Category: Of MONKS, OF RELIGIOUS ORDERS

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, Of HOSPITALS, NURSES, NURSING ASSOCIATIONS, Of MONKS, OF RELIGIOUS ORDERS, SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 14 June – St Basil the Great (329-379)

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Saint of the Day – 14 June – St Basil the Great (329-379) – Bishop of Caesarea, Confessor, Father and Doctor of the Church, Theologian, Defender of True Faith against all heresies, outstanding Scholar, Preacher and Writer, he was filled with love and kindness for the poor and the sick, building a Hospital to assist the poor sick, Miracle-worker. Born in 329 at Caesarea, Asia Minor (modern Turkey) to the nobility, his was a pious family – his mother, father and four of his nine siblings, were Canonised, including Saint Gregory of Nyssa. Grandson of Saint Macrina the Elder. He died on 1 January 379 at Caesarea, Asia Minor of natural causes. Patronages – Cappadocia, Hospital Administrators, Monks, Reformers, Cessaniti in Italy, Russia.

The Roman Martyrology says of him today: “At Caesarea, in Cappadocia, the Consecration of St Basil, Bishop and Doctor of the Church, who was eminent for learning and wisdom in the time of the Emperor Valens. Being adorned with every virtue, he was a great light in the Church and defended her, with admirable constancy, against the Arians and Macedonians.”

St Basil the Great, Bishop of Caesarea,
Confessor and Doctor of the Church
By Fr Francis Xavier Weninger, SJ (1805-1888) (Excerpt)

St Basil, who is called by the Holy Church, the Great because he was truly so, not only in mind, eloquence and learning but also, in courage against the heretics, in zeal for the honour of God, in holiness and in miracles, was born in Cappadocia, of noble, rich but, at the same time, holy parents. He had three brothers who are also honoured as Saints. He studied the liberal arts at Csesarea, Constantinople and lastly at Athens: – in the last place he became acquainted with St Gregory Nazianzen. St.Porphyrius, who was superior of a Convent in Egypt, instructed him in Holy Writ.

After this, he visited the holy places and was on his return, Ordained Feacon by Bishop Meletius at Antioch and began to preach in that City and afterwards continued at Cassarea, not only with the fame of great wisdom but also, with indescribable benefit to his hearers. At the latter place he was Ordained Priest. When he, however, perceived that even the Bishop became jealous of him on account of the great reputation which he gained by his sermons, he fled secretly to a desert in the land of Pontus. There he lived several years with his friend Gregory, occupied in the study of Holy Writ, praying, fasting and watching. Many came to him, desirous to live more piously. The rules he gave them to regulate their conduct, were by no one kept more punctually than by himself. He also instructed the heathen inhabitants, of the surrounding places, in the true faith and converted many of them.

Some years later, Valens, an Arian, ascended the imperial throne and persecuted the Catholics most cruelly. When St Basil was informed of this, he left the desert, repaired to Cassarea, fearlessly opposed the heretics and strengthened the Catholics in their faith. Meanwhile the Bishop of that City died and Basil, much against his inclinations, became his successor. Invested with this dignity, he changed nothing in the austerity to which he had been accustomed while living in the desert but he used the opportunities offered to him, to be still more kind and charitable to the poor. A terrible famine took place at that time, by which many lost their lives. The holy Bishop sold all that he possessed and divided the money among the poor and exhorted others, in his sermons, to be charitable to the needy. The sick he nursed with admirable humility, in a hospital which he had built for them. He hesitated not ,to give them food with his own hands and to wash and bandage their wounds. But notwithstanding all these acts of pious kindness, he neglected not to combat the Arians, both with tongue and pen and to guard his flock from their ravages.

Valens, the Emperor, sent one of his chief officers to Caesarea to induce the Saint to join the Arians, or else to drive him out of the City. Modestus, the imperial officer, summoned Basil into his presence and addressed him haughtily, in the following words: “Why do you not comply with the Emperor’s wishes and confess yourself to belong to his faith?” Basil fearlessly replied: “Because the Lord, my God, Who is infinitely greater than your Emperor, forbids it.” “Do you not fear then,” said Modestus, “the power and wrath of the Emperor? He can deprive you of all your possessions, drive you from your country, make you suffer and languish and even take your life.” The holy man answered: “Whosoever possesses nothing, fears not that anything can be taken away from him. My Country is Heaven, out of which you cannot drive me. You cannot make me suffer long, as my body is so weak that his first blow will destroy my life. Death will be a favour to me, for it will bring me sooner to my God.” Modestus, astonished at the boldness of this answer, said: “Nobody has ever dared to speak to me in such a manner.” “This may be the case because you have never spoken to a Bishop,” said Basil; “for in cases like this, all Bishops speak as I do.” “I will give you this night,” said Modestus, “to consider the wishes of the Emperor.” “And I shall be the same tomorrow as today,” replied Basil, as he went away.

