One Minute Reflection – 15 October – Thursday of the Twenty-eighth week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Ephesians 1:1-10, Psalms 98:1, 2-3,3-4, 5-6, Luke 11:47-54 and the Memorial of St Teresa of Jesus of Avila (1515-1582) Doctor of the Church “Doctor of Prayer”
The scribes and the Pharisees began to press him hard … lying in wait for him … Luke 11:53-54
REFLECTION – “With a fear mingled with joy I consider it desirable to say something here about the sufferings you endured for my sake, O God of us all! Standing before the tribunal of men You Yourself had created in a nature that was my own You said nothing, You who give us speech; You did not speak aloud, You who create the tongue; You did not shout out, You who shake the earth (…) You did not give up to shame the one who gave You up to the terrors of death; You showed no resistance when You were bound and when You were struck, you were not outraged. When they spat on You, You did not swear back and when they struck You with the fist, You did not tremble. When they taunted You, You were not angered and when they hit You, Your face did not change (…) Far from giving You a moment of respite, O source of life, they at once prepared for carrying the instrument of death. You accepted it graciously, took it gently, hoisted it patiently. You took upon Yourself, like a criminal, the tree of sorrow!” – St Gregory of Narek (c 951-c 1010) Doctor of the Church, Armenian Monk, mystical Philosopher, Theologian and Poet – Book of prayers, no 77
PRAYER – Almighty God, our Father, You sent St Teresa of Jesus to be a witness in the Church to the way of perfection. Sustain us by her spiritual doctrine and kindle in us, the longing for true holiness. Through Christ, our Lord, in union with the Holy Spirit, God forever. May the intercession of St Teresa be a source of strength, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 15 October – Thursday of the Twenty-eighth week in Ordinary Time – The Memorial of St Thecla of Kitzengen OSB (Died c 790) Missionary apostle with St Boniface
Eternal God, Our Refuge By St Boniface (672-754) “The Apostle of Germany”
Eternal God, the refuge and help of all Your children, we praise You for all You have given us, for all You have done for us, for all that You are to us. In our weakness, You are strength, in our darkness, You are light, in our sorrow, You are comfort and peace. We cannot number Your blessings, we cannot declare Your love. For all Your blessings, we bless You. May we live as in Your presence, and love the things that You love, and serve You in our daily lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Saint of the Day – 15 October – St Thecla of Kitzengen OSB (Died c 790) a Benedictine nun and abbess. Born in England, she went to Germany to assist Saint Boniface in his missionary labours. She died in c790 at Kitzingen Abbey, Germany of natural causes. She is also known as Thecla of England, Tecla, Heilga.
The clues about Saint Thecla are tantalising. Who was this nun entrusted to govern two Abbeys in eighth century Francia, east of the Rhine, a more dangerous area than her native Britain?
She was a kinswoman of Saint Lioba (c 710–782) who, in turn, was kin of St Boniface. Thecla lived with St Lioba and other Benedictine nuns at Wimbourne, a double monastery governed by Saint Tetta.
St Leoba’s statue in Schornsheim, Germany
The savage Teutonic people of Northern Europe were brought to Christ by missionaries in the eighth century. The most famous of these gospel-bearers was St Boniface. Among his helpers were women. He asked Tetta, the abbess of Wimborne, Dorset, to send him assistants. Tetta sent Lioba and Thecla to his aid.
Boniface appointed these women as heads of monastic institutions observing the Benedictine rule. Boniface must have trusted Thecla a great deal because he put her charge of two Abbeys, one at Ochsenfurt and the other at Kitzingen. Their work endured even after he had been butchered by pagans. Many a man has been able to work on his feet because others supported him on their knees. Boniface relied on his “daughters” as more than heads of Abbeys. He called on them to be his prayer partners.
A Kneeling Saint in Nun’s Robes, 16th century sketch by Plautilla Nelli
In a famous letter to the “…revered and dearly loved sisters Leobgith and Thecla and to Cynehild,” he wrote: “I urge and direct you, beloved daughters, to pray to our Lord frequently, as we trust you do constantly and will continue to do, as you have in the past … and know that we praise God and our heart’s yearning grows, that God our Lord, refuge of the poor and hope of the lowly, will free us from our straits and the trials of this evil age, that His word may spread and the wonderful Gospel of Christ be held in honour, that His grace be not fruitless in me… And… pray that I may not die without some fruit for that Gospel.”
Abbesses at this time were in positions of power and influence and acted autonomously. That Thecla was responsible for two Abbeys tells us how much Boniface trusted her, both for her abilities and loyalty. The 11th century Passion of Boniface says, “She shone like a light in a dark place.”
It seems that Thecla’s character was so noble that when she oversaw Kitzingen, she was simply called Heilga, which means “The Saint.” This day, 15 October is her feast day. The Roman martyrlogy states – “In Germany, St Thecla, thanks be to God.”
She is believed to have died around 790, after more than 40 years in Francia. Her relics were at Kitzingen and her cult apparently was strong in the 11th century.
But there is a sad postscript centuries later. In 1525 during the Peasants War, the tombs of Thecla and another saint were desecrated and when the church was rebuilt in 1695, the bodies were covered with rubbish. Despite this outrage, the echoes of the good they did cannot be muted and we are sure that they will rise again at the resurrection.
St Antiochus of Lyon St Aurelia of Strasbourg St Callistus of Huesca St Cannatus of Marseilles Bl Cipriano Alguacil Torredenaida St Euthymius the Younger Bl Josefa Martínez Pérez St Leonard of Vandoeuvre Bl Narcis Basté y Basté Bl Pere Verdaguer Saurina Bl Ramón Esteban Bou Pascual St Sabinus of Catania St Severus of Trier St Thecla of Kitzengen OSB (Died c 790) St Willa of Nonnberg — Martyrs of Cologne: A group of 360 Christian soldiers martyred together in the persecutions of Diocletian and Maximian. They were martyred in 303 outside the city walls of Cologne, Germany.
Martyred in the Spanish Civil War: • Blessed Cipriano Alguacil Torredenaida • Blessed Josefa Martínez Pérez • Blessed Narcis Basté y Basté • Blessed Pere Verdaguer Saurina • Blessed Ramón Esteban Bou Pascual
One Minute Reflection- 14 October – Wednesday of the Twenty-eighth week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Galatians 5:18-25, Psalms 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6, Luke 11:42-46 and the Memorial of St Fortunatus of Todi (Died 537) Bishop
“Woe to you Pharisees! for you love the best seat in the synagogues and salutations in the market places.”…Luke 11:43
REFLECTION – “Forms of zeal, taking the appearance of good, are to be met with. There is, for example, the zeal of the Pharisee, strict observers of the outward law. This bitter zeal (…) has its source, not in the love of God and of our neighbour but in pride. Those who are tainted with it are filled with inordinate esteem for their own perfections; they do not conceive of any other ideal than their own; they want to bend everyone to their own way of seeing and doing; hence arise dissensions. This zeal tends to hatred.
See with what acrimony the Pharisees, moved by this zeal, pursue the Lord Jesus, putting insidious questions to Him, setting snares to entrap Him, seeking not to know the truth but to find Christ in fault. See how they press Him, how they try to induce Him to condemn the woman taken in adultery: “Now Moses in the Law commanded us to stone such a one. But what sayest Thou?” (Jn 8:5). (…) See, too, how they reproach Him for healing on the Sabbath day (Lk 6:7); how they complain of the disciples for rubbing the ears of corn in their hands on the day of rest (Mt 12:2); how they are scandalized at seeing the Divine Master sit down at dinner with the sinners and publicans (Mt 9:2). These are so many manifestation of this bitter zeal into which hypocrisy so often enters.” – Blessed Columba Marmion OSB (1858-1923) Abbot – Good Zeal (Christ the Ideal of the Monk
PRAYER – Heavenly Father, grant that I may believe what I have learned, never presuming to know better than the teachings of Holy Mother Church and that I may put into practice what I believe. Let my commitment be like unto the Bishop, St Fortunatus of Todi, who lived Your Word with joy and great zeal for faith in Christ, Your Son, God with You and the Holy Spirit, amen.
