Lombardy. Bernardo also protested against the elevation of Konrad and he was, therefore, then again driven into exile. In 1133, Lothar came to Rome to be crowned Emperor . Bernardo continued to attempt a mediatation and while he was already suffering in his last illness, he received Lothar in Verona, on his way to Rome.
Bernardo had returned to his See, when, on 4 December 1133, he died in Parma. The Vallombrosans immediately began to venerate him as a Saint and his Relics were already elevated, on 3 December 1139 by his successor as Bishop, Lanfranc. At the time, this was equivalent to a Canonisation. His Memorial day is the day of his death on 4 December and his name appears in the Martyrologium Romanum. His tomb is in the Chancel of the Cathedral in Parma and Relics are found in Vallombrosa, Florence and Parma.
The Vallombrosans consider St Bernardo as their “third father” after Saints Benedict of Nursia and John Gualbertus. In art, he is most often portrayed as a Cardinal, sometimes being carried to Heaven by Angels. He is sometimes depicted preaching, giving alms, blessing, casting out demons, or appearing to devoted followers after his death.
St Bernardo being carried to Heaven by Angels – the ceiling of Pavia Cathedral
St Peter Chrysologus (c 400-450) “Golden Words” Confessor,, Father & Doctor of the Church – Bishop of Ravenna, Italy. Today we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Peter Chrysologus, a fifth-century Italian Bishop known for testifying courageously to Christ’s full humanity and divinity during a period of the heresy called “Monophysite.” The saint’s title, Chrysologus, signifies “golden speech” in Greek. Named as a Doctor of the Church in 1729 by Pope Benedict XIII., he is distinguished as the “Doctor of Homilies” for the concise but theologically rich reflections he delivered during his time as the Bishop of Ravenna. 176 of his sermons have survived – it is the strength of these beautiful explanations of the Incarnation, the Creed, the place of Mary and John the Baptist in the great plan of salvation, Mary’s perpetual Virginity, the penitential value of Lent, Christ’s Eucharistic presence and the Primacy of St Peter and his successors in the Church. FEAST DAY: 4 December (General Roman Calendar 1729-1969) https://anastpaul.com/2018/07/30/saint-of-the-day-30-july-st-peter-chrysologus-c-400-450-golden-words/
St Apro St Bernardo degli Uberti OSB Vall. (c1060-1133) Cardinal Bishop St Bertoara of Bourges St Christianus St Clement of Alexandria St Cyran of Brenne St Eraclius St Ezequiel Álvaro de La Fuente St Felix of Bologna Bl Francis Galvez St Heraclas of Alexandria Bl Jerome de Angelis St John the Wonder Worker St Maruthas St Melitus of Pontus
PREPARATORY PRAYER: In thy conception, O Virgin Mary, thou wast immaculate; pray for us to the Father, Whose Son Jesus, conceived in thy womb by the Holy Ghost, thou didst bring forth.
Indulgence. 200 days, every time. (Pius VI, 21 November
MEDITATION: Man’s relationship to God, as His child, was severed by sin. The beautiful image of God imprinted on man’s soul, was disfigured by it. But with the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a being full of grace, an object of God’s supreme complacency, entered this world. After the lapse of four thousand years God, in His wisdom, power, and love, for the first time again created a human being, in that state, in which He had originally created our first parents. Mary, from the first moment of her existence was, in virtue of the sanctifying grace, infused into her soul, most intimately united with God and endowed with the most precious gifts of Heaven. Because she was predestined to become the Mother of the Redeemer of mankind, it was fitting that she should unite in herself all the gifts becoming to such an ineffable dignity. Hence, she surpassed in grace and holiness, all other created beings and was Consecrated a worthy temple of the Incarnate Word. Therefore, she was saluted by the Angel as “full of grace” and the Church, in our behalf, addresses the Almighty: “O God, Who through the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin, didst prepare a worthy dwelling-place for Thy Divine Son; grant that, as in view of the death of that Son ,Thou didst preserve her from all taint, so Thou wouldst vouchsafe unto us that, cleansed from all sin by her intercession, we too may arrive at Thine eternal glory.”
PRACTICE: The world considers men according to their rank and station, their wealth and knowledge. God recognises in them but one difference, that caused by the presence or absence of sanctifying grace in their soul. A soul in the state of sanctifying grace is God’s friend; without it, His enemy. A man dying in the state of sanctifying grace is sure of eternal bliss. Therefore, we ought to prize this grace, above all else and do everything in our power, to preserve it. St Leo exhorts us, “Recognise, O man, thy dignity! As thou hast received Divine grace, beware of returning to your former sinful condition by a wicked life!”