The Emperor himself was filled with admiration for the Saint, when he was informed of what had taken place but the heretics left him no peace, until he gave orders that Bishop Basil should be placed in a carriage during the night and secretly carried away. Everything was in readiness to execute the Emperor’s command, when suddenly the Empress and her son, a very young child, became dangerously sick. The physician despaired of their lives and the Emperor, thinking it was a punishment sent by God because of his evil intentions against the holy Bishop, sent hastily to him to request earnestly, that he would obtain from God the health of the mother and the child. Basil promised to comply with his wish, on the condition that the Emperor would promise, that the child should be Baptised and educated in the Catholic faith. The Emperor consented, Basil prayed and the Empress and the Prince entirely recovered in the same hour. Hardly, however, had the Saint left the Emperor, when the latter, breaking his promise, had the child christened by an Arian bishop but he was almost immediately punished, for the Prince became sick again and died!

Some time later, the Emperor, again incited against the Saint intended to banish him but when he sat down to sign the order, the chair suddenly broke under him. He rose, took three pens, one after the other but was not able to write his name. None of them gave any ink but all split in his hand, which itself began to tremble and lose all life. Hence, he tore the order and left the Saint undisturbed. Many other miraculous events took place in regard to this holy Bishop, to relate all of which, would occupy too much space; as also all the labour he performed for the salvation of his flock and to the benefit of the whole Church. Neither can we relate how much he wrote in defence of the True Faith, how valiantly he opposed the heretics, how carefully he guarded the faithful. To a steward of the Emperor, who dared to dispute with him about articles of faith, he gave an answer, which, by a slight change, would serve very well in our days, for many who deem themselves wiser than they are. “Your office is,” said he, “to attend to the soup in the kitchen and to see that it is not too much salted but not ,to dispute about articles of faith.“

St Ephrem saw the Holy Ghost in the form of a dove upon the shoulder of the Saint, whispering to him what to preach or to write. A Jew, who had crept secretly into the Church during Holy Mass, saw a beautiful child in the hands of the Bishop, when he raised the Consecrated Host, which miracle caused him to embrace Christianity. With another Jew, who had considerable medical knowledge, the Saint had frequent conversations in the hope of converting him to Christ. When Basil became dangerously sick, he called the Jewish physician into his presence and asked him what hope there was of his recovery. The Jew answered; “There is no hope – this very evening, the bishop will be a corpse.” “But what would you say,” said the Saint, “if I should still be alive tomorrow?” “It is impossible,” was the Jew’s reply; “if that should happen I will become a Christian.” “I will remind you of your promise,” said Basil and turning his heart to God, he prayed fervently that his life might be prolonged for the conversion of the Jew. And in fact, on the following day, the holy Bishop arose from his bed entirely recovered. The Jew came, saw the miracle and being already sufficiently instructed in the Christian faith, was led by the Saint into the Church and amidst a crowd of people, Baptised with his whole family. This being accomplished, the Saint returned to his bed, his sickness re-appeared and a happy death soon ended his earthly pilgrimage.

Before his end, he exhorted all present to remain constant in the true faith and zealous in the practice of virtue. After this, he saw a Host of Angels, who invited him to enter Heaven. His last words were; “Into Thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.” His happy death took place in the year of our Lord 379.

Posted in Of MONKS, OF RELIGIOUS ORDERS, SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 17 April – St Robert de Chaise-Dieu OSB (c1000-1067)

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Saint of the Day – 17 April – St Robert de Chaise-Dieu OSB (c1000-1067) Priest, professed religious of the Order of St Benedict, Monk, Abbot, Apostle of Charity, Marian devotee.   He was of noble stock, was related to Saint Gerald of Aurillac (c 855–c 909) and was a descendant of St Caesarius of Arles (470-543).   He is best known for the establishment of the Benedictine Convent of La Chaise-Dieu (‘Home of God’) and for his total commitment to the poor.   He became a spiritual inspiration for Pope Clement VI (1291–1352) – whose own origin,s in the religious life ,were based at that Convent – and it was Pope Clement who confirmed the Canonisation of the Benedictine Abbot on 19 September 1351 in Avignon.   He is also known as Robert de Turlande, Robert of Casa Dei. Patronages – Abbots, Monks, Hermits, the Monastery of Chaise-Dieu.st robert of chaise-dieu art

St Robert was born in 1000 to a family of Margeride nobility and became the Canon Count of Brioude.   His mother went into labour while in the forests near the castle she lived in and so gave birth to him there, locals perceived this as a sign that the child would become a hermit.