Saint of the Day – 14 October – Saint Fortunatus of Todi (Died 537) Bishop, Confessor, miracle-worker. Patronage – Todi.
An entry in the Roman Martyrology under 14 October records: “At Todi in Umbria, St Fortunatus, Bishop, who, as is mentioned by blessed Gregory, was endowed with an extraordinary gift for casting out unclean spirits.”
Sts Hermagoras and Fortunatus by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (1736)
According to the Dialogues of Pope Gregory the Great, Bishop Fortunatus of Todi “He possessed extraordinary power over evil spirits, for on occasions he would expel legions of them and, when they turned their violence against him personally, he would crush them with the weapon of incessant prayer.” He records the following:
“On one occasion, Fortunatus drove out the spirits which plagued a woman who had sex before attending the dedication of the Church of St Sebastianus. A noblewoman from Tuscany and her daughter-in-law, were due to attend this ceremony. The night before the dedication, the young woman slept with her husband. As soon as the relics of Sebastian were brought out, a spirit possessed the woman. When a Priest threw the linen cloth from the altar on her to cover her, he was attacked by the same spirit. Only Fortunatus was able to drive out the spirit by spending many days and nights in prayer. He also drove a spirit out of a possessed man, which later inflicted itself on a family in Todi.
Fortunatus cured a blind man by making a sign of the cross in front of his eyes. Later, he cured a mad horse, when he made a sign of the cross over it’s head.
When Goths carried off two small boys from an estate on the outskirts of Ravenna, Fortunatus repeatedly asked them to return the boys unharmed. When leaving Todi, the leader of the Goths passed in front of theCchurch of St Peter. His horse slipped and fell and he suffered a broken rib. After the leader of the Goths sent the boys safely to Fortunatus, one of his Deacons sprinkled the rib with holy water, healing it.
Fortunatus was called to revive a dead man called Marcellus. Before dawn on Easter Sunday, Fortunatus went to see the corpse with two Deacons. When he called to the corpse, the man came back to life.”
St Fortunatus with Sts Cassian and Callistus with a model of Todi
The Dialogues also state that miracles soon occurred at the grave of St Fortunatus but they do not specify where this was. A lead plaque discovered during a recognition of the relics of St Fortunatus in 1580 was inscribed:
Hec sunt reliquie beatissimi Fortunati episcopi et confessoris DCCVIII
These are the relics of St Fortunatus, Bishop and Confessor (708)
This plaque presumably recorded a formal recognition of the relics in 708. It seems likely that this recognition occurred in the Church that stood on the site of the Cappella Gregoriana which was partly demolished in 1296 to make way for the construction of the present Church of San Fortunato. In the following year, Pope Boniface VIII consented to the translation of the relics of Saints Fortunatus, Cassian and Callistus from the old Church to what became the Crypt of the new one. He granted indulgences to those attending the subsequent translation of these relics, see the Church below. The crypt houses a sepulchre containing the remains of Sts Fortunatus, Cassian and Callistus, as well as the tomb of Fra Jacopone da Todi OFM (1230–1306), the well-known hymnist.
Bl Ana María Aranda Riera St Angadrisma of Beauvais St Bernard of Arce St Celeste of Metz St Dominic Loricatus St Donatian of Rheims (Died 390) Biography: https://anastpaul.com/2018/10/14/saint-of-the-day-14-october-st-donatian-of-rheims-died-390/ Saint Fortunatus of Todi (Died 537) Bishop St Franciszek Roslaniec St Gaudentius of Rimini St Gundisalvus of Lagos Bl Jacques Laigneau de Langellerie St Lupulo of Capua St Lupus of Caesarea St Manacca St Manehildis St Modesto of Capua Bl Richard Creagh Blessed Roman Lysko (1914–1949) Priest and Martyr His Life and Death: https://anastpaul.com/2019/10/14/saint-of-the-day-14-october-blessed-roman-lysko-1914-1949-priest-and-martyr/ St Rusticus of Trier St Saturninus of Caesarea St Stanislaw Mysakowski St Venanzio of Luni — Martyrs of Caesarea – (4 saints): Three brothers and a sister martyred together in the persecutions of Diocletian – Carponius, Evaristus, Fortunata and Priscian. In 303 in Caesarea, Cappadocia (in modern Turkey) – their relics enshrined in Naples, Italy.
Martyred in the Spanish Civil War: • Blessed Ana María Aranda Riera • Blessed Jacques Laigneau de Langellerie
Saint of the Day – 13 October – Blessed Maddalena Panattieri OP (1443–1503) member of the Sisters of Penance of Saint Dominic, Stigmatist, she was blessed with many Mystical gifts – prophecy, visions, Eucharistic Adorer, Catechist – born in 1443 at Turino, Diocese of Vercelli, Piedmont, Italy and died on 13 October 1503 at Turino, Italy of natural causes. Patronages – Trino, Catechists.
Maddalena Pannatieri was born at Trino, near Vercelli, in 1443, of deeply religious parents. She was a devout child, who made a vow of virginity while she was quite young. Before she was twenty years old, she took her vows as a Dominican Tertiary, an exceptional circumstance, showing that she was held in high esteem. The Tertiary chapter was made up principally of widows and older woman who centred their Apostolate of active charities around the Dominican Church. Maddalena fitted into this work with ease and she brought to the chapter a spirit of penance that few of her companions could match. The delightful part of it all wa,s that her penances never rendered her dreary; she was a cheerful, resourceful person to have around. People drew as much good from her spirit of joy as from any other feature of her spirituality.
Maddalena had a special fondness for little children and, what we now call baby-sitting, and used her influence with the children to bring their parents to a better way of life. Childless women won her sympathy and several times her prayers brought the blessing of motherhood to such people. She taught Catechism to children and gradually the older folk of her acquaintance began to sit in on her classes. She was quite unaware that she had great powers of description and could make the truths of religion clear to simple people. The Dominican fathers allowed her to use a large room attached to the Church for a class room and the class grew. Not only the parents of the children and the simple folk of the neighbourhood but also a number of Priests and religious were attending regularly.
When the reform movement started by Blessed Raymond of Capua got underway, Maddalena Parnatieri promoted it in Trino. Through her influence, Blessed Sebastian Maggio was invited to preach there and he accomplished great good.
Maddalena was considered the protectress of the city of Trino. Whatever disaster threatened it, the citizens expected her to look out for their interests and she usually did. In her life there is no mention of a “dark night of the soul” or of grim detachment from all things of earth. Her love of God kept her from attaching herself to any illegitimate pleasures but she thoroughly enjoyed the lawful ones – she loved her family and her townspeople and was happy in their company. Her favourite brother was a good-for-nothing- he was always in trouble. When his conduct had gone beyond the patience of everyone but Magdalene, she threw herself on her knees in front of her Crucifix and she stayed there until our Lord assured her that He would take a hand with the black sheep: ” I cannot refuse you anything,” He said.
The Dominican fathers received her solitude when they were persecuted by a wealthy man of the town. This person carried his hatred so far, that he was finally excommunicated for persecuting the Church. There was of course, a good deal of blood shed before the affair was over and one of the reprobate’s followers made the mistake of hitting Maddalena and calling her names. Before the irate townspeople could deal out justice to him, God did; the man died a violent death.
