Our Morning Offering – 12 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory”
Daily Prayer to the Most Holy Name By St Bernardine of Siena (1380-1444) Apostle of the Most Holy Name
Jesus, Name full of glory, grace, love and strength! Thou art the Refuge of those who repent, our Banner of warfare in this life, the Medicine of souls, the Comfort of those who mourn, the Delight of those who believe, the Light of those who preach the True Faith, the Wages of those who toil, the Cure of the sick. To Thou, our devotion aspires; by Thee, our prayers are received; we delight in contemplating Thee. O Name of Jesus, Thou art the glory of all the Saints for eternity. Amen
Saint of the Day – 12 November – St Theodore the Studite (759-826) Abbot of the Stoudios Monastery in Constantinople, Confessor, stern Reformer, zealous Defender of the sanctity of Marriage and of Sacred Images, two of several conflicts which set him at odds with both the Emperor and Bishops. He played a major role in the revivals both of Byzantine monasticism and of classical literary genres in Byzantium. He was a spiritual writer and exegesis and throughout his life, he maintained letter correspondences with many important spiritual, political and cultural figures of the Byzantine Empire. Born in 759 in Constantinople, (modern-day Istanbul, Turkey) and died on 11 November 826 (aged 66/67) whilst in exile in Cape Akritas (modern-day Tuzla, Istanbul, Turkey). Also known as – Theodorus Studita, Theodore of Studium, of Stoudios, of studion.
The Roman Martyrology reads today: “At Constantinople, St Theodore Studita, who became celebrated througout the whole Catholic Chirch by his vigorous defence of the Faith against the Iconoclasts.”
Theodore was born in Constantinople in 759 and from his youth he fought courageously in defence of the Sacred Imagery present in the capital of the Byzantine Empire, threatened by the adverse religious policy of the imperial government.
In 794 he succeeded his uncle Plato, (who ten years earlier had persuaded him to take monastic vows) in the direction of the Monastery of Sakkoudion in Bithynia. Shortly afterwards, however, he was sent into exile in Thessalonica, for having excommunicated the Emperor Constantine VI, later also venerated as a Saint, who had divorced his wife Mary to marry Theodota. This incident was not a simple occurence of one man’s sinful adultery but, under the name of “Synod of Adultery” an assembly of errant Bishops who, in the 9th Century, wished to approve the practice of second marriage after the repudiation of the legitimate wife, entered the history of the Church – (ring any bells – only no-one is being exiled for this now!?) Saint Theodore was the one who most vigorously opposed it and for this reason he was persecuted, imprisoned and exiled three times.
In 797, after the death of the Emperor, Theodore was recalled to his homeland with full honours, left Sakkoudion Monastery which, in the meantime, had been sacked by the Arabs and Theodore moved to the Monastery of Studios in Constantinople, from which he took his nickname. Here he undertook a powerful campaign in favour of asceticism and radical monastic reforms. The key points of his rule, later used in both Byzantine and Eastern Monasteries, were strict seclusion, poverty, discipline, study, religious offices and manual labour.
Abbot Theodore is also remembered for allowing his Monks to sprinkle nutmeg, one of the most expensive spices at the time, ontp their pea soup when they were forced to eat it. This anecdote, the veracity of which is difficult to ascertain, far from ridiculing the Saint, helps us to approach him in aspects of his daily life, as the shepherd of a community, certainly a firm spiritual leader but also, at the same time, a kindly shepherd displaying a generous love.
In 809, Theodore was again banished because of his refusal to receive Communion from Patriarch Nicephorus, who had reinstated the Priest Joseph, guilty of having officiated at the wedding between Constantine and Theodote. Two years later, Emperor Michael I, over whom our Saint had much influence, recalled him from exile but, he was again banished and flogged in 814 because of his strenuous opposition to the iconoclastic edict promulgated by Emperor Leo V which prohibited the veneration of Sacred Images. Released in 821 by Emperor Michael II, in 824 he promoted an insurrection against the latter, whom the Saint judged to be too indulgent towards the iconoclasts. However, when his plans failed, Theodore then thought it appropriate to leave Constantinople.
