Saint of the Day – 19 July – Blessed Józef Achilles Puchala OFM Conv (1911-1943) Martyr – Priest and Franciscan Friar. Also known as – Achilles Puchala, Brother Achilles, Father Achilles. Born on 18 March 1911 in Kosina, Podkarpackie, Poland and died on 19 July 1943 in a barn outside Borovikovshchina, Minskaya voblasts’, (now) in Belarus. Additional Memorial on 12 June as one of the 108 Martyrs of World War II.
Blessed Jozef was born on 18 March 1911 and baptised on the day of his birth, which is the way Catholics lived and should still live!
He entered the minor seminary in Lviv (in modern Ukraine) in 1924 and once ordained a Deacon, he entered the Monastery of the Franciscan as a Friar Minor Conventual, taking the name Achilles and making his solemn vows on 22 May 1932.
He was ordained as a Priest on 5 July 1936. Before the total devastation of Poland by the Nazis, he served in the Franciscan convents in Grodno and Iwieniec in Poland.
In early 1940 he moved into parish service in Pierszaje, Poland to help with a shortage of priests who had been arrested, murdered or fled ahead of arrest, by the Gestapo during the Nazi occupation and persecutions of World War II.
Finally, Blessed Jozef too was arrested, tortured and eventually murdered by the Gestapo on 19 July 1943. The barn in which he was martyred was set alight but his remains were later retrieved by local Catholics. They were buried in the Parish Church, in which Blessed Jozef had served in in Pierszaje, Poland.
Blessed Jozef was Beatified on 13 June 1999 by St Pope John Paul along with the other 107 (known) Martyrs of World War II. Their liturgical feast day is 12 June. The 108 were Beatified by St Pope John Paul II in Warsaw, Poland. The group comprises 3 bishops, 52 priests, 26 members of male religious, 3 seminarians, 8 female religious and 9 lay people. There are two parishes named for the 108 Martyrs of World War II in Powiercie in Koło County and in Malbork, Poland.
Thought for the Day – 15 July – Fifteenth Sunday of the Year – the Memorial of St Bonaventure (1221-1274) – Seraphic Doctor
Perhaps not a household name for most people, Saint Bonaventure, nevertheless, played an important role in both the medieval Church and the history of the Franciscan Order. A senior faculty member at the University of Paris, Saint Bonaventure certainly captured the hearts of his students through his academic skills and insights. But more importantly, he captured their hearts through his Franciscan love for Jesus and the Church. Like his model, Saint Francis, Jesus was the centre of everything—his teaching, his administration, his writing, and his life . So much so, that he was given the title “Seraphic Doctor.”
Bonaventure so united holiness and theological knowledge that he rose to the heights of mysticism while remaining a very active preacher and teacher, one beloved by all who met him. To know him was to love him; to read him is still for us today to meet a true Franciscan and a gentleman.
In his bull of Canonisation, Pope Sixtus IV wrote:
Bonaventure was great in learning but no less great in humility and holiness. His innocence and dove-like simplicity were such that Alexander of Hales, the renowned doctor whose disciple Saint Bonaventure became, used to say of him that it seemed as though Adam had never sinned in him.
A man of eminent learning and eloquence and of outstanding holiness, he was known for his kindness, approachableness, gentleness and compassion. – Pope Gregory X on hearing of the death of Bonaventure.
Let us learn from the great Saint himself, to grow in the fruits he possessed in such abundance – humility, kindness, gentleness, charity, chastity, generosity, joy, peace, patience, faithfulness, modesty and self-control. (Matthew 7: 15-20)
“We must beg the Holy Spirit, with ardent longing, to give us these fruits. The Holy Spirit alone, knows how to bring to light, the sweetness hidden away under the rugged exterior of the words of the Law. We must go to the Holy Spirit for interior guidance.”
St Bonaventure from Holiness of Life
St Bonaventure, Pray for us!
Prayer To Obtain the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit By St Bonaventure (1221-1274) – Seraphic Doctor
We, therefore, pray to the most kind Father through You, His only-begotten Son, who for us became man, was crucified and glorified, that He send us out of His treasures the Spirit of sevenfold grace who rested upon You in all fullness: the Spirit, I say, of WISDOM, that we may taste the life-giving flavours of the fruit of the tree of life, which You truly are; the gift also of UNDERSTANDING, by which the intentions of our mind are illumined; the gift of COUNSEL, by which we may follow in Your footsteps on the right paths; the gift of FORTITUDE, by which we may be able to weaken the violence of our enemies’ attacks; the gift of KNOWLEDGE, by which we may be filled with the brilliant light of Your sacred teaching to distinguish good and evil; the gift of PIETY, by which we may acquire a merciful heart; the gift of FEAR, by which we may draw away from all evil and be set at peace by submitting in awe to Your eternal majesty. for You have wished that we ask for these things in that sacred prayer which You have taught us; and now we ask to obtain them, through Your cross, for the praise of Your most Holy Name. to You, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be honour and glory, thanksgiving, beauty and power, forever and ever. Amen
-From Prayer “To Obtain the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit” included at the closing The Tree of Life” ― Bonaventure, Bonaventure: The Soul’s Journey into God, the Tree of Life, the Life of St. Francis
Quote/s of the Day – 15 July – Fifteenth Sunday of the Year – the Memorial of St Bonaventure (1221-1274) – Seraphic Doctor
“God might have created a more beautiful world; He might have made heaven more glorious; but it was impossible for Him to exalt a creature higher than Mary in making her His Mother.”
“When we pray, the voice of the heart must be heard, more than that, proceeding from the mouth.”
“Although you feel tepid, approach with confidence, for the greater your infirmity, the more you stand in need of a physician.”
“Every creature is a divine word because it proclaims God.”
“Christ has something in common with all creatures. With the stone He shares existence, with the plants He shares life, with the animals He shares sensation and with the angels He shares intelligence. Thus all things are transformed in Christ since in the fullness of His nature, He embraces some part of every creature.”
One Minute Reflection – 15 July – Fifteenth Sunday of the Year – the Memorial of St Bonaventure (1221-1274) – Seraphic Doctor – 2nd Reading Ephesians 1:3-14.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him.” … Ephesians 1:3-4.
REFLECTION – “Christ is both the way and the door. Christ is the staircase and the vehicle, like the “throne of mercy over the Ark of the Covenant” and “the mystery hidden from the ages.” A man should turn his full attention to this throne of mercy and should gaze at Him hanging on the cross, full of faith, hope and charity, devoted, full of wonder and joy, marked by gratitude and open to praise and jubilation. Then such a man will make with Christ a “pasch,” that is, a passing-over. Through the branches of the cross he will pass over the Red Sea, leaving Egypt and entering the desert. There he will taste the hidden manna and rest with Christ in the sepulcher, as if he were dead to things outside. He will experience, as much as is possible for one who is still living, what was promised to the thief who hung beside Christ: “Today you will be with me in paradise.” – from Journey of the Mind to God by Saint Bonaventure
PRAYER – God our Father, we are Your children and You have set us aside to come home to You by the light of the way of Your divine Son. Grant we pray, that we may grow in faith and love daily, by the intercession of Saint Bonaventure and may be a light of love, to all around us. We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 15 July – Fifteenth Sunday of the Year – the Memorial of St Bonaventure (1221-1274) – Seraphic Doctor
Excerpt from the Prayer after Holy Communion By St Bonaventure (1221-1274) Seraphic Doctor
Pierce, O most sweet Lord Jesus,
my inmost soul with the most joyous
and healthful wound of Your love
and with true, calm
and most holy apostolic charity,
that my soul may ever languish
and melt with entire love
and longing for You,
may yearn for You
and for Your courts,
may long to be dissolved
and to be with You.