God revealed to Maddalena the coming political troubles of Italy – the French invasion of the country. She did not live to see this prophecy accomplished but she persistently asked God’s mercy for her people. During the violent quarrels and bloodshed of the time, Trino was always spared, though the villages all around were in a shambles. The townsfolk unhesitatingly gave credit to Maddalena!
Maddalena died on 13 October 1503 in Trino. On her deathbed she said: “I could not be happy in Heaven, if you were not there too” to those assembled near her bedside. She sang “Jesus our Redeemer” and the “Ave Maria” prior to her death. Her remains were found in 1964 and transferred in 1970.
Maddalena received formal Beatification from Pope Leo XII on 26 September 1827 once the Pontiff confirmed that a ‘cultus’ (or popular devotion) to Maddalena existed and had endured since her death.
St Leobono of Salagnac Blessed Maddalena Panattieri OP (1443–1503) St Maurice of Carnoet St Regimbald of Speyer St Romulus of Genoa St Simbert of Augsburg St Theophilus of Antioch St Venantius — Three Crowns of Cordoba – (3 saints): Three Christian men martyred in the persecutions of Diocletian – Faustus, Januarius and Martial. They were burned to death in 304 in Cordoba, Spain.
Martyred in the Spanish Civil War: • Blessed Àngel Presta Batllé • Blessed ángel Ramos Velázquez • Blessed Antonio Ayet Canós • Blessed Ruperto García Arce • Blessed Salustiano González Crespo • Blessed Tomás Pallarés Ibáñez • Blessed Francesc Mitjá i Mitjá • Blessed Herminio Motos Torrecillas • Blessed Joan Puig Serra
Saint of the Day – 12 October – Saint Rodobaldo II Cipolla of Pavia (Died 1254) Bishop of Pavia from 1230 to his death, apostle of the poor. Rodobaldo was the 53rd bishop of Pavia. Archdeacon of the Cathedral, he was elected in 1230 and Consecrated by Pope Gregory IX. St Roboaldo II is remembered as a zealous shepherd and for his intense charitable activity. Together with the Pope he preached the crusade against Frederick II, which earned him prison – he was jailed in Pisa. Then he worked to reconcile the Emperor with Innocent IV. He died in 1254. The relics are kept in the Cathedral of Pavia. He is also known as Cipolla of Pavia.
San Rodobaldo II Cipolla of Pavia is a Bishop who lived in the 13th century. In the chronotaxis of the Bishops of Pavia it is placed in fifty-third place, after San Folco Scotti and before Guglielmo da Caneto. It is indicated with the second appellation, as among the bishops before him there is a Rodobaldo de ‘Sangiorgio, who ruled the Diocese in the second decade of the thirteenth century.
In the Verona hagiographic publication, it is stated that he was born in Verona; belonging to the Cipolla family, who before being elected to lead the Diocese held the office of Archdeacon of the Cathedral chapter.
In 1233 he founded the Company of the Holy Spirit in Pavia and brought the Franciscan friars, Vallombrosan and Dominican monks to the diocese. Among the latter he became a friend of St ‘Isnardo di Vicenza, to whom, it is said, he donated the monastery of San Tommaso Apostolo.
Subsequently, he took an active part in the mediation of peace, working towards the reconciliation between the Emperor and the new Pontiff, Innocent IV. He died in Pavia on 12 October 1254 and since 1279 his body has been placed in the crypt of the City Cathedral of St Siro. His cult as a saint was confirmed by Pope Leo XIII with a decree of 20 December 1888.
In the Roman martyrology, with the words – “In Pavia, St Rodobaldo II, bishop, man of exemplary spirit of penance, who worked hard for the divine worship and in the search for the relics of the saints.”
Nossa Senhora Aparecida / Our Lady Aparecida, Aparecida, Sao Paulo, Brazil (1717) – 12 October: Also known as – Our Lady Who Appeared:
In October 1717, Dom Pedro de Almedida, Count of Assumar passed through the area of Guarantinqueta, a small city in the Paraiba river valley. The people there decided to hold a feast in his honour and though it was not fishing season, the men went to the waters to fish for the feast. Three of the fishermen, Domingos Garcia, Joco Alves and Felipe Pedroso, prayed to the Immaculate Conception and asked God’s help. However, after several hours they were ready to give up. Joco cast his net once more near the Port of Itaguagu but instead of fish, he hauled in the body of a statue. The three cast their net again, and brought up the statue’s head. After cleaning the statue they found that it was Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. Naming their find Our Lady Aparecida, they wrapped it in cloth and continued to fish; now their nets were full. While we do not know why the statue was at the bottom of the river, we do know who made it. Frei Agostino de Jesus, a carioca monk from Sao Paulo known for his sculpture. The image was less than three feet tall, was made around 1650 and must have been underwater for years. It is a dark brown colour, is covered by a stiff robe of richly embroidered thick cloth and wears an imperial crown which was added in 1904. Only her face and hands can be seen. Pope Pius XII proclaimed her principal patroness of Brazil in 1930. The statue was vandalised by being broken into several pieces just prior to a visit by St Pope John Paul II but a group of dedicated artists and artisans carefully pieced it together again. Patronages: • Aparecida, Brazil, diocese of • Brazil • World Youth Day 2013
Nuestra Señora del Pilar / Our Lady of the Pillar (Imus, Philippines) – 12 October
Tradition says that in the early day of the Church, Saint James the Greater was spreading the Gospel in Spain but making very little progress. He was dejected and questioning his mission. About 44, the Virgin Mary, who was still living in Jerusalem at the time, bi-located and appeared to him in a vision to boost his morale. In it, she was atop a column or pillar, which was being carried by angels. That pillar is believed to be the same one venerated in Zaragoza, Spain today. Miraculous healings reported at the scene. PatronageS: • Imus, Philippines, diocese of • Tagbilaran, Philippines • Zamboanga, Philippines, archdiocese of • Zamboanga City, Philippines • Zaragoza, Spain.
St Pantalus of Basle St Priscian the Martyr St Relindis St Rodobaldo II Cipolla of Pavia (Died 1254) Bishop Bl Roman Sitko St Salvinus of Verona Bl Thomas Bullaker St Wilfrid (c 633-709) Bishop His Life: https://anastpaul.com/2018/10/12/saint-of-the-day-12-october-st-wilfrid-c-633-709/ — Martyred in the Spanish Civil War: • Blessed Bartolomé Caparrós García • Blessed Eufrasio of the Child Jesus • Blessed José González Huguet • Blessed Pedro Salcedo Puchades • Blessed Rafael Lluch Garín
“Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?” – Matthew 22:12
REFLECTION – “But you, my friends, since you have already come into the house of the marriage feast, our holy Church, as a result of God’s generosity, be careful lest, when the King enters, He finds fault with some aspect of your heart’s clothing!
What do we think is meant by the wedding garment, dearly beloved? For if we say it is Baptism or faith, is there anyone who has entered this marriage feast without them? A person is outside because he has not yet come to believe. What then must we understand by the wedding garment but love? That person enters the marriage feast but without wearing a wedding garment, who is present in the holy Church. He may have faith but he does not have love. We are correct when we say that love is the wedding garment because this, is what our Creator Himself possessed, when He came to the marriage feast, to join the Church to Himself. Only God’s Love brought it about, that His Only-Begotten Son, united the hearts of His chosen, to Himself. John says “God so Loved the world that He gave His Only-Begotten Son for us.” – St Pope Gregory the Great (540-604) Father and Doctor of the Church – (Sermons on the Gospel No 38).
PRAYER – Lord Holy God and Father, open our hearts o Your grace. Let it go before us and be with us. Open our hearts to Your love. Let it be the foundation of our love, let our love be Your love. Stepping in the footsteps of Your Son, in imitation of His Saints as St Alexander Sauli lived, grant that by his intercession, we too may reach Your eternal Feast. Through Jesus our Lord who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, God now and forever, amen.