From that moment he wandered between various Monasteries in Bithynia and died in that of Chalcis on 11 November 826. Initially buried in that Monastery, on 26 January 844, his body was translated to Studios Monastery.
He is celebrated today 12 November, the day after his death. Saint Theodore composed several literary works. First of all, as an intrepid fighter for the defence of the indissolubility of Marriage; he wrote a treatise and a paper ‘On the economy in general’ which were unfortunately lost or more probably destroyed by order of the Patriarch Methodius. His letters the importance of which is constituted by the picture of the life and character of St Theodore which is displayed within them and, which also shed light, on the theological disputes in which he intervened. St Theodore also wrote Catechetical works divided into two collections, addressed to Monks and containing warnings and advice connected with spiritual life and monastic communities; funeral orations for his mother and for his uncle Plato; theological works focused on the use and veneration of Sacred Images; epigrams on various subjects, some of which demonstrate considerable originality and some Sacred Hymns. Furthermore, like all the Monks of the Studios, Saint Theodore was renowned too for his calligraphy and for his skill in copying manuscripts.
St Theodore the Studite, a simple but deeply religious man who dared to challenge the imperial power and the Ecclesiastical hierarchies of the time, should be considered one of the heavenly protectors of those who, even today, faced with the changed Church, have the courage to repeat an inflexible love of the One True Church and a denial of all unlawful practices. St Theodore the Studite, Pray for us!
Byzantine miniature depicting the Stoudios Monastery and the Sea of Marmara.
St Livinus of Alost St Machar of Aberdeen St Namphasius St Nilus the Elder St Paternus of Sens St Publius St Renatus of Angers St Rufus of Avignon St Theodore the Studite (759-826) Abbot St Ymar of Reculver
Five Polish Brothers – Martyrs: They weren’t Polish and they weren’t related but were instead five Italian Benedictine Monks who worked with Saint Adalbert of Prague as missionaries to the Slavs and were Martyred together. They were – Benedict, Christinus, Isaac, John and Matthew. Born in Italy. They were Martyred in 1005 at the Benedictine Monastery near Gnesen, Poland and Canonised by Pope Julius II.
Thought for the Day – 11 November – Meditations with Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Bishop, Confessor, Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
“How to Pray at All Times” By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
Pray In Your Trials. Excerpt from Chapter Three:II
“When you are afflicted with sickness, persecution, temptation, or any other trouble, turn at once to God and ask His aid. It is enough for you to lay your affliction before Him – to go to Him and say: Behold, O Lord, for I am in distress (Lam 1:20). He will not fail to comfort you, or at least, to give you strength to suffer the trial with patience and, in this case, it will prove a greater good than if He had freed you altogether from it. Tell Him of all the things which make you fear, or make you sad and say to Him: My God, in Thee are all my hopes. I offer this cross to Thee. I resign myself to Thy Will. Take pity on me and either deliver me from my trial or give me strength to endure it. He will remember immediately the promise He made in the Gospel, of consoling and comforting all those who have recourse to Him in tribulation: Come to Me all you who labour and are burdened and I will refresh you (Matt II:28).
He will not be displeased if you seek comfort from your friends in the hour of trial but, He wishes you to have recourse principally to Himself. At least, therefore, when you have had recourse to creatures and they have not been able to console your heart, go to your Creator and say to Him: Lord, men have only words; they cannot afford me consolation. I no longer desire to be consoled by them. Thou alone, art my Hope; Thou alone, my only Love. By Thee alone, do I desire to be comforted and the consolation I ask for, is to do, on this occasion, that which is most pleasing to Thee. Behold, I am ready to endure this trial for the whole of my life and for all eternity, if such be Thy Will. Only help me.