Robert’s education was overseen at the Church of Saint-Julien in Brioude where he later became its canon after he was ordained to the priesthood in 1026 – it was there that he founded a hospice for the poor of the region.   He later became a monk at Cluny and placed himself under the direction of Saint Odilo, (c 962–1049), the fifth Abbot of Cluny, also a a relative of St Robert.

Dissatisfied with canonical life and his relative, St Odilo, Robert wished to found a monastery.   After a pilgrimage to Rome, Robert went with two of his companions to Monte Cassino for further training in the Rule of St Benedict.

When he returned to France, upon reaching the bleak Livradois plateau he settled next to a chapel dedicated to Saint Vital and Saint Agricole to live in solitude with God.   He named this place ‘Casa Dei’ ‘House of God’, which later became known as La Chaise-Dieu.

In 1046 he and two of his companions received the permission of Pope Gregory VI to establish a hermitage and embark on a life of commitment to the poor.   It was Gregory VI who suggested that the trio consider the contemplative life as a greater method of achieving their aim of providing for the poor, this prompted him to move to Auvergne. He has been credited for the construction and the restoration of around a total of 50 churches in his region.st robert engraving of chaise-dieu

Robert’s influence was such that at the time of his death in 1067, the Abbey and its dependent priories numbered some 300 monks.  He inspired others through his faith, he placed great emphasis on the cult of Mary and his charity through which he made the Abbey a welcoming and giving place – which became its enduring symbol and undoubtedly, his dynamism (as early as 1052 he had gained the protection of the King of France, Henry I and also that of Pope Leon IX).

st robert statue in chaise-dieu Church
Statue and shrine of St Robert at the Church of St Robert in the village names for him.

Robert died on 17 April 1067 and his funeral was set on 24 April due to the large numbers of people who desired visiting his remains.   Hundreds of miracles were reported to have been performed due to his intercession which started a local ‘cultus’ to him.   He was interred in his own convent, though most of his relics were burnt due to the Huguenots.   He was Canonised in 1070 and his tomb became a place of pilgrimage. So much so, that in 1095 before beginning his first Crusade from Clermont, Urban Pope II insisted on praying at Robert’s Tomb.header st robert of chaise-dieu.jpeg

There is a beautiful village called Saint Robert after our Saint.   It is rich in history and heritage and ranks among the most beautiful villages in France.   It is organised around its Romanesque church of the twelfth century (also named after St Robert and probably built by his Monks) and its narrow streets are lined with old shops and manor houses in stone.     To see wonderful images of this village, visit here:  https://decouvrir-la-france-en-photos.blogspot.com/2017/09/70-saint-robert-correze-19.html

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, Of HOSPITALS, NURSES, NURSING ASSOCIATIONS, Of MONKS, OF RELIGIOUS ORDERS, SAINT of the DAY

Saint/s of the Day – 2 January – St Basil the Great (329-379) and St Gregory of Nazianzen (330-390) “Two Bodies one Spirit”

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Saint/s of the Day – 2 January – St Basil the Great (329-379) and St Gregory of Nazianzen (330-390) Fathers and Doctors of the Church “Two Bodies one Spirit”basil-and-gregory

On 2 January, the Roman Church honours the memory of two friends from an area of what is now Turkey that was called Cappadocia.   These men began their friendship while away at school and later became bishops who were the backbone of Catholic Orthodoxy during a period of doctrinal struggle and confusion.   Gregory presided over the 2nd ecumenical council, held at Constantinople, whose great achievement was the completion of the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed that the Catholic Church recites each Sunday and the definition of the divinity of the Holy Spirit.   These Cappadocian Fathers, both Doctors of the Church, proved to be some of the most influential Christian teachers of all time, honoured by both East and West, Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic.

Basil was on his way to becoming a famous teacher when he decided to begin a religious life of gospel poverty.   After studying various modes of religious life, he founded what was probably the first monastery in Asia Minor.   He is to monks of the East what Saint Benedict is to the West and Basil’s principles influence Eastern monasticism today.