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH: O God, Who through the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin didst prepare a worthy dwelling-place for Thy Divine Son; grant that, as in view of Thy Son, Thou didst preserve her from all taint, so Thou wouldst vouchsafe unto us that cleansed from all sin by her intercession, we too may arrive at Thine eternal glory. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
PRAYER: Mary, bright moon of purity, I rejoice with thee because, the mystery of thy Immaculate Conception was the beginning of salvation for the race of man and the joy of the whole world. I thank and bless the ever-blessed Trinity, Who thus did magnify and glorify thee and I beg of thee, to obtain for me the grace, so to profit by thy dear Son’s Passion and Death, that His Most Precious Blood may not have been shed upon the Cross in vain but that, after a holy life, I may reach Heaven in safety.
Thought for the Day – 3 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Salvation of Souls
“Remember the countless conversions effected by the Saints as a result of their prayers, mortifications and heroic sacrifices. No-one can call himself a Christian who does not love, in a practical manner, his fellowmen, especially unfortunate heretics and sinners.
Make up your mind, to offer your prayers and sacrifices for their conversion. Include them in your daily offering, daily Mass and daily Rosary too.”
Quote/s of the Day – 3 December – St Francis Xavier SJ (1506-1552) Confessor
“Following the Baptisms, the new Christians return to their homes and come back with their wives and families, to be, in their turn, prepared for Baptism. After all had been Baptised, I order that the temples of the false Gods be demolished and idols destroyed. I know not how to describe, in words, the joy I feel before the spectacle of demolishing and destruction of the idols by the very people, who formerly worshipped them!”
(Letter dated 8 February 1545)
“The better friends you are, the straighter you may speak but while you are only on nodding terms, be slow to scold.”
“Speak to them of the great mercy of God. … Sometimes people are assisted by you speaking of your own lamentable past.”
One Minute Reflection – 3 December –The First Sunday of Advent – St Francis Xavier SJ (1506-1552) Confessor – Romans 13:11-14; Luke 21:25-33 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Look at the fig tree and all the trees, when they produce their fruit you know that summer is near. So too, when you see these things happening, know that the Kingdom of God is near.” – Luke 21:29-31
REFLECTION – “Look at the fig tree and all the trees, when they produce their fruit you know that summer is near. So too, when you see these things happening, know that the Kingdom of God is near.” He means that just as the coming of summer is recognised by the fruit on the trees, so is the nearness of the Kingdom of God recognised by the destruction of the world. These words show that the fruit of the world is destruction – it increases only to fall, it produces, only to destroy by its disasters whatever it produces. The Kingdom of God is aptly compared to summer, because it is then that the clouds of our sorrow pass away and the days of life shine with the brightness of the Eternal Sun. …
“Heaven and earth will pass away but My words will not pass away.” Nothing among material realities is more lasting than the heavens and the earth and nothing among realities, passes away, as quickly as an utterance. … Therefore, the Lord declares: “Heaven and earth will pass away but My words will not pass away.” He means: “Nothing that is lasting in your world lasts for eternity without change and everything that in Me, is perceived as passing away, is kept firm, without passing away. My utterance, which passes away, expresses thoughts that endure without change.” …
Therefore, my friends, do not love what you see cannot long exist. Keep in mind the Apostle John’s precept, in which he counsels us not “to love the world or the things in the world because, if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 Jn 2:15). – St Gregory the Great (540-604) Pope, Father and Doctor of the Church (Sermons on the Gospels No 1 )
PRAYER – O God, Thou Who were pleased to gather into Thy Church the peoples of the Indies by the preaching and miracles of blessed Francis, mercifully grant that we, who honour his glorious merits, may also imitate the example of his virtues. 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 – 3 December – The Memorial of St Francis Xavier SJ (1506-1552) Confessor
I Love Thee, God, I Love Thee By St Francis Xavier (1506-1552) Translated by Gerard Manley Hopkins SJ (1844-1889)
I love Thee, God, I love Thee— Not out of hope for Heaven for me Nor fearing not to love and be in the everlasting burning. Thou, my Jesus, after me Didst reach Thine arms out dying, For my sake suffered nails and lance, Mocked and marred countenance, Sorrows passing number, Sweat and care and cumber, Yea and death and this for me, And Thou could see me sinning. Then I, why should not I love Thee, Jesu so much in love with me? Not for Heaven’s sake, not to be Out of hell by loving Thee, Not for any gains I see, But just the way that Thou didst me I do love and will love Thee. What must I love Thee, Lord, for then? For being my King and God. Amen
Saint of the Day – 3 December – Saint Mirocles (Died c316) Confessor, the 6th Bishop of Milan from before 313 to c316.. Mirocles was one of the originators of the Ambrosian Liturgy and Chant. His life and works were praised by Saint Ambrose. Unknown birth date butit is thought he was born in Pavia, Italy – he died in Milan on 30 November c316 of natural causes. Also known as – Merocles, Mirocle, Mirocleto.