Saint of the Day – 11 October – Saint Alexander Sauli CRSP (1534-1592) Bishop “The Apostle of Corsica,” Clerk Regular of the Congregation of Saint Paul (The Barnabites) – St Alexander is referred to as “The Second Founder,” Missionary, Writer, Teacher of philosophy and theology at the University of Pavia, Reformer, Evangeliser, Confessor, Superior-General of the Barnabites in 1565. In addition, St Alexander Sauli was both friend, advisor and spiritual comfort to St Charles Borromeo, who held him in very high esteem. Born as Alessandro Sauli on 15 February in 1534 at Milan, Italy and died on 11 October 1592 at Pavia, Italy of natural causes. Patronages – Corsica, Barnabite Seminarians. He was appointed by St Pope Pius V to the ancient see of Aleria, Corsica, where he rebuilt churches, founded colleges and seminaries and, despite the depredations of the Corsairs, placed the Church in a flourishing condition.
In 1591, he was made Bishop of Pavia and died at Calozza the following year. He left a number of works, chiefly catechetical. He was Beatified by Pope Benedict XIV on 23 April 1742 and Canonised by St Pope Pius X on 11 December 1904.
Alexander was born of a wealthy and highly regarded family of Lombard on 15 February 1534. His father, Dominic, was the Marquis of Pozzuolo and assistant to Duke Francesco II of Sforza. Tommasina Spinola, his mother, also came from an ancient and noble family.
His parents provided a superior education for him at Pavia. This enabled him to become a page in the court of Emperor Charles V in Milan when he turned 17. This ended quickly when he sought to enter the Barnabite order, resisting his family and friends who urged him to enter a well-established order such as the Franciscans or Dominicans.
The Barnabites imposed a harsh test on the youth before they would accept him. On 17 May, 1551, the Vigil of Pentecost, he had to carry a heavy cross through the streets dressed as a page and preach on the love of God. That evening he was received as a postulant.
Three months later Alexander received the habit on 15 August. Yet at the next chapter meeting, he received much criticism for being tepid, possessing a superior attitude and being incompetent. A year later, Alexander participated in the sessions on the Constitutions for the Order and then was permitted to continue his theological studies at the Franciscan Friary of St Mary of Peace. Finally, he professed his vows on 29 September 1554. He was Ordained a Subdeacon on 22 December 1954 and a Deacon on 8 June 1555. Having received a special dispensation for his youth — he was 22 years old — he was Ordained on 21 March 1556 and then was assigned to the community library.
When a nobleman miraculously recovered his health, his family built a Church in Pavia in thanksgiving. The Barnabites were given the Church and sent Fr Sauli to be the Parish Priest. Like most saints, he did much more than dispense the Sacraments.
Although possessing no degree, he established study groups for both college students and seminarians. He promoted frequent Holy Communion and the Forty Hours devotion. His classes were well attended with lively debates, and instruction was geared to students’ ability rather than to deadlines. He introduced innovations such as teaching geometry to instill discipline and law so students could protect themselves in a society rife with disputes. He encouraged the organisation of Church law.
After receiving an honourary bachelor’s degree, he was offered a position at the university but his superiors declined saying it was not in accord with humility. Providence changed that when a substitute was needed and Sauli was called. In 1562 because he was such an excellent teacher, he was given a permanent position at the university.
Fr Sauli, although given little time to prepare to discuss the “unity of the creating principle,” passed his doctoral exams even under the demands of an elite board of examiners. He received the degree on 28 May 1563. As a member of the College of Professors of Theology, he taught theology and philosophy while also serving the parish where he taught the Epistles of St Paul. In both places he drew large audiences with his wisdom and eloquence.
Despite his overwhelming success as a preacher and being the dean at the university, he wanted to focus on the running of the private school of the Barnabites. All this was interrupted when Bishop Ippolito de’ Rossi of Pavia called Fr Sauli to his service. He appointed Fr Sauli to be his theologian, lector for cases of conscience, examiner of clergy and planner for pastoral visits. Fr Sauli also published many books and republished some in accordance with the documents of the Council of Trent.
Being a humble man, he had no fear of losing positions and easily made way for others to take over his work and assignments — frequently to develop and encourage more men to serve God’s sheep.
In 1567 he was elected Superior General of the Order at the young age of 33. He proceeded to practice the rule with great diligence, proving his dedication and commitment to the order. Soon Attilio Gritti schemed to take over the church given to the Barnabites but Fr Sauli appealed to Archbishop Cardinal Charles Borromeo, who settled the dispute in a meeting with the Pope.
As superior, Sauli ensured that the Order followed the proclamations of the Council of Trent. Then he called for a Special Chapter to adopt the new Breviary published by Pope Pius V in 1568. In addition, he wrote updated guidelines for the curriculum and the seminary, gave conferences to religious orders, kept up with his voluminous correspondence and settled disputes. Under his leadership the fervour of the order was rekindled, so successfully, that he is credited with being the Second Founder.
About 1569 Fr Sauli went to Milan where he served St Charles Borromeo. He participated in the first Synod of the Archdiocese of Milan, while continuing to serve as Superior General, helping to improve the stature of the Barnabites in Venice — they had been expelled in 1552. St Charles Borromeo recognised a great homilist in Fr Sauli, inviting him to speak at the Cathedral in Milan. Likewise, Pope Gregory XIV also appreciated the prudence and wisdom of Fr Sauli who participated in several Synods and Councils.
When Fr Sauli was sent to hear Borromeo’s general Confession, the cardinal remarked that it had changed his life. Then Borromeo made a miraculous escape from enemies and asked Fr Sauli for advice to which he replied, “Humble yourself and reflect if God has allowed it, in punishment for some of your defects.” Once a month, Borromeo found refuge at the House of St Barnabas. Moreover, he spent the whole Holy Week with the Community. At first he used Sauli for delicate and secret missions, such as peace among spouses and families and delicate cases of conscience. He immediately noticed his prudence and common sense.
In 1571, Pope Pius V appointed Fr Sauli to Aleria on Corsica — a place where the Church was in a wretched state. In Milan the news caused great unrest among the Barnabites who protested, “We have no-one who equals him. We have few among us, whom either age does not qualify for active duty, or youth in consequence of their want of experience, does not render unfit for the government of others.”
They sought Cardinal Borromeo’s help to avert such a disaster. He wrote to his man in Rome, Msgr. Ormaneto: “Having notified the Superior of St Barnabas about the decision of Our Lord to give him the care of the Church of Aleria in Corsica, he, for the humble esteem of himself, has stated not to be qualified: which I do not agree with, as I know very well his qualifications…. Meanwhile I cannot avoid to present to His Holiness the great worry of the old Fathers of this Congregation, whom I have notified about it…. because of the great damage coming to their Congregation with the loss of this man, as it relies on his prudent government with great help from his knowledge, in which, truthfully, there is no equal; … Then, I know too how the city at large will suffer because of it, since the Superior is very useful to it in so many ways, such as conferences and confessions , and other spiritual services , and his prudent counsel, of which I avail myself regularly. If, then, Our Lord believes that he will render greater service to God in his new vocation, he is a son of obedience.”
To prepare himself to follow God’s will, together with St Charles, Fr Sauli went to the Carthusian Abbey in Carignano for a retreat. Writing to his father, Alexander stated: “The effort I have endured here as Superior General seems to me like roses in comparison with what I am starting to experience as a Bishop.”