He was Ordained a Priest, assisted the Archbishop of Caesarea—now southeastern Turkey—and ultimately became Archbishop himself, in spite of opposition from some of the Bishops under him, probably because they foresaw coming reforms.

Arianism, one of the most damaging heresies in the history of the Church which denied the divinity of Christ, was at its height.   Emperor Valens persecuted orthodox believers and put great pressure on Basil to remain silent and admit the heretics to communion. Basil remained firm, and Valens backed down.   But trouble remained.   When the great Saint Athanasius died, the mantle of defender of the faith against Arianism fell upon Basil.   He strove mightily to unite and rally his fellow Catholics who were crushed by tyranny and torn by internal dissension.   He was misunderstood, misrepresented, accused of heresy and ambition.   Even appeals to the pope brought no response.   “For my sins I seem to be unsuccessful in everything.”St-Basil-the-Great-1.jpg

Basil was tireless in pastoral care.   He preached twice a day to huge crowds, built a hospital that was called a wonder of the world—as a youth he had organised famine relief and worked in a soup kitchen himself—and fought the prostitution business.   Hence Basil is now the Patron of Hospitals and the Administrators thereof, of Cappadocia,  Monks, Reformers, Cessaniti in Italy, Russia.

Basil was best known as an orator.   Though not recognised greatly in his lifetime, his writings rightly place him among the great teachers of the Church.   Seventy two years after his death, the Council of Chalcedon described him as “the great Basil, minister of grace who has expounded the truth to the whole earth.”st-basil-the-great1

After his baptism at 30, Gregory gladly accepted his friend Basil’s invitation to join him in a newly founded monastery.   The solitude was broken when Gregory’s father, a bishop, needed help in his diocese and estate.   It seems that Gregory was ordained a priest practically by force and only reluctantly accepted the responsibility.   He skilfully avoided a schism that threatened when his own father made compromises with Arianism.   At 41, Gregory was chosen suffragan bishop of Caesarea and at once came into conflict with Valens, the emperor, who supported the Arians.

An unfortunate by-product of the battle was the cooling of the friendship of two saints. Basil, his archbishop, sent him to a miserable and unhealthy town on the border of unjustly created divisions in his diocese.   Basil reproached Gregory for not going to his see.

When protection for Arianism ended with the death of Valens, Gregory was called to rebuild the faith in the great see of Constantinople, which had been under Arian teachers for three decades.   Retiring and sensitive, he dreaded being drawn into the whirlpool of corruption and violence.   He first stayed at a friend’s home, which became the only orthodox church in the city.   In such surroundings, he began giving the great sermons on the Trinity for which he is famous.   In time, Gregory did rebuild the faith in the city but at the cost of great suffering, slander, insults and even personal violence.   An interloper even tried to take over his bishopric.

His last days were spent in solitude and austerity.   He wrote religious poetry, some of it autobiographical, of great depth and beauty.   He was acclaimed simply as “the Theologian.”st-gregory-of-nazianzus-e1480804203636

Posted in Against SNAKE BITES / POISON, Of a Holy DEATH & AGAINST A SUDDEN DEATH, of the DYING, FINAL PERSEVERANCE, DEATH of CHILDREN, DEATH of PARENTS, Of Catholic Education, Students, Schools, Colleges etc, Of GARDENERS, Horticulturists, Farmers, Of MONKS, OF RELIGIOUS ORDERS, PATRONAGE-ENGINEERS, Electrical, Mechanical etc, SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 11 July – St Benedict of Nursia OSB (c 480-547) Patron of Europe and Founder of Western Monasticism

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Saint of the Day – 11 July – St Benedict of Nursia OSB (c 480-547) Patron of Europe and Founder of Western Monasticism.   Some of his many Patronages – of Europe, Against Poison, Against Witchcraft, Agriculture, Cavers, Civil Engineers, Coppersmiths, Dying People, Farmers, Fevers, Inflammatory Diseases, Kidney Disease, Monks, Religious Orders, Schoolchildren, Temptations.BenedictinosSaint_Bendict_of_Nurcia

St Benedict founded twelve communities for monks about 40 miles east of Rome, before moving to Monte Cassino, in the mountains of southern Italy.   St Benedict’s main achievement is his “Rule”, containing precepts for his monks.    The unique spirit of balance, moderation and reasonableness influences it and this persuaded most religious communities founded throughout Middle Ages, to adopt it.    As a result, the Rule of St Benedict became one of the most influential religious rules in western Christendom.    For this reason, Benedict is often called the “founder” of western Christian Monasticism. Heiligenkreuz.St._Benedict