Do not be afraid of offending Him if you sometimes gently complain, saying: Why, Lord, has Thou retired afar off? (Ps 9:1). Lord, Thou knowest that I love Thee and that I desire nothing but Thy Love. Have pity on me and help me. Do not abandon me.”
Quote/s of the Day – 11 November – St Martin of Tours (c316-397) “Martin the Merciful,” Bishop, Confessor, Miracle-Worker.
“Hitherto I have served you as a soldier; allow me now to become a soldier of God. Let the man who is to serve you receive your largesse. I am a soldier of Christ; combat is not permitted me.”
“In the Name of the Lord Jesus and protected only by the Sign of the Cross, without shield or helmet, I shall penetrate the enemy’s ranks and not be afraid.”
I Will Fight Beneath Thy Banner, Lord Prayer of St Martin of Tours (c316-397)
Lord, if Thy people still have need of my services, I will not avoid the toil. Thy Will be done. I have fought the good fight long enough. Yet, if Thou bid me continue, to hold the battle line in defence of Thy camp, I will never beg to be excused from failing strength. I will do the work Thou entrust to me. While Thou command,, I will fight beneath Thy banner. Amen
One Minute Reflection – 11 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – St Martin of Tours (c316-397) “Martin the Merciful,” Bishop, Confessor, Miracle-Worker. – Sirach 44:16-27; 45:3-20, Luke 11:33-36 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“No man lights a candle and puts it in a hidden place, nor under a bushel but upon a candlestick that they, who come in, may see the light.” – Luke 11:33
REFLECTION – “There must be simplicity in one’s intention and purity in one’s affection. Simplicity seeks God; purity finds Him and savours Him. No good work will be difficult, if you are interiorly free of all disordered affection. If you want only what God wants and that which is useful for your neighbour, you will enjoy interior freedom. If your heart were upright, then every creature would be, for you, a mirror of life and a book full of holy instruction.
There is no creature so small and so base that it does not show, some image of God’s goodness. If you had enough innocence and purity within you, you would see everything without hindrance. A pure heart penetrates Heaven and hell. Each person judges that which is outside, according to that which is within himself. If there is any joy in the world, the pure heart possesses it.” – Thomas à Kempis CRSA (1380-1471) (Attrib) The Imitation of Christ (Book II:4)
PRAYER – O God, Who sees that we cannot survive by any power of our own, mercifully grant that, by the intercession of blessed Martin, Thy Confessor and Bishop, we may be made safe from all harm. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Our Morning Offering – 11 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory”
My God! I Recommend to Thee … Prayer for the Holy Souls in Purgatory By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor
My God! I recommend to Thee, the souls of my relatives, my benefactors, my friend, my enemies and of those, who are in Purgatory on my account. I recommend to Thee, the souls of Evangelical labourers, of Religious and Priests and especially of those, who had charge of my soul. I recommend to Thee, the souls of those, who were most devout to the Passion of Our Lord, to the Blessed Sacrament, to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the souls, who are most abandoned, those, who suffer most and those, who are nearest to the entrance into Paradise. Amen
Saint of the Day – 11 November – Saint Bertuinus of Malonne (c634-698) Bishop. Abbot, Missionary, Founder of Churches and Monasteries. Born in England and died at his Monastery dedicated to him since his death in Malonne, Belgium of natural causes. Also known as – Bertuin, Bertwinus, Berthuin, Bertuino.
Statue of Bertuinus of Malonne in a niche of a Chapel in Malonne Abbey
Bertuinus was born in England and educated in the Monastery of Obtell (a place perhaps identified with Outwell, in the County of Norfolk) which was part of his family’s property and there, he became a Monk.
When the Bishop of the Diocese died, the people forced Bertuinus to accept the Episcopal dignity. In his high office he distinguished himself for his qualities as a skilled administrator, for the numerous conversions of pagans and for the foundation of several Monasteries.