The ceremony took place in the Cathedral of Milan on 12 March. Sauli was Consecrated bishop by his friend, Cardinal Borromeo of Milan, with Ippolito de Rossi, Bishop of Pavia, and Federico Comer, Bishop of Bergamo, as concelebrants. St Charles provided and donated to him all the Episcopal vestments
Since Corsica had not had a Bishop for 70 years, the Diocese needed much work. Of the 12 priests he was advised to take with him, only four were available. On 18 May 1570 he wrote to Borromeo about the devastation in Corsica after years of guerrilla warfare, famine and lack of pastoral leadership. The priests did not know Latin and had to be trained how to administer the sacraments. He established himself in precarious and humble dwellings and started immediately the visitation of the whole Diocese, entailing great and severe sacrifices, to bring to all the Word of God “like a beneficial rain that the good Lord sends on a field for long time arid and destroyed.” By the end of August he was able to hold a Synod with 150 Priests present to set up rules and regulations. He built a Seminary and a Cathedral and he defused many vendettas. After twenty years, he had revitalized the Church and the Corsicans had come to love and respect their Bishop.
Thus, when he was called to become Bishop of Pavia they grieved deeply. The people of Pavia were thrilled to learn that Sauli was returning and gave him a great welcome. He arrived on 19 October 1591 and began to enkindle a deeper faith in the people, who were also suffering famine. Although for some time he had been sick on and off with fever, toward the end of September 1592, Sauli began the pastoral visit of his new diocese.
After presiding at the Ordinations in Bursignano, he reached Colosso d’Asti on 1 October, where he spent the day in preaching, catechesis, confirmations, and personal meetings. That night he became sick with fever and gout. Not wanting to disturb the local Parish Priest, he decided to accept the invitation of his friend, Count Ercole Roero, to stay at his castle. He died on Sunday, 11 October 1592. A few days before he had said: “Don’t think that I am dying because of the efforts of this pastoral visit; be convinced that this is the hour fixed by God. If I should start all over what I have done, I would do it over again.”
His body was brought to Pavia on 14 October and, the next day, the solemn funeral took place. His universal fame as a saint spread immediately and grew steadily. The unanimous consensus and great devotion, especially in Pavia, led, in 1623, to the initiation of the canonical process. He was Beatified by Pope Benedict XIV, on 23 April 1742 and Canonised by St Pope Pius X, 11 December 1904. St Alexander Sauli is the Patron of Barnabite Seminarians and of Corsica.
Prayer
O God, in the holy bishop Alexander Sauli you have given to Your Church a model of faithful religious observance and of tireless pastoral dedication. Grant, we pray, that Your people may always be led by worthy pastors. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen
St Agilbert of Paris St Alexander Sauli CRSP (1534-1592) Bishop “The Apostle of Corsica” St Anastasius V St Anastasius the Apocrisarius St Andronicus of Ephesus St Andronicus the Soldier St Ansilio St Bruno the Great St Canice St Digna of Sicily St Dionisio de Santarem St Emilian of Rennes St Ethelburgh of Barking St Eufridus St Firminus of Uzes St Germanus of Besancon St Gratus of Oloron St Guiadenzio of Gniezno St Gummarus Bl James Grissinger St Juliana of Pavilly St Maria Soledad Torres Acosta (1826-1887) Her Life: https://anastpaul.com/2019/10/11/saint-of-the-day-11-october-saint-maria-soledad-torres-acosta-1826-1887/
St Nectarius of Constantinople St Phêrô Lê Tùy St Philip the Deacon St Philonilla St Placid St Placidia St Probus of Side St Santino of Verdun St Sarmata St Taracus of Cladiopolis St Zenaides — Martyrs of Vilcassin – 4 saints: Four Christians who were martyred together. We know little more than the names – Nicasius, Pienza, Quirinus and Scubicolus. Their martyrdom occured in Vexin Lugdunense territory of Gaul (modern Vilcassin, France), date unknown.
Quote/s of the Day – 10 October – The Memorial of St Francis Borgia SJ (1510-1572) and St Daniel Comboni (1831-1881)
“We must perform all our works in God and refer them to His glory, so that they will be permanent and stable. Everyone—whether kings, nobles, tradesmen or peasants— must do all things for the glory of God and under the inspiration of Christ’s example. . . . ”
“We must make our way towards eternity, never regarding what men think of us, or of our actions, studying only to please God.”
“Who could ever soften this heart of mine but YOU alone O Lord!”
One Minute Reflection – 10 October – “Month of the Most Holy Rosary” – Saturday of the Twenty SeventhWeek in Ordinary Time, Readings:Galatians 3: 22-29, Psalms 105: 2-3, 4-5, 6-7, Luke 11: 27-28 and the Memorial of St Paulinus of York (c 584-644) and St Francis Borgia SJ (1510-1572)
“While he was speaking, a woman from the crowd called out and said to him, ‘Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.’” – Luke 11:27
REFLECTION – “Mary was more blessed in accepting the faith of Christ than in conceiving the flesh of Christ. To someone who said, “Blessed is the womb that bore you,” he replied, “Rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it.”
Finally, for his brothers, his relatives according to the flesh who did not believe in him, of what advantage was that relationship? Even her maternal relationship would have done Mary no good, unless she had borne Christ more happily in her heart, than in her flesh.” – St Augustine (354-430) Father & Doctor of Grace – Holy Virginity, 3/
PRAYER – Almighty God and Father, you sent St Paulinus and St Francis Borgia to be Your witnesses and to bring Your Church to the pagans for the salvation of souls. Sustain us by their prayers that by our lives we may lead all to You through Holy Mother Church. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever, amen.
Saint of the Day – 10 October – St Paulinus of York (c 584-644) First Bishop of York, Missionary. Born in c 584 in Rome, Italy and died on 10 October 644 at Rochester, Kent, England of natural causes. Patronage – Rochester, England and Rochester Diocese. Paulinus was a member of the Gregorian mission sent in 601 by Pope Gregory I to Christianise the Anglo-Saxons from their native Anglo-Saxon paganism, Paulinus arrived in England by 604 with the second missionary group.
Paulinus, the first Christian Missionary to the kingdom of Northumbria, was a “tall man with a slight stoop, who had black hair, a thin face and a narrow, aquiline nose, his presence being venerable and awe-inspiring.”
He left Italy in 601, at the bidding of Pope Gregory the Great, to assist St Augustine of Canterbury, in his work of conversion. With Paulinus, came Mellitus, Justus, and Rufinianus, and they brought, to Augustine, a letter from Gregory, in which the Pope expressed a desire that York should become a metropolitical see with twelve suffiragans. For many years, Paulinus assisted Augustine and Justus in the south of England. However, in 625, King Edwin of Northumbria, still a pagan, married the Christian Aethelburga, daughter of King Aethelbert of Kent who had received St Augustine. Paulinus escorted her to her husband’s kingdom, having been Consecrated – on 21st July 625 – by Archbishop Justus as Bishop of the Northumbrians.
The story of Paulinus’ labours in the north and the manner in which he succeeded in effecting the conversion of Edwin and of his principal chiefs is well-known. The saint held a famous conference with the highest Northumbrian nobles, probably at a Royal Palace in Londesborough in the East Riding of Yorkshire. Here he explained to them the advantages of the Christian religion, illustrating his arguments thus:
“This is how the present life of man on Earth, King, appears to me in comparison with that time which is unknown to us. You are sitting feasting with your ealdormen and thegns in winter time. The fire is burning on the hearth in the middle of the hall and all outside is warm, while outside the wintry storms of rain and snow are raging – and a sparrow flies swiftly through the hall. It enters in at one door and quickly flies out through the other. For the few moments it is inside, the storm and wintry tempest cannot touch it, but after the briefest moment of calm, it flits from your sight, out of the wintry storm and into it again. So this life of man appears but for a moment. What follows or, indeed, what went before, we know not at all.”