Grant that my soul
may hunger after You,
the Bread of Angels,
the refreshment of holy souls,
our daily and supersubstantial bread,
having all sweetness and savour
and every delightful taste.
Amen
Saint of the Day – 15 July – St Bonaventure O.F.M. (1221-1274) – Doctor of the Church – known as the “Seraphic Doctor” – Friar, Bishop, Theologian, Philosopher, Writer, Mystic, Preacher, Teacher.
Sanctity and learning raised Bonaventure to the Church’s highest honours and from a child he was the companion of Saints. Yet at heart he was ever the poor Franciscan friar and practised and taught humility and mortification.
Francisco de Herrera the Elder 1576 – 1656 St Bonaventure Enters the Franciscan Order 1628
St Francis gave him his name, for, having miraculously cured him of a mortal sickness, he prophetically exclaimed of the child, “O bona ventura!”-good luck.
Francisco de Herrera the Elder 1576 – 1656 The Cure of Saint Bonaventure as a Child by St Francis 1628
He is known also as the “Seraphic Doctor,” from the fervour of divine love which breathes in his writings. He was the friend of S. Thomas Aquinas, who asked him one day whence he drew his great learning. He replied by pointing to his crucifix. At another time St Thomas found him in ecstasy while writing the life of St Francis and exclaimed, “Let us leave a Saint to write of a Saint.” They received the Doctor’s cap together.
Francisco de Zurbarán 1598 -1664 Saint Bonaventure and St Thomas Aquinas before the Crucifix 1629 (lost in 1945)
He was the guest and adviser of St Louis and the spiritual director of St Isabella, the king’s sister. At the age of thirty-five in 1257 he was made general of his Order and only escaped another dignity, the Archbishopric of York, by dint of tears and entreaties. Gregory X appointed him Cardinal Bishop of Albano.
When the Saint heard of the Pope’s resolve to create him a Cardinal, he quietly made his escape from Italy. But Gregory sent him a summons to return to Rome. On his way, he stopped to rest himself at a convent of his Order near Florence and there two Papal messengers, sent to meet him with the Cardinal’s hat, found him washing the dishes. The Saint desired them to hang the hat on a bush that was near and take a walk in the garden until he had finished what he was about. Then taking up the hat with unfeigned sorrow, he joined the messengers and paid them the respect due to their character.
He sat at the Pontiff’s right hand and spoke first at the Council of Lyons. His piety and eloquence won over the Greeks to Catholic union and then his strength failed.
Francisco de Zurbarán 1598 -1664 Saint Bonaventure at the Council of Lyon (1274) (c.1630)
He died while the Council was sitting and was buried by the assembled bishops, on 15 July 1274.
Francisco de Zurbarán 1598 -1664 The Exposition of the Body of St Bonaventure (c.1630)
For more details on St Bonaventure’s life here: https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/07/15/saint-of-the-day-15-july-st-bonaventure-seraphic-doctor/
Saint of the Day – 4 July – St Elizabeth of Portugal T.O.S.F. (1271-1336) Queen Consort, Franciscan Tertiary, Apostle of Charity and Peace, political negotiator and mediator – also known as Elizabeth of Aragon, Elisabet in Catalan, Isabel in Aragonese, Portuguese and Spanish and The Peacemaker, born in 1271 at Aragon, Spain and died on 4 July 1336 at Estremoz, Portugal of a fever. Patronages – Coimbra, Diocese of San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Cathedral of La Laguna.
Elizabeth means “Promise of God”
Saint Elizabeth was the daughter of King Peter III of this kingdom and niece of King James the Conqueror, great-niece of Emperor Frederick II of Germany. They gave her the name Elizabeth after her aunt, Saint Elizabeth of Hungary.
Her formation was formidable and from the time she was very young she had a notable piety. She was taught that, in order to be truly good, she ought to include mortification of her likes and whims along with her prayer. She was careful to order her life toward the love of God and neighbour, disciplining her habits of life. She did not eat between meals.
She was married at the age of 12 to King Dionysius of Portugal. This was a great cross for Elizabeth because he was a man of little morals, being violent an unfaithful. But she endured heroically this trial. She prayed and offered many sacrifices for him. She always treated him with goodness. They had two sons: Alfonso, the future king of Portugal and Constance, future king of Castille. Saint Elizabeth even educated the natural sons of her husband with other women. The king, for his part, admired her and permitted her to live an authentic Christian life, to a certain degree. She would rise very early in the morning and read six psalms, attend Holy Mass and dedicated herself to manage the duties of the palace. In her free time she met with other women to make clothing for the poor. She dedicated the afternoons to visiting the elderly and ill.
She made possible the construction of hostels, a hospital for the poor, a free school, a home for women repenting from a sinful life and a hospice for abandoned children. She also constructed convents and did other good works for the people. She would lend her beautiful dresses and even one of her crowns for the weddings of poor young women.
Saint Elizabeth would frequently distribute coins from the Royal Treasury to the poor so that they could buy their daily bread. On one occasion, King Dionysius, suspicious of her actions, began to spy on her. When the queen began to distribute money among the poor, the king saw and, infuriated, went to reclaim it. But the Lord intervened, in such a way that, when the king ordered that she showed him what she was giving to the poor, the coins turned to roses.
The Peacemaker:
The son of Elizabeth, Alfonso, had a violent character like his father. He was filled with anger at the preference his father showed to his natural children. On two occasions he promoted a civil war against his father. Elizabeth strived for reconciliation between father and son. On one occasion she went on pilgrimage to Santarem, a Eucharistic miracle and, dressed as a penitent, implored the Lord for peace.
Then she went to present herself on the field of battle and, when the armies of her spouse and son were about to engage in battle, the queen kneeled between them and, on her knees, asked her husband and son to be reconciled.
Some of her letters have been preserved, which reflect gospel values and audacity of our Saint. To her husband:“Like an infuriated wolf that is going to kill your Little son, I will fight so that the arms to the King are not unleashed against our own son. But at the same time, I will first make sure that the arms of the army of my son are destroyed, before they are fired against the followers of his father.”
To her son: “By the Blessed Virgin Mary, I ask that you make peace with your father. See, the soldiers are burning houses, destroying crops and breaking everything in pieces. Not with weapons, my son, we cannot fix the problem with weapons, but rather with dialogue, continuing negotiations to fix these conflicts. I will make the troops of the king go away and that the demands of the son be attended to but please remember, that you have a most serious duty to your father as his son and as a subject to his king.”
She obtained peace on more than one occasion, and her husband died repentant, without a doubt due to prayers of his wife.
Because Saint Elizabeth had such a great love for the Eucharist, she dedicated herself to study the lives of the Saints who were most notable in their love for the Eucharist and especially Saint Clare. After becoming a widow, Saint Elizabeth divested herself of all her riches. She went on a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, where she surrendered her crown to the Archbishop in order to receive the habit as a Claretian tertiary. The Archbishop was so moved by this act of the Saint that he gave her his pastoral cross to help her on her return to Portugal. She lived her last years in the convent, dedicated to Eucharistic adoration.
When a war broke out between her son and her son-in-law, the King of Castille, Saint Elizabeth, despite her old age, undertook a long journey by dangerous roads and obtained peace. Nevertheless, the trip cost her life. Feeling herself close to death, she asked to be taken to a Claretian convent that she herself had founded. There she died invoking Our Lady on 4 July 1336.
God blessed her tomb with miracles. Her body can be venerated in the Claretian convent in Coimbra. She was Canonised on 25 May 1625 by Pope Urban VIII.