Reliquary bust of St Bertuinus of Malonne
By Divine inspiration, however, he decided to go to the continent to preach the Gospel there and, faithful to Anglo-Saxon customs, he wanted to go first to Rome to visit the Tombs of the Apostles Peter and Paul. From Rome, through Gaul, he went to Belgium, settling in Malonne (Namur), where he built a Church and founded a Monastery, in which he died and was buried.
Chalice of Saint Berthuinus part of the protected Art Treasures of the Cathedral of Namur
From the Vita Bertuinus of which there are four editions, the oldest of which could date to the 8th Century. It is not possible to deduce, with certainty, the precise period in which the holy Bishop lived. The most probable opinion attributes it to the 7th Century. His Feast is celebrated on 11 November but in some places, recently, it has been transferred to the 16th and then to the 27th of the same month.
St Bertuinus Abbey of Malonne
His cult which survived the French Revolution and the suppression of the St Bertuinus Abbey of Malonne, over the centuries has received a notable boost from the recognition and solemn translation of his Relics which took place in 1202 and from the celebrations of the Twelfth Centenary of his death, celebrated in 1898 on the basis of calculations made by hagiographers, who considered 698 to be the year of the Saint’s death. In 1601, the Relics of St Bertuinus were placed in an Urn at Malonne Abbey, which still contains them. The Sepulchre below MIGHT be this Urn mentioned here.
Arm Reliquary of St Bertuinus, in the Treasury of the Basilica of Saint Servatius in Maastricht
St Mennas (Died c 300) Martyr, Layman, Miracle-worker, Soldier, he may have been a camel driver and merchant, Hermit. Born in Egypt and died by beheading in c 300 at Cotyaes, Phrygia, under Emperor Diocletian. He was one of the most popular Saints in the early Eastern Church. Patronages – falsely accused people, physical ailments, peddlers, pilgrims, travelling merchants. His Life and Death: https://anastpaul.com/2022/11/11/saint-of-the-day-11-november-saint-mennas-died-c-300-marty/
St Bartholomew of Rossano (c970-c 1065) Abbot Confessor, Spiritual disciple and friend of St Nilus (910-1005), Hymnist an highly skilled Calligrapher of sacred manuscripts – the art of calligraphy he had learned from his blessed guide and teacher, He is known as the “Second Founder,” of the Monastery of Grottaferrata founded by St Nilus. A copyist of many codices, Bartholomew is also considered the greatest hymnographer of the 11th century. His Life: https://anastpaul.com/2021/11/11/saint-of-the-day-11-november-saint-bartholomew-of-rossano-c-970-c-1065/
St Bertuinus of Malonne (c634-698) Bishop St Cynfran of Wales St Isidre Costa Hons Bl Josaphat Chichkov St Marina of Omura St Mennas of Santomenna St Mercurius the Soldier Bl Pavel Dzjidzjov St Rhediw St Turibius of Palencia St Veranus of Lyon St Veranus of Vence
Thought for the Day – 10 November – Meditations with Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Bishop, Confessor, Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
“How to Pray at All Times” By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
ON WHAT AND HOW, WE SHOULD CONVERSE WITH GOD. Excerpt from Chapter Three:I
“Never, then, forget His sweet Presence, as do the greater part of men. Speak to Him as often as you can, for He does not grow weary of this, nor disdains it … If you love Him, you will not be at a loss of what to say to Him. Tell Him all that occurs to you, about yourself and your affairs, as you would tell it to a dear friend. Do not look upon Him as a haughty King Who will converse only with the superior and on great matters. He, your God, is pleased to lower Himself to you and to hear you communicate to Him, your smallest and most ordinary concerns.