Having been offered hope of life after death, the nobles were won over. Even the King’s pagan high priest, Coifi – probably motivated by hopes of his own survival – rode out to the great pagan temple at Goodmanham, a very short distance from Londesborough, threw a spear into it and began it’s demolition. The present Parish Church there may possibly occupy the site. Shortly after this conference, the Baptism of Edwin took place, at York, on Easter Day (12th April) 627. Two of his children and many other persons of noble birth, were Baptised at the same time. Round the Baptistery, which had been hastily built, the King caused a small stone Church to be constructed. It stood somewhere in the vicinity of the present Minster, under which, it’s cemetery has been excavated.
The kingdom of Edwin embraced the whole country from the Humber to the Clyde and the Forth and there are traces of Paulinus and his labours in many parts of this vast district. “Paulin’s Carr” and the “Cross of Paulinus,” in the adjoining Parish of Easingwold, are both mentioned in an Inquisition of the reign of King Edward I.
In 633, King Edwin fell in the Battle of Hatfield Chase (Nottinghamshire). It was unsafe for the Queen to remain in Northumbria and Paulinus returned with her and her children to Kent. International communications were, not surprisingly, poor in those days and, unaware of this new state of affairs, Pope Honorius I wrote to King Edwin and Archbishop Honorius of Canterbury in June the following year, sending the Pallium for, now exiled, Paulinus.
St Paulinus at Rochester Cathedral
Bishop Romanus of Rochester having died, Paulinus was immediately given his see, which he presided over until his death on 10 October 644. He was buried in the chapter-house of the Cathedral there but Archbishop Lanfranc translated his relics and placed them in a beautiful silver shrine. The name of Paulinus was inserted in the Calendar and he became the great Patron Saint of Rochester.
PRAYER:Lord, through St Paulinus, Your Bishop, You brought those who had no faith out of darkness into the light of truth. By his intercession, keep us strong in our faith and steadfast in the hope of the Gospel he preached. Amen
Statues from left to right of Sts Ethelbert, Justus and Paulinus at Rochester Cathedral
St Fulk of Fontenelle St Gereon St Gundisalvus Bl Hugh of Macon Bl Leon Wetmanski St Maharsapor the Persian St Malo the Martyr St Patrician St Paulinus of Capua St Paulinus of York (c 584-644) First Bishop of York Bl Pedro de Alcantara de Forton de Cascajares St Pinytus of Crete Bl Pontius de Barellis St Tanca St Teodechilde St Victor of Xanten
Martyrs of Ceuta – 7 beati: A group of seven Franciscan Friars Minor missionaries to Muslims in the Ceuta area of modern Morocco. Initially treated as madmen, within three weeks they were ordered to convert to Islam and when they would not they were first abused in the streets, then arrested, tortured and executed. • Angelo • Daniele di Calabria • Donnolo • Hugolinus • Leone • Nicola • Samuele They were beheaded in 1227 in Mauritania Tingitana (Ceuta, Morocco). Local Christians secreted the bodies away and gave them proper burial in Ceuta. They were Beatified in 1516 by Pope Leo X.
Quote/s of the Day – 9 October – The Memorial ofSt Louis Bertrand OP (1526-1581) “Apostle of South America”, St John Leonardi OMD (1541-1609), Founder of the Clerks Regular of the Mother of God and St John Henry Newman C.Orat (1801-1890)
“If, because of your preaching, men lay aside enmities, forgive injuries, avoid occasions of sin and scandals and reform their conduct, you may say that the seed has fallen on good ground. But to God alone give all the glory and acknowledge yourselves ever unprofitable servants.”
St Louis Bertrand (1526-1581)
“The medicine of God, is Jesus Christ, Crucified and Risen, the measure of all things.”
“Christ first of all, Christ in the centre of the heart, in the centre of history and of the cosmos. Humanity needs Christ intensely because, He is our “measure.” There is no realm, that cannot be touched by His strength; there is no evil, that cannot find remedy in Him, there is no problem, that cannot be solved in Him. Either Christ or nothing!”
One Minute Reflection – 9 October – Friday of the Twenty Seventh Week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Galatians 3:7-14, Psalms 111:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, Luke 11: 15-26 and the Memorial of Saint Denis of Paris (Died c 258) and Companions, the First Bishop of Paris, Martyr
“When an unclean spirit goes out of someone, it roams through arid regions searching for rest but, finding none, it says, ‘I shall return to my home from which I came…” – Luke 11:24
REFLECTION – “The unclean spirit dwelt in us before we believed, before we came to Christ when our soul was still committing fornication against God and was with it’s lovers, the demons. Afterward it said, “I will return to my first husband” and came to Christ, who “created” it from the beginning “in his image.” Necessarily, the adulterous spirit gave up his place when it saw the legitimate husband. Christ received us and our house has been “cleansed” from it’s former sins. It has been “furnished” with the furnishing of the sacraments of the faithful that they who have been initiated know. This house does not deserve to have Christ as it’s resident immediately, unless it’s life and conduct are so holy, pure and incapable of being defiled, that it deserves to be the “temple of God.” It should not still be a house but a temple in which God dwells. If it neglects the grace that was received and entangles itself in secular affairs, immediately, that unclean spirit returns and claims the vacant house for itself. “It brings with it seven other spirits more wicked,” so that it may not be able again to be expelled “and the last state of that kind of person is worse than the first.” It would be more tolerable, that the soul would not have returned to it’s first husband once it became a prostitute, than having gone back after confession, to her husband, to have become an adulteress again. There is no “fellowship,” as the apostle says, “between the temple of God and idols,” no “agreement between Christ and Belial.” – Origen of Alexandria (c 185-253) (Homilies on Exodus, 8)
PRAYER – Lord God, You sent St Denis and his companions to proclaim Your glory to the nations and gave them the fortitude to die for Your sake. Help us, by their exmple, to meet with a like indifference, the triumphs and afflictions this world has to offer. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord, one God with You and the Holy Spirit, now and for all eternity, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 9 October – Friday of the Twenty Seventh Week in Ordinary Time and the Memorial of St John Henry Newman C.Orat (1801-1890)
O Heart of Jesus, All Love By St John Henry Newman (1801-1890)
O Heart of Jesus all love, I offer You these humble prayers for myself and for all those, who unite themselves with me in spirit to adore You. O holiest Heart of Jesus most lovely, I intend to renew and to offer to You, these acts of adoration and these prayers, for myself, a wretched sinner and for all those, who are associated with me in Your adoration, through all moments which I breathe, even to the end of my life. I recommend to You, O my Jesus, Holy Church, Your dear spouse and our true Mother, all just souls and all poor sinners, the afflicted, the dying and all mankind. Let not Your Blood be shed for them in vain. Finally, deign to apply it in relief of the souls in Purgatory and of these in particular …………………..…. Amen
Saint of the Day – 9 October – Saint Denis of Paris (Died c 258) and Companions, the First Bishop of Paris, Martyr, Missionary, Confessor. St Denis was Bishop of Paris (then Lutetia) in the third century and, together with his companions the Priest Rusticus and Deacon Eleutherius, was Martyred for his faith by decapitation. He is also known as Denis of France, Dennis, Denys, Dionysius. Patronages – against frenzy, against headaches, against hydrophobia or rabies, against strife, France, Paris, possessed people. The feast of Saint Denis was added to the Roman Calendar in the year 1568 by Pope Pius V, although it had been celebrated since at least the year 800. St Denis was for a time, confused with the writer St Dionysuis the Areopagite, now called Pseudo-Dionysius.
Denis is the most famous cephalophore in Christianiaty (a cephalophore [from the Greek for “head-carrier”] is a saint who is generally depicted carrying their own severed head. The decapitated Bishop picked up his head and walked several miles while preaching a sermon on repentance.
St Gregory of Tours states that Denis was Bishop of the Paris and was Martyred by being beheaded by a sword. The earliest document giving an account of his life and Martyrdom, the “Passio SS. Dionysii Rustici et Eleutherii” dates from c 600, is mistakenly attributed to the poet Venantius Fortunatus and is legendary.