Saint Elizabeth of Portugal, pray for peace in our world!
St Elizabeth on the Colonnade at St Peter’s, Rome St Elizabeth on the 50 Escudos Note, prior to the Euro
Thought for the Day – 2 July – Monday of the Thirteenth Week, Year B – Today’s Gospel: Matthew 8:18-22
“The poverty that makes rich.”
Excerpt from the “Sacrum Commercium” – “The Sacred Exchange between St Francis and Lady Poverty”
“And when He had fulfilled all those
Things of which you have spoken,
and desired to return to the Father Who had sent Him,
He made me a Testament to His Elect
and confirmed it by irrefragable Decrees :
Lay not up Gold nor Silver, nor Money.
Carry neither Purse, nor Scrip, nor Bread, nor a Staff, nor Shoes, nor two Coats.
And if any Man will contend with thee and take away thy Coat,
let go thy Cloak also. And whoever shall compel thee to go a mile,
go with him other twain.
Lay not up unto yourselves Treasures upon Earth,
where Rust and Moth doth corrupt
and where Thieves break through and steal.
Take no thought, saying:
What shall we eat, or what shall we drink,
or wherewithal shall we be clothed?
And take no thought of the morrow,
for the morrow will take thought for itself.
Sufficient unto the Day is the Evil thereof.
Whosoever doth not renounce
all that he hath, cannot be my
disciple . . . And many the
like sayings, which are all to
be found in the Gospels.”
The Sacred Exchange between Saint Francis and Lady Poverty, is one of the richest texts of the early Franciscan movement, “the single most brilliant example of the simple but lapidary allegory which was to become a major mode of spiritual writing in the later Middle Ages.” An allegory offering insights into Francis’s vision of poverty, the Sacred Exchange weaves a luxuriant tapestry of images held together by the strong threads of a biblical theology. For all of its richness, however, no text of these first hundred and fifty years is more mysterious. Like the weaver of an undated tapestry, the author of the Sacred Exchange is content to hide obscurely making sure that the ends and threads are in their proper place that the beauty and exactness of his work may be seen. Although there are many names suggested, the author of the Sacred Exchange still remains unknown. The same holds true for the date of its composition though it is believed by solid historical explorations, to date from late 13th century.
The allegory is an exhortation written to encourage Francis’s followers to live in the authentic way of the saint’s biblical vision of poverty. The central figure of the work is Lady Poverty, the personification of biblical Wisdom and, at times, of the Church. The Passage above is one of the most profound, as each word is taken from scripture and bound together into a poem of immense richness.
This is a lesson we now need to embrace, as difficult as it would seem in the world in which we live, the world led only by riches. For this is a true desire for sanctity, with Christ alone as our riches!
Quote/s of the Day – 30 June – The Memorial of Blessed Raymond Lull T.O.S.F. (c 1232 – c1315) Martyr
“The Beloved created and the Lover destroyed. The Beloved judged and the Lover wept. Then the Beloved redeemed him and the Lover again had glory. The Beloved finished His work and the Lover remained forever, in his Beloved’s companionship.”
“Death has no terrors for a sincere servant of Christ, who is labouring to bring souls to a knowledge of the truth.”
One Minute Reflection – 30 June – Saturday of the Twelth Week in Ordinary Time, Year B – Today’s Gospel Matthew 8:5-17 – The Memorial of The First Holy Martyrs of the Church of Rome & Blessed Raymond Lull T.O.S.F. (c 1232 – c1315) Martyr
“I say to you, many will come, from the east and the west and will recline with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, at the banquet in the kingdom of heaven.”…Matthew 8:11
REFLECTION – “And the saints who preceded us are also waiting for us, slow and lazy as we are. Their joy is not perfect so long as there is reason to weep over our sins. The apostle testifies to this for me when he says: “Without us, they were not to be made perfect.” (Heb 11:40) So see: Abraham is waiting. Isaac, Jacob and all the prophets are waiting for us to possess perfect beatitude with us… If you are holy, you will have joy when you leave this life but that joy will only be complete when not one of the members of the Body we are all to form together is missing anymore. You will also wait for others in the same way as you were awaited. Now if you who are only one member cannot have perfect joy if another member is absent, how much more our Lord and Saviour, who is both the author and the head of the entire Body… Then we will have come to the maturity of which the apostle Paul said: “The life I live now is not my own; Christ is living in me.” (Gal 2:20) Then our pontiff will drink the new wine in the new heaven, on the new earth, in the new human person, with the new human persons, with those who sing the new song.”…Origen (c185-253)
PRAYER – Grant us Lord, a true knowledge of salvation, so that freed from fear and from the power of our foes, we may serve You faithfully, all the days of our life and attain the light and joy of our heavenly home. By the blood of the Martyrs and the glory of the Communion of Saints, strengthen us with their faith and endurance. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord, in unity with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 30 June – The Memorial of The First Holy Martyrs of the Church of Rome & Blessed Raymond Lull T.O.S.F. (c 1232 – c1315) Martyr
My Lord, My Light St Paschal Baylon O.F.M. (1540-1592)
I desire to love You,
my Lord, my Light,
my Strength, my Deliverer,
my God and my All.
What have I in heaven, O Lord,
and what do I want
besides Your love and grace?
You are the God of my heart,
You are my portion,
my inheritance for eternity.
Amen
Saint of the Day – 30 June – Blessed Raymond Lull T.O.S.F. (c 1232 – c1315) Martyr – born in c1234 at Palma, Majorca, Spain and died – • some writers indicate that he died in Bougie, Algeria in 1325 • but he may have died of natural causes during the return ocean voyage from Tunis. Also known as – Doctor Illuminatus, Ramon Llull. Raymond was a Philosopher, Logician, Writer, Poet, Pioneer in computation theory, Franciscan tertiary. Within the Franciscan Order he is honoured as a martyr. He was beatified in 1847 by Pope Pius IX.
Raymond was born into the noble Lull family at Palma, on the island of Mallorca. At an early age, he was selected as a page at the royal court, and over the first 30 years of his life served the royal family in a variety of positions, eventually becoming the marshal and high steward to King James.
Raymond lived a life of luxury and worldly pursuits. He was married and produced two children with his wife, although also had numerous affairs and engaged in dissolute activities. One day, while writing a letter to one of the women he was seeing, Raymond was stricken with a vision of Christ, crucified on the cross. Five additional visions followed and he was brought to the faith, converting and dedicating himself to the Gospel. Soon thereafter, following a moving sermon by a local bishop who spoke about the contempt of the world and the love of Christ, Raymond answered the call of the Lord to forsake all things and to win for Christ the infidels on the northern coast of Africa.
Raymond wasted little time. He resigned his royal offices and dedicated himself to the education and care of missionaries. He founded a college for the Order of the Friars Minor and devoted himself to the mastery of and instruction of others in, the languages of Northern Africa. He became a member of the Third Order of Saint Francis and embarked on a nine year mission of solitude and contemplation on a remote mountain, spending his days in prayer and study, hoping to prepare himself for inspire mission work. During that time, he was graced with heavenly inspiration and extraordinary knowledge and was subsequently able to answer deeply complex philosophical and theological questions.
Following his time in solitude, Raymond travelled extensively—to Rome, Avingon, Montpellier, Paris and throughout Europe—spreading the Gospel, founding seminaries, and establishing schools for missionaries. At the age of 79, he journey on mission to Africa, as had been his calling. While preaching the faith in a public square at Bougie, he was set upon by radical Muslims in the community, who stoned him nearly to death. Rescued by Greek sailors, he died shortly thereafter, en route to his home island of Mallorca. He was buried in the Franciscan church at Palma and numerous miracles were reported at his tomb.