St Benedict is the twin brother of St Scholastica and is considered patron of many things.    He was born in Nursia, Italy and educated in Rome.Scholastica-and-Benedictmy snip - benedict and scholastica - domenico corvi 1721-1803

benedict and schalastica
St Benedict and hisd twin sister, St Scholastica

He was repelled by the vices of the city and around 500, fled to Enfide – thirty miles away.    He decided to live the life of a hermit and lived in a cave for three years.    Despite Benedict’s desire for solitude, his holiness became known and he was asked to be the Abbot by a community of monks at Vicovaro.    He accepted but when the monks resisted his strict rule and tried to poison him, he returned to Subiaco and became a centre of spirituality and learning. champaigne_philippe_dezzzscene_from_the_life_of_st_benedict-_the_poisoned_cup_of_wine

st benedict and the cup of poison
St Benedict and the Cup of Poison

He eventually moved back to Monte Cassino and destroyed a temple to Apollo on its crest and brought the people of the neighbouring area back to Christianity.    In 530 he began to build the monastery that was to be the birthplace of western monasticism.  data=dfJwSHpr2UU2dqoWYuGhCM6f93gIUaI8nJa4qy1CkuUIECsLTKt97nBY-VhQhXiVd_QY-L05N6sf2u3rW46w2dOiTQnblInFmXtgNjvDhRy3fFbi1V8nbtijMOtdHPafZzrH1YTVpMw1z2hkH7TuHn4S98gGrYdfEAmGGjSfyVFG-Zr-PNRk8

Bundesarchiv_Bild_146-2005-0004,_Italien,_Monte_Cassino
Monte Cassino in ruins after Allied bombing in February 1944.

1024px-Monte_Cassino_Opactwo_1
Rebuilt Abbey

Soon, disciples again flocked to him as his reputation for holiness, wisdom and miracles spread far and wide.    It wasn’t long and he organised his monks into a single monastic community and wrote his official Rule, prescribing common sense, a life of moderate asceticism, prayer, study, work and community under one superior.    It stressed obedience, stability, zeal and had the Divine Office as the centre of monastic life.    While ruling his monks, most of whom – including Benedict, were not ordained, he counselled rulers and Popes and ministered to the poor and destitute.    He died at Monte Cassino on 21 March 547 and was named patron protector of Europe by Pope Paul VI in 1964.    The Universal Church celebrates his feast day today. San_Benedetto_da_Norcia_ABst benedict and monks

The St Benedict medal is very popular among Christians to this day and are hung above doors and windows, for protection against evil.    It is believed that evil cannot enter your house if you protect every opening with a St Benedict medal and Crucifix.    The medal has an image of St Benedict, holding the Holy Rule in his left hand and a cross in his right.    There is a raven on one side of him, with a cup on the other side.    Around the medal’s outer margin are the words “Eius in obitu nostro praesentia muniamur” – “May we, at our death, be fortified by His presence”.   The other side of the medal has a cross with the initials CSSML on the vertical bar which signify “Crux Sacra Sit Mihi Lux” “May the Holy Cross be my light” and on the horizontal bar are the initials NDSMD which stand for “Non Draco Sit Mihi Dux” “Let not the dragon be my overlord”.   The initials CSPB stand for “Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti” “The Cross of the Holy Father Benedict” and are located on the interior angles of the cross.   Either the inscription “PAX” Peace or the Christogram “HIS” may be found at the top of the cross in most cases.   Around the medal’s margin on this side are the initials VRSNSMV which stand for “Vade Retro Satana, Nonquam Suade Mihi Vana” ”Begone Satan, do not suggest to me thy vanities” then a space followed by the initials SMQLIVB which signify “Sunt Mala Quae Libas, Ipse Venena Bibas” “Evil are the things thou profferest, drink thou thy own poison”.st benedict medalst benedict medal 2st benedict crucifix and medal

The Medal of St Benedict can serve as a constant reminder of the need for us to take up our cross daily and “follow the true King, Christ our Lord,” and thus learn “to share in his heavenly kingdom,” as St. Benedict urges us in the Prologue of his Rule.

More on St Benedict, his Rule and the Medal here:  https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/07/11/saint-of-the-day-11-july-st-benedict-of-nursia-o-s-b-abbot-patron-of-europe-patronus-europae/saint-benedict-nursia-munsterschwarzach-germany-83888371768px-Einsiedeln_-_St._Benedikt_2013-01-26_13-50-02_(P7700)