The Roman Martyrology reads: “At Milan, St Mirocles, Confessor and Bishop, sometimes mentioned by St Ambrose.”
Almost nothing is known about the life of Mirocles. He was elected as the Bishop of Milan before 313 and he reigned until his death in c316. He perhaps was born to a family of Pavia, of which family St Epiphanius would be born over 100 years later as his relative on his mother’s side.
Mirocles was the Bishop of Milan when, in 313, the Emperors Constantine I and Licinius, issued the Edict of Milan which proclaimed the religious toleration in the Roman Empire. After the Edict of Milan, Mirocles started the erection of the Basilica, which was the first Cathedral of the City and, was built on the same site as that occupied today, by the present Cathedral of Milan.
Sources record, the presence of Mirocles at the Lateran Council held in October 313 in Rome, under Pope Miltiades, which took a stand in the Donatism heresy, condemning Donatus Magnus charged to re-baptising those who had lapsed and which sided with Caecilianus, the Bishop of Carthage. Mirocles participated also in the following Council of all the Western Bishops held in Arles on 1 August 314, which confirmed the condemnation of Donatus and ruled in matters regarding Canon Law.
Mirocles possibly also founded the Church of San Vittore al Corpo in Milan (rebuilt many times during the next Centuries) in honour of Saint Victor Maurus, who was Martyred during the terrors of the reign of Emperor Diocletian in c303.
Mirocles died on the 30 November of about 316 but his Feast day was set on 3 December. His body was buried in Milan in the Church of San Vittore al Corpo.
St Ethernan St Hilaria the Martyr St Jason the Martyr St John of Africa St Lucius, King St Lucy the Chaste St Magina of Africa St Mamas St Marcos García Rodríguez St Maurus the Martyr St Mirocles (Died c316) Confessor, Bishop of Milan from before 313 to c316. St Seleucus St Stephen of Africa St Theodore of Alexandria St Theodulus of Edessa St Veranus Zephaniah the Prophet
Martyrs of Nicomedia: Christians Martyred together in the persecutions of Diocletian – Ambicus, Julius and Victor. c 303 in Nicomedia, Bithynia (modern Izmit, Turkey).
PREPARATORY PRAYER: In thy conception, O Virgin Mary, thou wast immaculate; pray for us to the Father, Whose Son Jesus, conceived in thy womb by the Holy Ghost, thou didst bring forth.
Indulgence. 200 days, every time. (Pius VI, 21 November
MEDITATION: The Blessed Virgin Mary, conceived without sin, is the most blessed daughter of the eternal Father, the real and true Mother of the Divine Son, the elect spouse of the Holy Ghost. But in the world, in what condition do we behold her? She dwells not in a splendid palace; she is not surrounded by a retinue of servants, ready at every moment to do her bidding; she is not exempt from trials and suffering. On the contrary, she is poor; she lives in obscurity and suffered so much on earth that, without shedding her blood, she merits to be styled – the Queen of Martyrs. Her heart was transfixed with the sword of sorrow. Mary is not exempt from tribulations and adversity but one thing God does not permit to touch her, – SIN. Hence Holy Church applies to her the words, “Thou art all fair, O my love and there is not a spot in thee” (Cant iv 7).
PRACTICE: Although we were not preserved from sin like Mary, yet God, in His ineffable goodness and mercy, granted us the grace to be cleansed from sin and to be clothed with the garment of sanctifying grace in Baptism. No treasure of the world can be compared with this prerogative. But as we bear this grace in a fragile vase, we must be most careful to protect and preserve it in ourselves and others, from all danger. Let the Blessed Virgin Mary be our example. Well knowing the inestimable value of the grace conferred upon her, she guarded it with the greatest care. Although exempt from concupiscence and “full of grace,” she was so distrustful of herself, as if she were in continual danger. How much more, then, must we use precaution, to preserve in ourselves and in others, this treasure of grace, since we feel in ourselves constantly, the law of the flesh which resists the law of the spirit and urges us onto evil, whilst the world and the devil, never weary in placing snares for us, in order to accomplish our ruin. Therefore, let us have recourse to Mary and invoking her aid, bravely resist all temptations!