Blessed Raymond Lull wrote over 300 works in Latin, Arabi, and Catalan during his life, on a multitude of topics including theology, logic, philosophy, poetry, fiction, alchemy, and natural sciences. While his works were mostly academic in nature, he also strove to make difficult concepts accessible to all, illustrating points through fiction.
It can be documented that Llull was buried at the Church of Saint Francis in Mallorca by March 1316.
Raymond worked most of his life to help spread the gospel. Indifference on the part of some Christian leaders and opposition in North Africa did not turn him from his goal. Three hundred years later Raymond’s work began to have an influence in the Americas.
Thought for the Day – 17 June – The Memorial of St Albert Chmielowski (1845-1916)
At the beatification on 22 June 1983, St Pope John Paul II said: “Brother Albert…reached [the] heights of holiness…by way of love… Adam Chmielowski studied painting and for a number of years engaged in artistic activities before following his vocation, which, after a first attempt in the Society of Jesus, led him to the Third Order Franciscans, from where his Albertine vocation took shape… Brother Albert laid down his life in the service of the very poor and of social outcasts. [He] gave his life completely to Christ. And in Christ [he] discovered the fullness of knowledge, of love and of service….”
Brother Albert confessed: “I look at Jesus in His Eucharist. Could His love have provided anything more beautiful? If He is bread, let us too become bread…let us give ourselves.”Brother Albert did this to the very end, until he died in his “beggars’ refuge” in Krakow in 1916.
On the basis of a new miracle worked by God through the intercession of Brother Albert (beatified 22 June 1983), St Pope John Paul II canonised him only six years later, on 12 November 1989, to the joy of the Polish people and for the consolation of all homeless people, for whom this Polish saint can be a powerful intercessor, just as he was a generous helper to them while on earth.
Quote of the Day – 17 June – The Memorial of St Albert Chmielowski (1845-1916)
“I look at Jesus in His Eucharist. Could His love have provided anything more beautiful? If He is bread, let us too become bread… let us give ourselves.”
Saint of the Day – 17 June – St Albert Chmielowski T.O.S.F. (1845-1916) – The Painter Who Became an Advocate for the Poor and then a Saint! Artist, Founder, Tertiary Franciscan, Apostle of Charity.
This Krakow native’s experience of the Church was remarkably similar to that of Pope Francis. He strove to emulate the example of St Francis of Assisi, after whom Pope Francis took his papal name and was the living embodiment of the Church of the poor Francis has spoken so much about.
Adam Chmielowski was born into an aristocratic family in Igołomia, a village outside of Krakow, in 1845. Then, Poland formally didn’t exist: The once-mighty Polish state was partitioned between Austria, Prussia and Russia in 1772, 1773 and 1795. Yet the Polish people refused to accept this and many rebelled against the oppressors.
One such upheaval was the January Insurrection of 1863-1864, directed against the Russian Empire, in which the Poles fought bravely yet were brutally suppressed. Not yet 18, Adam took part. During one battle, a Russian grenade killed Adam’s horse and badly damaged his leg, which was amputated. Adam, however, didn’t take pity on himself; he stoically taught himself to function with a wooden limb and offered up the dismemberment to God for the cause of Polish independence.
After the uprising, Adam decided to pursue a career in painting and was accepted at the prestigious Academy of Fine Arts in Munich, where he studied with many famous Polish painters. Upon returning to Poland, Adam worked as a painter 1870-1885. In total, he produced 61 paintings . He quickly became one of the most feted Polish artists, living briefly in Warsaw and then in artsy, intellectual Krakow. Adam’s social circle consisted of the best-known Polish artists, actors and writers.
Yet Adam Chmielowski wasn’t happy with this glitzy life of celebrity. At one point, he was even hospitalised for depression. Adam remained a devout Catholic,and his paintings — including his masterpiece, the unfinished Ecce Homo, which depicts the mocked Christ — often dealt with religious themes.
He knew that he needed to grow closer to God. Adam briefly thought of becoming a Jesuit, but his enthusiasm fizzled after entering the novitiate. He kept asking God what He wanted of him.
Nineteenth-century Krakow was a city of social inequality. In Adam’s day, more than a fifth of its population consisted of the unemployed, who were frequently homeless. The filthy, lice-infested city homeless shelter had terrible sanitary conditions . The Church in Krakow, especially the Vincentians and other orders, aided the poor. However, this was insufficient.
At this time, Adam became increasingly attracted to St Francis of Assisi. This medieval champion of the poor’s ministry resonated with Krakow’s socioeconomic problems. Eventually, Adam welcomed the homeless into his own apartment. In 1887, Adam Chmielowski became a Third Order Franciscan and took vows at the hands of Krakow Archbishop Cardinal Albin Dunajewski. He began to call himself “Brother Albert” and wore a gray habit.
The following year, Brother Albert realised that to bring Krakow’s poor lasting change, the city’s homeless shelter would need reform. He negotiated an agreement with the city government, making him the institution’s caretaker. To finance the improvements, Brother Albert auctioned off his paintings. In addition to improving the material conditions, he banned alcohol in the shelter. He asked the poor to work (making exceptions for the elderly and those with disabilities), teaching them practical skills and lectured on the Catechism and the Gospels.
Eventually, Brother Albert founded two religious orders, the Albertine Brothers and Sisters, devoted to the poor. They set up homes for the poor, sick and elderly in 20 Polish cities. Brother Albert worked to help as many poor persons as possible until his death in 1916, amidst World War I. During that bloody conflict, he sent Albertine Brothers and Sisters to the trenches to aid war invalids. After his death, thousands of Kracovians visited his tomb, convinced that he died a saint.
Today, the Albertines run homes for the poor and sick all over the world. Visitors to Krakow can make a pilgrimage to the Albertine-run Ecce Homo Shrine, which features a museum devoted to St Albert and the famous titular painting. (NC Register) – For more details and images here: https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/06/17/saint-of-the-day-17-june-st-albert-chmielowski-t-o-s-f-the-19th-century-polish-saint-who-was-influenced-by-st-francis-of-assisi-later-influenced-pope-st-john-paul-ii/
Thought for the Day – 13 June – The Memorial of St Anthony of Padua (1195-1231) Doctor of the Church
Not only the Nativity, a central point of Christ’s love for humanity but also the vision of the Crucified One inspired in Anthony thoughts of gratitude to God and esteem for the dignity of the human person, so that all believers and non-believers might find in the Crucified One and in His image a life-enriching meaning.
St Anthony writes: “Christ, who is your life, is hanging before you, so that you may look at the Cross, as in a mirror. There you will be able to know, how mortal were your wounds, that no medicine other, than the Blood of the Son of God, could heal. If you look closely, you will be able to realise, how great your human dignity and your value are…. Nowhere other than looking at himself, in the mirror of the Cross, can man better understand how much he is worth”(Sermones Dominicales et Festivi III, pp. 213-214).
In meditating on these words we are better able to understand the importance of the image of the Crucified One for our culture, for our humanity that is born from the Christian faith. Precisely by looking at the Crucified One we see, as St Anthony says, how great are the dignity and worth of the human being. At no other point can we understand how much the human person is worth, precisely because God makes us so important, considers us so important that, in his opinion, we are worthy of his suffering; thus all human dignity appears in the mirror of the Crucified One and our gazing upon him is ever a source of acknowledgement of human dignity…..Pope Benedict XVI (General Audience – February 10, 2010)
Quote/s of the Day – 13 June – The Memorial of St Anthony of Padua (1195-1231) Doctor of the Church
“He who is the beginning and the end, the ruler of the angels, made Himself obedient to human creatures. The creator of the heavens obeys a carpenter; the God of eternal glory listens to a poor virgin. Has anyone ever witnessed anything comparable to this? Let the philosopher no longer disdain from listening to the common labourer; the wise, to the simple; the educated, to the illiterate; a child of a prince, to a peasant.”