Nevertheless, it appears from the Passio that Denis was sent from Italy to convert Gaul in the third century, forging a link with the “apostles to the Gauls” reputed to have been sent out with six other Missionary Bishops under the direction of Pope Fabian. There Denis was appointed first Bishop of Paris. The persecutions under Emperor Decius had all but dissolved the small Christian community at Lutetia (Paris). Denis, with his inseparable companions Rusticus and Eleutherius, who were Martyred with him, settled on the Île de la Cité in the River Seine. Roman Paris lay on the higher ground of the Left Bank, away from the river.
Saint Denis and his miraculous neck, shining like a light-bulb, seconds after his decapitation, as portrayed in a painting in the Pantheon
Denis and his companions were so effective in converting people that the pagan priests became alarmed over their loss of followers. At their instigation, the Roman Governor arrested the Missionaries. After a long imprisonment, Denis and two of his clergy were executed by beheading on the highest hill in Paris (now Montmartre), which was likely to have been a druidic holy place.
The Martyrdom of Denis and his companions is popularly believed to have given the site its current name, derived from the Latin Mons Martyrum “The Martyrs’ Mountain.”
After he was decapitated, Denis picked his head up and walked several miles from the summit of the hill, preaching a sermon on repentance the entire way, making him the most renowned cephalophores in hagiology. Of the many accounts of this Martyrdom, this is noted in detail in the Golden Legend and in Butler’s Lives Of The Saints.
The site where he stopped preaching and actually died was marked by a small shrine that developed into the Saint Denis Cathedral Basilica, which became the burial place for the Kings of France.
The Cathedral Basilica of St Denis
Montmartre’s heritage pays tribute in it’s own way to Saint Denis and you will find many famous landmarks commemorating the saint around the hill. You can marvel at the statue of Saint Denis, holding his head in the quiet square Suzanne Buisson. Or even walk in his steps on rue Mont-Saint Denis), which is said to follow the same route the Saint took after being decapitated.
The beautiful Rue du St Denis, as seen by painter Utrillo in 1910Saint Denis, holding his head in the quiet square Suzanne Buisson, Montmartre
Since at least the ninth century, the legends of Dionysius the Areopagite and Denis of Paris have often been confused. Around 814, Louis the Pious brought certain writings attributed to Dionysius the Areopagite to France and since then it became common among the French legendary writers to argue that Denis of Paris was the same Dionysius who was a famous convert and disciple of Saint Paul.
Our Lady of Good Help (1859) USA – 9 October: “I am the Queen of Heaven who prays for the conversion of sinners.” Such is the way the Mother of God introduced herself to a twenty-eight-year-old Belgian immigrant, Adele Brise, on 9 October 1859. The pious young woman was on her eleven mile walk home to Robinsonville (now Champion), Wisconsin, after attending Mass in Bay Settlement. Adele was travelling at the time with two companions, her sister and another woman, as well as a male guardian who was working for the Holy Cross Fathers at the Settlement. Our Lady had appeared earlier to Adele the day before and, again, that same morning at the same spot but she had not spoken. Her companions did not see or hear anything. The young woman was told by Heaven’s Queen that she must pray for the conversion of sinners and warn them, for if they do not convert, her Son was going to punish them. She was told to gather together the children in this remote area and teach them the truths they must know for their salvation; teach them the catechism; teach them how to bless themselves with the Sign of the Cross; and teach them how to approach the sacraments. Our Lady ended by telling Adele, whose faith was strong but simple, to fear nothing and be confident in her help. For the next thirty-seven years of her life, until her death in 1896, Sister Adele Brise was faithful to this mission.
Bl Aaron of Cracow St Abraham the Patriarch St Alfanus of Salerno St Andronicus of Antioch St Athanasia of Antioch Bl Bernard of Rodez St Demetrius of Alexandria St Deusdedit of Montecassino St Domninus St Dorotheus of Alexandria St Donnino of Città di Castello St Eleutherius St Geminus St Gislenus St Goswin Bl Gunther
St Lambert St Louis Bertrand OP (1526-1581) Biography: https://anastpaul.com/2018/10/09/saint-of-the-day-9-october-st-louis-bertrand-o-p-1526-1581-apostle-of-south-america/ St Publia St Rusticus St Sabinus of the Lavedan St Valerius — Martyrs of the Spanish Civil War – Martyrs of Astoria – (9 saints): Also known as Martyrs of Turon: A group of Brothers of the Christian Schools and a Passionist priest martyred in the persecutions during the Spanish Civil War. They are – • Aniceto Adolfo • Augusto Andrés • Benito de Jesús • Benjamín Julián • Cirilo Bertrán • Inocencio de la Immaculada • Julián Alfredo • Marciano José • Victoriano Pío They were martyred on 9 October 1934 in Turón, Spain and Canonised on 21 November 1999 by St Pope John Paul II. — Martyrs of Laodicea – (3 saints): Three Christians martyred together in Laodicea, but no other information about them has survived but their names – Didymus, Diodorus and Diomedes. They were martyred in Laodicea, Syria.
Saint of the Day – 8 October – St Pelagia the Penitent (Fourth or Fifth Century) Hermit – also known as Pelagia of Antioch, The Beardless Hermit, Marina (the Latin equivalent of “Pelagia”), Margarita. Patronage – actresses.
Like St Mary Magdalen and St Mary of Egypt, St Pelagia inspired Christians of the Middle Ages as an enchanting icon of repentance. Storytellers probably spun her winsome tale from an anonymous factual illustration embedded in one of St John Chrysostom’s homilies on St Matthew’s Gospel. He told of a nameless actress of Antioch, famous for her glamour and notorious for her wickedness, who suddenly repented, was baptised and afterwards embraced the austere life of a hermit.
Pelagia among her courtesans, as Saint Nonnus prays for her
Later a gifted writer who pretended to be St James, a Deacon working for St Nonnus of Edessa, named the actress Pelagia and created the story that still speaks to our spirit.
As he told it: “One day Pelagia, dressed provocatively and surrounded by an entourage of her fans, passed by a group of Bishops sitting at St Julian’s tomb near Antioch. All but one Bishop was scandalised by her evil charms. But Pelagia’s carefully appointed beauty touched St Nonnus and led him to a spiritually disturbing conclusion. He said to the other Bishops:
. . .we have vast promises in the supernatural heights stored up with our hidden Lord who cannot be seen. It is He we should please but we fail to do so; it is for Him that we should adorn our bodies and souls but we totally fail to do so. We should take pains over ourselves in order to scrub away the dirt of sins, to become clean from evil stains but we have paid no attention to our souls, in the attempt to adorn them with good habits so that Christ may desire to dwell in us. What a reproach to us, seeing that we have not taken pains to make ourselves pleasing to God nearly as much as this prostitute . . . has taken pains to please men—in order to captivate them, leading them into perdition by her wanton beauty. . . . Maybe we should even go and become the pupils of this lascivious woman.”
The next day, the story continues, Pelagia made a rare appearance in Church where she heard Nonnus preach on judgement and salvation. His words stabbed her heart. On the spot Pelagia repented and was converted to Christ.
Then she demanded that Nonnus baptise her, a request he happily obliged. A Deaconess named Romana took Pelagia under her wing, until one day, after giving away all her possessions, Pelagia slipped away. She hid herself in Jerusalem, where disguised as a man, she became a Hermit on the Mount of Olives. Word about the holiness of the monk “Pelagios” spread throughout the Holy Land. And when it was discovered upon her death that the Hermit was the repentant prostitute Pelagia, she was honoured and loved even more.