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH: O God, Who through the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin didst prepare a worthy dwelling-place for Thy Divine Son; grant that, as in view of Thy Son, Thou didst preserve her from all taint, so Thou wouldst vouchsafe unto us that cleansed from all sin by her intercession, we too may arrive at Thine eternal glory. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
PRAYER: Mirror of holy purity, Blesed Mary, Virgin Immaculate, great is my joy while I consider that, from thy Immaculate Conception, the most sublime and perfect virtues were infused into thy soul and, with them all, the gifts of the Holy Ghost. I thank and praise the Most Holy Trinity, Who bestowed on thee these high privileges. I pray thee, gentle Mother, obtain for me grace to practise virtue and to make me worthy to become partaker of the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost.
Thought for the Day – 2 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Recollection
“We may imagine that all this applies only to Monks but that is not so. We all need interior recollection and we can find it even during our work and in the midst of turmoil and confusion. If we fail to find it, moreover, it is too bad for us, as The Imitation of Christ warns us. “Peace is not in the heart of the carnal man, nor in the man who is devoted to outward things but, in the fervent and spiritual man” (Bk 1 Ch 6:2).
Let us make sure, therefore, that we shall not be distracted by worldly affairs. In the midst of all our occupations, let us preserve a spirit of detachment and live in the presence of God. May God be our first thought and our first desire and may He be the true goal of all our actions!”
Quote/s of the Day – 2 December – St Bibiana (Died c 361) Virgin Martyr – Sirach 51:13-17; Matthew 13:44-52 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a treasure, hidden in a field.”
Matthew 13:44
“I press on, hoping that I may lay hold of that, for which Christ Jesus, has laid hold of me.”
Philippians 3:12
“He has written us on His Hands, so as to have us always under His Eyes; that whoever touches us, touches the apple of His Eye; that we should never be anxious, about what we need to live and to clothe ourselves, that He knows well, we need these things and takes care of them for us that He has numbered the hairs on our head and not one of them will perish that His Father loves us as He loves Him and that, He loves us as His Father loves Him that He Wills that we should be where He is that is to say, we should be at rest with Him, in the Breast and Heart of His Father.”
St John Eudes (1601-1680) The Apostle of the Two Holy Hearts
“Where is the heart which loves? On the thing it loves. Therefore, where our love is, there our heart is held captive. It cannot leave it; it cannot be lifted higher, it cannot go either to the right or the left; see, it is fixed. Where the miser’s treasure is, there is his heart and where our heart is, there is our treasure. And what is so deplorable is that the things which hold us in servitude, are, for the most part, such unworthy things!”
One Minute Reflection – 2 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – St Bibiana (Died c 361) Virgin Martyr – Sirach 51:13-17; Matthew 13:44-52 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a treasure, hidden in a field.” – Matthew 13:44
REFLECTION – “Some of the brethren think that they are excluded from the Holy Ghost’s gifts of grace. Because they neglect to practise the commandments, they do not know that he who has an unadulterated faith in Christ, has within himself, the sum total of all the Divine gifts. Since, through our laziness, we are far from having an active love for Him — a love which shows us the Divine Treasures within us — we naturally think that we are excluded from these gifts.
If, as St Paul says: “Christ dwells in our hearts through faith” (Eph 3:17) and, “all the treasures of wisdom and spiritual knowledge are hidden in Him” (Col 2:3), then, all the treasures of wisdom and spiritual knowledge are hidden in our hearts! They are revealed to the heart, in proportion to our purification by means of the commandments. This is the treasure, hidden in the field of your heart which you have not yet found because of your laziness. Had you found it, you would have sold everything and bought that field. But now, you have abandoned that field and give all your attention to the land nearby, where there is nothing but thorns and thistles! It is for this reason that the Saviour says: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Mt 5:8) for He is hidden in the hearts of those who believe in Him.They shall see Him and the riches that are in Him, when they have purified themselves, through love and self-control. And, the greater their purity, the more they will see!” – St Maximus the Confessor (c580-662) Abbot and Theologian (Centuries of love 4:69).
PRAYER – O God, giver of all good gifts, Thou Who in Thy servant, Bibiana, joined the flower of virginity with the palm of Martyrdom, by her intercession unite our hearts to Thee in charity, so that, saved from all dangers, we may obtain the rewards of eternal life. 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).
AnaStpaul 
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