“Christians must lean on the Cross of Christ just as travelers lean on a staff when they begin a long journey.”
“Earthly riches are like the reed. Its roots are sunk in the swamp and its exterior is fair to behold – but inside it is hollow. If a man leans on such a reed, it will snap off and pierce his soul.”
“The devil is afraid of us when we pray and make sacrifices. He is also afraid when we are humble and good. He is especially afraid when we love Jesus very much. He runs away when we make the Sign of the Cross.”
“Actions speak louder than words; let your words teach and your actions speak.”
“The life of the body is the soul; the life of the soul is God.”
“Charity is the soul of faith, makes it alive; without love, faith dies.”
“Damned money! Alas! … Money is the ‘droppings of birds’ that blinded the eyes of Tobit.”
St Anthony of Padua (1195-1231) Doctor of the Church
One Minute Reflection – 13 June – The Memorial of St Anthony of Padua (1195-1231) Doctor of the Church
Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves…Phil 2:3
REFLECTION – “The spirit of humility is sweeter than honey, and those who nourish themselves with this honey produce sweet fruit.”…St Anthony of Padua
PRAYER – Almighty, everliving God, You gave St Anthony of Padua to Your people as a preacher and teacher and a patron in their needs. Grant that we may learn from his words inspired by Your Holy Spirit and by his prayers, grow in faith, hope and humility. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 13 June – The Memorial of St Anthony of Padua (1195-1231) Doctor of the Church
O God, send forth Your Holy Spirit By St Anthony of Padua (1195-1231) Doctor of the Church
O God,
send forth Your Holy Spirit
into my heart
that I may perceive,
into my mind,
that I may remember,
and into my soul,
that I may meditate.
Inspire me to speak
with piety,
holiness,
tenderness
and mercy.
Teach, guide and direct my thoughts
and senses, from beginning to end.
May Your grace,
ever help and correct me,
and may I be strengthened now
with wisdom from on high,
for the sake of Your infinite mercy.
Amen
Saint of the Day – 13 June – St Anthony of Padua OFM (1195-1231) Evangelical Doctor – Hammer of Heretics – Professor of Miracles – Wonder-Worker – Ark of the Testament – Repository of Holy Scripture.
St Anthony of Padua is one of the most famous disciples of St Francis of Assisi. He was a famous preacher and worker of miracles in his own day and throughout the eight centuries since his death, he has so generously come to the assistance of the faithful who invoke him, that he is known throughout the world amongst many who are not Catholics too.
The gospel call to leave everything and follow Christ was the rule of Anthony’s life. Over and over again, God called him to something new in his plan. Every time Anthony responded with renewed zeal and self-sacrifice to serve his Lord Jesus more completely.
His journey as the servant of God began as a very young man when he decided to join the Augustinians in Lisbon, giving up a future of wealth and power to be a servant of God. Later when the bodies of the first Franciscan martyrs went through the Portuguese city where he was stationed, he was again filled with an intense longing to be one of those closest to Jesus himself: those who die for the Good News.
So Anthony entered the Franciscan Order and set out to preach to the Moors. But an illness prevented him from achieving that goal.
He went to Italy and was stationed in a small hermitage where he spent most of his time praying, reading the Scriptures and doing menial tasks.
The call of God came again at an ordination where no one was prepared to speak. The humble and obedient Anthony hesitantly accepted the task. The years of searching for Jesus in prayer, of reading sacred Scripture and of serving him in poverty, chastity and obedience had prepared Anthony to allow the Spirit to use his talents. Anthony’s sermon was astounding to those who expected an unprepared speech and knew not the Spirit’s power to give people words.
Recognised as a great man of prayer and a great Scripture and theology scholar, Anthony became the first friar to teach theology to the other friars. Soon he was called from that post to preach to the Albigensians in France, using his profound knowledge of Scripture and theology to convert and reassure those who had been misled by their denial of Christ’s divinity and of the sacraments..
The number of those who came to hear him was sometimes so great that no church was large enough to accommodate and so he had to preach in the open air. Frequently St Anthony wrought veritable miracles of conversion. Deadly enemies were reconciled. Thieves and usurers made restitution. Calumniators and detractors recanted and apologised. He was so energetic in defending the truths of the Catholic Faith that many heretics returned to the Church. This occasioned the epitaph given him by Pope Gregory IX “the ark of the covenant.”
In all his labours he never forgot the admonition of his spiritual father, St Francis, that the spirit of prayer must not be extinguished. If he spent the day in teaching and heard the confession of sinners till late in the evening, then many hours of the night were spent in intimate union with God before the Blessed Sacrament.
After he led the friars in northern Italy for three years, he made his headquarters in the city of Padua. He resumed his preaching and began writing sermon notes to help other preachers. In the spring of 1231 Anthony withdrew to a friary at Camposampiero where he had a sort of treehouse built as a hermitage. There he prayed and prepared for death. After receiving the last sacraments he kept looking upward with a smile on his countenance. When he was asked what he saw there, he answered: “I see my Lord.” He breathed forth his soul on 13 June 1231 being only thirty six years old. Soon the children in the streets of the city of Padua were crying: “The saint is dead, Anthony is dead.”
Once a man, at whose home St Anthony was spending the night, came upon the saint and found him, in ecstasy, holding in his arms the Child Jesus, unspeakably beautiful and surrounded with heavenly light. For this reason St Anthony is often depicted holding the Child Jesus.
Quote/s of the Day – 4 June – Ninth Week in Ordinary Time, Year B
Speaking of: “The Most Holy Eucharist/The Holy Mass”
“I am going to the Church’s press, to the altar. That is where the sacred wine of this delicious and unique grape’s blood, flows constantly and from which very few have the good fortune, to be able to become intoxicated. There, you know that – because I cannot do otherwise – I will present you, to the Father of Heaven united with His Son, it is in Him and with Him, that I am entirely yours in the Lord.”
“Lord Jesus, save them all. I offer myself as a victim for all of them. Make me stronger, take my heart, fill it with Your love and then ask of me, whatever You want.”
St Pio of Pietrelcina “Padre Pio” OFM CAP. (1887-1968)
“However it is very necessary to nourish one’s soul also and since nothing created, can nourish the soul, which is spirit, God wished to give Himself as food.”
“If only Christians could understand these words of our Lord saying to them: “In spite of your wretchedness, I desire to see from near, this beautiful soul I have created for Myself. I have made it so great, that there is none but Me, who is able to fill her. I have made it so pure, that there is only my Body capable of feeding it.”
Sunday Reflection – 3 June 2018 – The Solemnity of Corpus Christi
There is a claim that the Adoro Te Devote, our morning offering today, was the prayer that St Thomas Aquinas addressed to Christ as he was dying. The claim remains doubtful, (in the sense that it is a highly intricate prayer and it would be difficult to write whilst very ill) but the account that his biographer, William of Tocco, gives of the holy Doctor’s last moments of life is, in itself, an extraordinary testimony of Eucharistic devotion and reveals the source of the doctrine that, directly or indirectly, inspired the most beautiful Eucharistic texts of the Latin Church, including the Adoro Te Devote.
“Feeling his strength failing and sensing the nearness of his departure from this world, the holy Doctor, with great devotion, requested the viaticum of the Christian pilgrimage, the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.