Our Morning Offering – 7 October – The Memorial of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary and the Month of the Most Holy Rosary
Excerpt from the Petition to Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii also known as Supplication to the Queen of the Holy Rosary By Blessed Bartholomew Longo (1841-1926) Apostle of the Holy Rosary
O Blessed Rosary of Mary, sweet Chain, which binds us to God, Bond of love, which unites us to the Angels, Tower of salvation against the assaults of hell, safe Port in our universal shipwreck, we shall never abandon you. You will be our comfort in the hour of agony. To you, the last kiss of our dying life. And the last word from our lips will be your sweet name, O Queen of the Rosary of Pompeii, O dearest Mother, O Refuge of Sinners, O Sovereign Consoler of the Afflicted. Be Blessed everywhere, today and always, on earth and in Heaven. Amen
Our Lady of the Holy Rosary/Our Lady of Victory (Memorial) – (Commemorating the Victory of Lepanto – 1571 [Mandatory Memorial): On Sunday 7 October 1571 the combined Christian fleets under Don John of Austria achieved a significant naval victory over the Turks in the Straits of Lepanto. Thousands of Christians were liberated, the Turkish fleet was destroyed and they suffered their first great defeat at sea. In gratitude to God and Our Lady, Pope Saint Pius V ordered an annual commemoration to be made of Our Lady of Victory. In 1573 Pope Gregory XIII transferred the feast to the first Sunday of October with the title Feast of the Most Holy Rosary since the victory was won through invocation of Our Lady of the Rosary. In 1716 Pope Clement XII extended the feast to the whole Latin Rite calendar, assigning it to the first Sunday in October. Saint Pope Pius X changed the date to 7 October in 1913. In 1969 Pope Paul VI changed the name of the feast to Our Lady of the Holy Rosary.
Martyrs of Arima: Eight lay people Japan who were martyred together in the persecutions of Christianity in Japan: • Blessed Hadrianus Takahashi Mondo • Blessed Ioanna Takahashi • Blessed Leo Hayashida Sukeemon • Blessed Martha Hayashida • Blessed Magdalena Hayashida • Blessed Didacus Hayashida • Blessed Leo Takedomi Kan’Emon • Blessed Paulus Takedomi Dan’Emon They were martyred on 7 October 1613 in Arima, Hyogo, Japan and Beatified on 24 November 2008 by Pope Benedict XVI.
Mercedarian Nuns of Seville: Five Mercedarian nuns at the monastery of the Assumption in Seville, Spain noted for their piety – Sisters Agnese, Bianca, Caterina, Maddalena and Marianna.
Martyred in the Spanish Civil War • Blessed José Llosá Balaguer
Quote/s of the Day – 6 October – The Memorial of St Bruno O.Cart (c 1030-1101)
The Order founded by st Bruno — the Carthusians — is one of the strictest in the Church. Carthusians follow the Rule of St Benedict but accord it a most austere interpretation; there is perpetual silence and complete abstinence from flesh meat (only bread, legumes and water are taken for nourishment). Bruno sought to revive the ancient eremitical (hermit) way of life. His Order enjoys the distinction of never becoming unfaithful to the spirit of it’s founder, never needing a reform.
Saint Bruno’s Profession of Faith, which he pronounced in the presence of all his assembled brothers, when he felt the time was approaching for him to go the way of all flesh, because he had urgently requested us to be witnesses of his faith before God:
I firmly believe in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit: the Father unbegotten, the only begotten Son, the Holy Spirit proceeding from them both and I believe that these three Persons are but one God.
I believe that the same Son of God was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary. I believe that the Virgin was chaste before she bore her child, that she remained a virgin while she bore her child and continued a virgin ever after. I believe that the same Son of God was conceived among men, a true Man with no sin. I believe the same Son of God was captured by the hatred of some of the Jews who did not believe, was bound unjustly, covered with spittle and scourged. I believe that He died, was buried and descended into hell to free those of His who were held there. He descended for our redemption, He rose again, He ascended into heaven and from there, He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe also in the Sacraments that the Church believes and holds in reverence and especially that, which has been consecrated on the altar, is the true Flesh and the true Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which we receive for the forgiveness of our sins and in the hope of eternal salvation.
I believe in the resurrection of the flesh and everlasting life.
I acknowledge and believe the holy and ineffable Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, to be but only one God, of only one substance, of only one nature, of only one majesty and power.
We profess that the Father was neither begotten nor created but that He has begotten. The Father takes His origin from no-one; of Him the Son is born and the Holy Spirit proceeds. He is the source and origin of all Divinity. And the Father, ineffable by His very nature, from His own substance has begotten the Son ineffably but, He has begotten nothing, except what He is Himself: God has begotten God, light has begotten light and it is from Him that all Fatherhood in heaven and on earth proceeds. Amen.
The Creed Every late of the night, in a cell at the end of the Office of Lauds of Our Blessed Virgin Mary, about around 2:30 am, the Carthusians always recite a choice between three catholic creeds: The Athanasian Creed [QUICUNQUE VULT] | The Apostle’s Creed The Nicene Creed. This is a deep transforming contemplative prayer of our revealed Creed, like a constant heartbeat and is the defining of the heart of the Carthusian souls in Trinitarian life and of Saint Bruno’s followers’ vocation of devoted presence, like the Seraphim before the revealed God, in the Church for the world.
“Rejoice, my dearest brothers, because you are blessed and because of the bountiful hand of God’s grace upon you. Rejoice, because you have escaped the various dangers and shipwrecks of the stormy world. Rejoice, because you have reached the quiet and safe anchorage of a secret harbour. Many wish to come into this port and many make great efforts to do so, yet do not achieve it. Indeed many, after reaching it, have been thrust out, since it was not granted them from above. By your work you show what you love and what you know. When you observe true obedience with prudence and enthusiasm, it is clear that you wisely pick the most delightful and nourishing fruit of divine Scripture.”
“What benefits What divine exultation The solitude and silence of the desert Hold in store for those who love it!”
One Minute Reflection – 6 October – Tuesday of the Twenty Seventh week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Galatians 1:13-24, Psalms 139:1-3, 13-14, 14-15, Luke 10: 38-42 and the Memorial of St Bruno O.Cart. (c 1030-1101)
“As they continued their journey he entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary [who] sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak…”– Luke 10:38-39
REFLECTION – “Adopt the habit of conversing one to one with God, familiarly, trustingly and with love, as though with the dearest and most affectionate friend you have. (…)
You are not being asked for a continual application of spirit that makes you forget your duties or even your recreational times. Without neglecting your occupations, you are only being asked to behave with God, in the different circumstances that present themselves, as you act with people who love you and whom you love. Your God is always beside you, not to say within you: “In him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). Whoever wishes to speak to Him has no need of setting up an antechamber, far from it! God wants to see you treat Him without ceremony. Converse with Him about your affairs, projects, annoyances, fears and all that interests you. The essential thing, I repeat, is that you do it without embarrassment and with an open heart. Indeed, God does not speak at all, to the soul that does not speak to Him and who, in consequence, only hears His voice with difficulty, not being accustomed to speak to Him. (…)
It is true that we owe God sovereign respect. But when He favours you with the feeling of His presence and encourages you to speak to Him as to the best of your friends, open your heart freely and with all confidence.” – St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Bishop and Doctor of the Church – To converse with God is both pleasant and easy
PRAYER – Lord God, You called St Bruno to serve You in a life of solitude. Amidst this world’s changes, help us, by his prayers, to set out hearts always on You. Heavenly Father, let me realise that You guide our lives through Your Providence, Your Word and Sacraments. Help me to be obedient to the rules for my state in life and so be obedient to Your will for me. Grant that the prayers of St Bruno may assist us as we strive to grow in humility. Through our Lord, Jesus Christ, Your Son in union with the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever, amen.
AnaStpaul 
You must be logged in to post a comment.