After the abbot and the monks had brought the Eucharist to him, he prostrated himself on the ground, weak in body but strong in spirit and went, with tears, to meet his Lord.
Then, in the presence of the Sacrament of the Body of Christ, as is the custom with every Christian at the moment of death, he was asked if he believed that in that consecrated host was the true Son of God, born of the womb of the Virgin, suspended from the scaffold of the Cross, who died and rose for us on the third day. With a free voice and great devotion, mingled with tears, he replied: “I truly believe and hold as certain that He is true God and true man, Son of God and of the Virgin Mother and I believe with my heart and profess with my lips, that which the priest has asked me of this most Holy Sacrament.”
And after some words of devotion (at this point it is believed St Thomas quoted the Adoro), receiving the Sacrament, he exclaimed: “I receive You, price of the Redemption of my soul, for love of which I have studied, watched and worked, I have preached and taught You, I have said nothing against You nor am I obstinate in my opinion, if in some part I have spoken poorly of this Sacrament, I submit all to the correction of the Holy Roman Church, in who obedience, I pass from this life.”
May we also, at the end of life, be able to say the same as St Thomas Aquinas!
Let us be transported to the same climate of expectation and joyful hope as we feel in the Adoro Te Devote with these last words of the Lauda Sion, the Eucharistic hymn/sequence also written by St Thomas Aquinas. (Fr Raneiro Cantalamessa O.F.M. “This is My Body”)
Source of all we have or know, feed and lead us here below. Grant that with Your saints above, Sitting at the feast of love, We may see You face to face.
Amen Alleluia!
Lord Jesus Christ, in the Most Blessed Sacrament, we Adore and Love You!
Mary, our Queen, Holy Mother of God By St ANTHONY OF PADUA (1195-1231) Evangelical Doctor
Mary, our Queen,
Holy Mother of God,
we beg you to hear our prayer.
Make our hearts overflow with Divine grace
and resplendent with heavenly wisdom.
Render them strong with your might
and rich in virtue.
Pour down upon us the gift of mercy
so that we may obtain the pardon of our sins.
Help us to live in such a way
as to merit the glory and bliss of heaven.
May this be granted us by your Son Jesus
Who has exalted you above the angels,
has crowned you as Queen,
and has seated you with Him
forever on His refulgent throne.
Amen
Saint of the Day – 22 May – Bl John Forest O.F.M. (1471-1538) Martyr – Franciscan Priest and Friar and Martyr – Born in 1471 at Oxford, England – died by being hanged and burned on 22 May 1538 at Smithfield, England. Additional Memorial – 1 December as one of the Martyrs of Oxford University.
Already by the 15th century, England was upset about church and country relations. Many of the people were very proud to be English; in fact too proud. They did not want to listen to their Bishops and Priests and they did not want to obey the Pope in Rome. They felt that they knew what was best concerning the laws of the church and the laws of the country but they were wrong, very, very wrong.
During this period of time, in 1471, a very great man was born; his name was John Forest. He was born at Oxford, England of noble, well-to-do parents. In spite of their wealth, John did not become a worldly person and during his boyhood, he got a very good religious education. When he was 21 years old, he entered the Strict Franciscan Order at the Greenwich Monastery. He proved to be a very brilliant student when he was sent to study at Oxford and there he received his doctorate in Theology, when he was about 26 years old.
In time, John Forest became a Franciscan priest. As the years passed, Fr Forest became known as a very holy and learned man. And in 1520, when he was about 49 years old, the Franciscan brothers elected him as the Provincial Superior. Then five years later, Cardinal Wolsey appointed him to be a regular preacher at St Paul’s, in the capital, London.
Then there quickly followed the appointment that was to lead him down the narrow road to martyrdom. Catherine of Aragon was married to Henry VIII, the King of England. She was a very devout Third Order Franciscan and asked Fr Forest to become her Confessor and Chaplain. But before King Henry VIII got married to Catherine of Aragon, he had to get a dispensation from Pope Julius, to marry the widow of his dead brother. Catherine was actually his sister-in-law. The Pope gave the dispensation and after Henry and Catherine were married they had three sons and a daughter, Princess Mary. Little Mary lived o, but the three boys died. In time King Henry wanted to get an annulment from the Pope. Henry figured that since he had to get permission to marry his sister–in-law in the first place, the Pope could now give him an annulment. But the King was in for a big surprise when the Pope said he would not give Henry an annulment, their marriage was valid and he should stay married to his good wife Catherine.
By now, King Henry was already starting to look at another woman,her name was Anne Boleyn. And to make matters worse, Anne was also looking at King Henry. Now, both you and I know that it is wrong to desire to have another man or woman, when you are already married. Henry’s second desire, was to have a male heir to the throne, he wanted a King to rule England, not a Queen!
Covetousness and Pride; these were Henry’s faults. In 1527, Henry asked Pope Clement VII to annul the marriage, or to grant him a divorce. But when the good Pope refused to go along with the king’s stupid ideas, Henry was most angry. He got a divorce from Catherine and married Anne Boleyn, he didn’t care what the Pope told him to do. In 1533, the Pope declared that King Henry was truly married to Catherine and that he was not married to Anne Boleyn. Because of this, Henry VIII hated Catherine and all that was connected with her. Now, not only Catherine, but also young Princess Mary and Fr Forest as well, suffered from the King’s anger. Henry thought that when his wife Catherine had written to the Pope, that Fr Forest should have stopped her from doing so.
Fr Forest and the other Franciscan Friars lived at Greenwich, near King Henry’s palace. The friars discussed Henry’s affairs among themselves and they thought that they had nothing to fear from Henry because he had always admired these friars. In fact, in the past, King Henry had written to Pope Leo X, telling him: “I admire the holiness and life of the Greenwich Franciscans. I find it quite impossible to describe their merits, as they deserve. They present an ideal of Christian poverty, sincerity and charity. Their lives are devoted to fasting, watching and prayer. They are occupied in hard toil by day and night, to win sinners back to God.”
After, their discussions, the friars, especially Fr Forest, sided with Queen Catherine and not Henry VIII. They knew that Henry was in the wrong and that Catherine was right. When Henry found out that the friars were against him, he demanded that Fr Forest be replaced by another person. After a meeting, Fr Forest was moved to a convent in the North and later, in 1534, King Henry had the holy priest cast into prison at Newgate. While in this prison, Fr Forest spent his time in prayer and in writing a book, defending the Pope and the Church. His reason for writing this book was because King Henry VIII had left the Catholic Church and was now calling himself the “Supreme Head of the Church” of England. Only the Pope is the Head of the Church Henry was making a terrible mistake! When Henry found out that Fr Forest had written this book, the King was furious. He condemned the holy priest to death, because he refused to recognise the King as the Head of the Church, in England.
Henry also persecuted the Strict Franciscan Friars in England. He took away all their monasteries and cast many of them into prison, where fifty of them died. But a good friend also helped a lot of these good friars to escape to France and Scotland.
Because Fr Forest did not expect to be long in prison, he sent his rosary to Queen Catherine. In a letter he had sent with the rosary, he had written: “I presume to make you a poor present of my beads, as I have been given only three more days to live on this earth.”He was now 63 years old and had been a monk for forty-three years.
But Fr Forest’s sufferings were just beginning, he was to be in prison for four years, (1534-1538). During this long time in prison, King Henry had sent men to question and torture Fr Forest, so that he would break down and follow Henry’s new law. But the good priest chose to suffer, rather than give up his faith. Catherine died a few years before Fr Forest did and during her life she did all she could to ease the sufferings of the good priest. After two more years of imprisonment, Fr. Forest was condemned to be hanged over a fire and slowly burned to death because he would not swear that the King was the Supreme Head of the Church of England.
On 22 May 1538, Fr Forest’s hands and feet were tied to a hurdle and he was dragged to the place of execution at Smithfield, near a Franciscan Monastery. Upon arrival, the poor priest was forced to listen to an hours talk on the glories of the Supreme Headship of King Henry, given by Bishop Latimer, who had become an apostate. Then Fr Forest’s tortures began, chains were wrapped around his waist and under his armpits and then he was suspended in the air above a fire. The fire was kept low so that it would burn his feet and cause the poor priest even more suffering. And all the while a bunch of apostates scoffed and jeered at the holy priest. Throughout the two long hours that Fr Forest swayed over the fire, he prayed: “In the shadow of Thy wings I will trust, O God, until iniquity pass away.”
John Forest was the only Catholic martyr to be burned at the stake. Extra fuel for the pyre is said to have been provided by an enormous statue of St Derfel, from the pilgrimage site of Llandderfel in north Wales and of which it was prophesied, would “one day set a forest on fire.” Fr Forest, together with fifty-three other English martyrs, was Beatified by Pope Leo XIII on 9 December 1886. His relics rest near the priory gate of at Smithfield.
The tough times are returning. We are fighting to keep the Catholic Faith, so be faithful in saying your Rosary, wearing the Brown Scapular and being a good Catholic and God will help you now and in the tough times. Blessed John Forest—Pray for Us!
Bl John Forest, nave statue – St Etheldreda, Ely Place, London
Saint of the Day – 19 May – St Ivo of Kermartin T.O.S.F. (1253-1303) also known Yvo or Ives – Priest, Franciscan Tertiary, known as the “Advocate of the Poor”, Civil Lawyer – born on 17 October 1253 at Kermartin near Treguier, Brittany and died on 19 May 1303 at Louannec, Brittany of natural causes following a sermon on Ascension Eve. Patronages – abandoned people, advocates, attorneys, barristers, lawyers, bailiffs, Brittany, canon lawyers, canonists, judges, jurists, notaries, orphans, children. Attributes – lawyer enthroned between rich and poor litigants, lawyer holding a book, with an angel near his head and a lion at his feet, lawyer surrounded by suppliants, holding a parchment and pointing upwards, lawyer surrounded by symbols of the Holy Spirit such as doves.
Born at Kermartin, a manor near Tréguier in Brittany, on 17 October 1253, Ivo was the son of Helori, lord of Kermartin and Azo du Kenquis. In 1267 Ivo was sent to the University of Paris, where he graduated in civil law. While other students partied, Ivo studied, prayed and visited the sick. He also refused to eat meat or drink wine. Among his fellow-students were the scholars Blessed Duns Scotus (1266-1308 – Doctor Subtilis -Subtle Doctor) and Roger Bacon OFM (1219-1292 – Doctor Mirabilis – Miraculous Doctor). He went to Orléans in 1277 to study canon law under Peter de la Chapelle, a famous jurist who later became bishop of Toulouse and a cardinal. On his return to Brittany, having received minor orders he was appointed an “official”, the title given to an ecclesiastical judge, of the archdeanery of Rennes (1280). He protected orphans and widows, defended the poor and rendered fair and impartial verdicts. It’s said that even those on the losing side, respected his decisions. Ivo also represented the helpless in other courts, paid their expenses and visited them in prison. He earned the title “Advocate of the Poor.” Although it was common to give judges “gifts,” Ivo refused bribes. He often helped disputing parties settle out of court so they could save money.
Meanwhile, he studied Scripture and there are strong reasons for believing the tradition held among Franciscans, that he joined the Third Order of St Francis sometime later at Guingamp. Ivo was ordained to the priesthood in 1284. He continued to practice law and once, when a mother and son couldn’t resolve their differences, he offered a Mass for them. They immediately reached a settlement.
The Widow of Tours
Tours was near Orleans, the bishop held his court there and Ivo, while visiting the court, lodged with a certain widow. One day he found his widow-landlady in tears. Her tale was that next day she must go to court to answer to the suit of a travelling merchant who had tricked her. It seemed that two of them, Doe and Roe, lodging with her, had left in her charge a casket of valuables, while they went off on their business but with the strict injunction, that she was to deliver it up again, only to the two of them jointly demanding it. That day, Doe had come back and called for the casket, saying that his partner Roe was detained elsewhere and she in good faith in his story, had delivered the casket to Doe. But then later came Roe demanding it, charging his partner with wronging him, and holding the widow responsible for delivering up the casket to Doe, contrary to the terms of their directions. And if she had to pay for those valuables it would ruin her. “Have no fear,” said young Ivo, “I will go to court tomorrow, for you.”
When the case was called before the Judge and the merchant Roe charged the widow with breach of faith, “Not so,” pleaded Ivo, “My client need not yet make answer to this claim. The plaintiff has not proved his case. The terms of the bailment were that the casket should be demanded by the two merchants coming together. But here is only one of them making the demand. Where is the other? Let the plaintiff produce his partner.” The judge promptly approved his plea. Whereupon the merchant, required to produce his fellow, turned pale and would have retired. But the judge, suspecting something from his plight, ordered him to be arrested and questioned; the other merchant was also traced and brought in and the casket was recovered, which, when opened, was found to contain nothing but old junk. In short, they had conspired to plant the casket with the widow and then to coerce her to pay the value of the alleged contents. Thus the young advocate saved the widow from ruin and the fame of his clever defence of the widow soon went far and wide.
Legacy
On the occasion of the 700th anniversary of the birth of St Ivo, St Pope John Paul II said, “The values proposed by St Ivo retain an astonishing timeliness. His concern to promote impartial justice and to defend the rights of the poorest persons invites the builders of Europe today to make every effort to ensure that the rights of all, especially the weakest, are recognised and defended.”
Saint Ivo is the patron of lawyers. As a result, many law schools and association of catholic lawyers have taken his names. For instance, the Society of St. Yves in Jerusalem (a Catholic Centre for Human Rights and Legal Aid, Resources and Development), the Conférence Saint Yves in Luxembourg (the Luxembourg Catholic Lawyers Association), or the Association de la Saint Yves Lyonnais.
Ivo was Canonised in June 1347 by Clement VI at the urging of Philip I, Duke of Burgundy. At the inquest into his sanctity in 1331, many of his parishioners testified as to his goodness, that he preached regularly in both chapel and field and that under him “the people of the land became twice as good as they had been before”. The connection between religion and good behaviour was especially stressed in his sermons and he is reported to have “chased immorality and sin from the village of Louannec”.
Shortly after 1362, the future saint Jeanne-Marie de Maillé reported a vision of St Ivo, during which he told her, “If you are willing to abandon the world, you will taste here on earth the joys of heaven.”
Ivo is often represented with a purse in his right hand (for all the money he gave to the poor during his life) and a rolled paper in the other hand (for his charge as a judge). Another popular representation of Ivo is between a rich man and a poor one. The churches of Sant’Ivo alla Sapienza and Sant’Ivo dei Bretoni in Rome are dedicated to him.
A 14th century engraving on St Ivo’s Shrine:
Sanctus Ivo erat Brito, Advocatus, et non latro Res miranda populo.
Saint Yvo was a Breton and a lawyer but not dishonest – An astonishing thing in people’s eyes.
St Ivo giving alms to the poor by Josse van der BarenThe relics of Saints Ivo and Tugdual in a procession at the gate of Tréguier’s cathedral in 2005. In the reliquary is the skull of Saint IvoRelic skull and reliquary of St Ivo in Tréguier, Brittany, France
Thought for the Day – 18 May – Friday of the Seventh Week of Eastertide and the Memorial of St Felix of Cantalice O.F.M. Cap.(1515-1587) “Brother Deo Gratias”
Saint Felix did not have what the world esteems; his education was lacking. But he knew five red letters — the wounds of the divine crucified One, Whom he worshipped daily in the Blessed Sacrament and one white one — the Virgin Mary, from whom he one day miraculously received the divine Child in his arms.
St Felix of Cantalice “Brother Deo Gratias”, Pray for us!
Quote of the Day – 18 May – Friday of the Seventh Week of Eastertide and the Memorial of St Felix of Cantalice O.F.M. Cap.(1515-1587) “Brother Deo Gratias”
“Deo Gratias” “Thank God”
St Felix of Cantalice (1515-1587)
“Brother Deo Gratias”
Saint of the Day – 18 May – St Felix of Cantalice O.F.M. Cap.(1515-1587) Capuchin Friar – (the first Capuchin to be Canonised), Confessor, Apostle of Charity, Preacher, Teacher, Writer. Born on 18 May 1515 at Cantalice, Abruzzi, Italy and died on 18 May 1587 at Rome, Italy of natural causes. Patronages – Cantalice, Italy, Spello, Italy. Attributes – Capuchin habit; holding the Baby Jesus, carrying a sack.
It was in a small village at the foot of Mount Appenine named Cantalice, that Saint Felix was born in 1513 of pious but poor parents, the third of four sons born to Santi and Santa Porri. It was not long before the little boy, when he approached the other children, was hailed by them: ‘Here comes Felix, the Saint!’ He showed a predilection for solitary prayer from his earliest youth and as a little shepherd used to retire to a quiet place to kneel there and meditate on the Passion of Jesus.
When he was a little older, he resolved to take the habit of the Capuchin Friars. The rigour of their rule could not deter him but his obligations could; he was employed as a labourer, to assist his family. When his life was spared in an accident, during which two runaway bulls and a trailing plough should have killed him, the man for whom he was working saw the hand of God in his preservation and permitted him to leave, to enter religion. He was at that time nearly thirty years old but the Superiors, observing his fervour, placed no obstacles.
In 1545 he pronounced his vows and was sent to Rome, where for forty years he begged for the community. His characteristic words to his companion were: “Let us go, my Brother, with rosary in hand, our eyes to the ground and our spirit in heaven.” He was of an exquisite politeness, extreme gentleness and great simplicity. It is said that his begging sack was as bottomless as his heart.Brother Felix blessed all benefactors and all those he met with a humble “Deo Gratias!” (thanks be to God!), causing many to refer to him as “Brother Deo Gratias”. Felix was so successful in his work that during the famine of 1580, the political leader of Rome asked the Capuchins if they would ‘lend’ Felix to them so he could collect food and provisions for the entire city. The Capuchins agreed and Felix embraced his new task with great success and love.
The sick persons he visited at night became attached to him and for his part, he sought them out everywhere in Rome, insofar as obedience permitted. He preached in the street, rebuked corrupt politicians and officials and exhorted young men to stop leading dissolute lives. He also composed simple teaching canticles and arranged for children to gather in groups to sing them as a way to teach them the catechism.
One day on the street he met two duelists with sword in hand. He begged them to repeat after him, Deo gratias! which finally they did and after taking him as arbiter of their quarrel, they separated as good friends. Saint Felix met Saint Philip Neri (1515-1595 – Memorial 26 May) in Rome and they became friends who wished one another all possible torments for the love of Jesus Christ. They sometimes remained together without speaking for considerable periods, seemingly transported with joy. He was also a friend of St Charles Borromeo (1538-1584 – Memorial 4 November).
Saint Felix had a great devotion to the most Blessed Virgin, reciting Her rosary with such tenderness that he could not continue at times. He loved the Holy Name of Jesus and invited the children he would meet, to say it with him. He slept only for about two hours, going afterwards to the church to visit the Blessed Sacrament, to be with the Lord and remaining there in prayer until the office of Prime; then he would serve the first Mass and receive Communion every day.
When he was sick and was given the last Sacraments, he saw the Blessed Virgin and a beautiful troop of Angels coming to fortify him in this last journey. He cried out in joy and gave up his soul peacefully to his Creator in 1587. So many attended his funeral that some were injured in the press to get into the church and an extra door had to be knocked through one wall so they could exit.
He was Beatified on 1 October 1625 by Pope Urban VIII and Canonised by Pope Clement XI on 22 May 1712.
His body is in the Capuchin Church of Rome – the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Rome; a plenary indulgence is granted to those who, fulfilling the ordinary conditions, visit a church of his Order on his feast day.
St Pope John I (Optional Memorial)
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Bl Burchard of Beinwil
St Dioscorus of Kynopolis
St Elgiva of Shaftesbury
St Eric of Sweden
St Felix of Cantalice O.F.M. Cap.(1515-1587)
St Felix of Spoleto
St Feredarius of Iona
Bl Jan Oprzadek
St Merililaun
St Ortasio of Alexandria
St Potamon of Heraclea
St Serapione of Alexandria
Bl Stanislaw Kubski
St Venantius of Camerino
Bl William of Toulouse
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Martyrs of Ancyra – 8 saints: Seven nuns martyred in the persecutions of Diocletian and the innkeeper who was executed for giving them a Christian burial: Alexandria, Claudia, Euphrasia, Julitta, Matrona, Phaina, Thecusa and Theodatus. c.304 in Ancyra, Galatia (in modern Turkey)
Thought for the Day – 17 May – Thursday of the Seventh Week of Eastertide and the Memorial of St Paschal Baylon O.F.M. (1540-1592) “Seraph of the Eucharist”.
Prayer before the Blessed Sacrament occupied much of Saint Francis of Assisi’s energy. Most of his letters were to promote devotion to the Eucharist. Paschal shared that concern.
The life of Saint Paschal Baylon is one of simple adoration of the Lord and great devotion to His Mother. Saint Paschal recognised the importance of spending time before Our Saviour, in contemplation of His passion, love and sacrifice—in the earthly presence of God. Through his devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, Saint Paschal was graced with wisdom beyond his education and obedience and charity, beyond measure. His life inspires us to greater communion with the Lord, leading us to His spiritual treasures.
An hour in prayer before our Lord in the Eucharist could teach all of us a great deal.
Go to Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament with bended knee and acknowledge that He is truly present Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity!
Go to Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament with a silent tongue and confess “Jesus in The Most Blessed Sacrament, you are Lord!”
Go to Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament with bowed head and say “lead me, Lord”.
Go to Jesus in The Most Blessed Sacrament with a humble heart and say “show me how to love as You love, Lord”.
Go to Jesus in The Most Blessed Sacrament with folded hands and say “take my hands, use them as Your hands Lord”
Go to Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament with a closed mouth and listen to Him whispering to our soul, and responding with “Yes Lord”.
Go to Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament with a meek spirit and say, “Not by my power and my might but by Your power and Your might Lord!”
Go to Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament with a fiat and say, “Not my will but Your will be done Lord!”
Brother Felix blessed all benefactors and all those he met with a humble “Deo Gratias!” (thanks be to God!), causing many to refer to him as “Brother Deo Gratias”. Felix was so successful in his work that during the famine of 1580, the political leader of Rome asked the Capuchins if they would ‘lend’ Felix to them so he could collect food and provisions for the entire city. The Capuchins agreed and Felix embraced his new task with great success and love.
AnaStpaul 
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