… Say not: Why disclose all my wants to God, since He already sees and knows them better than I do? Yes, He knows them but, He acts as if He did not know the needs about which you do not speak to Him and for which, you do not seek His aid. Our Saviour knew that Lazarus was dead and yet, He acted as if He did not know until Martha told Him of it. It was only then, He comforted her by bringing her brother back to life.”
Quote/s of the Day – 10 November – St Andrew Avellino CR (1521–1608) Confessor, Patron against sudden death/of a Holy Death, against Apoplexy or Strokes.
“If they, must regard themselves as useless servants, who have done all their duty, what must I do, who have done so small a part of what I ought to have done?”
“Will that magnificent mansion of the blessed spirits, allow the entrance of one so miserable, despicable and sinful as I am?”
[From this fear, however, he was afterwards freed by a comforting vision. St Augustine and St Thomas Aquinas, both of whom he honoured as Patrons, appeared to him, consoled him and promised him their aid, especially in that hour on which eternity depends.]
“Although, at the age of 83 years, I am excused from the law of fasting, I find, when thinking of my sins and my indolence in the service of the Most High, that I am obliged to fast and to observe other austerities, in order to appease the wrath of God.”
One Minute Reflection – 10 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – St Andrew Avellino CR (1521–1608) Confessor – Col ossians 3:12-17: Matthew 13:24-30 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Suffer both to grow until the harvest” – Matthew 13:30
REFLECTION – “In today’s Gospel, my friends, we see that when the owner of the field had sowed his seed in good soil, the enemy came while he was sleeping and sowed weeds in it. What this means, is that God created man good and perfect but the enemy came and sowed sin. This was Adam’s downfall and a terrible fall which opened the door to sin in the human heart.
Are you saying that we must exterminate the weeds? “But no,” the Lord replies, “for fear that in pulling up the weeds ,you harm the good seed at the same time. Wait until the harvest.” This is how the human heart must remain until the end – a mixture of good and bad, vice and virtue, light and darkness, good seed and weeds. God did not wish to destroy this mix and refashion a nature in us where there would be nothing but good seed. He wants us to fight, to strive to prevent the weeds from overwhelming us. The devil comes to sow temptation across our path but we are able to overcome it by grace, we can smother the weeds.
Three things are absolutely necessary against temptation – prayer to enlighten us, the Sacraments to strengthen us and vigilance to preserve us. Happy are the souls who are tempted! It is when the devil judges a soul is tending towards union with God that he redoubles his rage.” – St Jean-Marie Baptiste Vianney (1786-1859) Priest and the Patron of Priests, The Curé d’Ars (The Spirit of the Curé d’Ars, Sermons Conversations).
PRAYER – O God, by his difficult vow to make daily progress in holiness, Thou placed in the heart of blessed Andrew, Thy Confessor, a wondrous longing to ascend unto Thee, grant us, by his merits and intercession, so to become sharers of that same grace that, ever pursuing the more perfect things, we may be happily brought unto the height of Thy glory. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Saint of the Day – 10 November – Saint Elaeth the King (6th Century) Monk, Poet, founder of a Church on Anglesea Island which is dedicated to him and a miraculous Holy Well. Born as a Prince in the North of England and died in Anglesea, Wales of natural causes. Patronage – of Llaneleth, Anglesea, Wales. Also known as – Eleth…. “Elaeth Frenhin.”
Saint Elaeth Church
Little is known for certain about Elaeth’s life; his date and place of birth and date of death are unknown but we do know that he lived in the 6th Century. He was the son of Meurig and his wife, Onen Greg, the daughter of Gwallog. Elaeth was a King in the North of England and is sometimes referred to as “Elaeth Frenhin” (the Welsh for Elaeth the King).
He was ousted from his land and, thereafter, travelled to Anglesey, an Island off the coast of North Wales and settled there in the Monastery run by St Seiriol at Penmon, at the South Eastern corner of the Island.
Some religious poetry the wrote has been preserved in medieval manuscripts. The Black Book of Carmarthen, from the 12th Century, attributes two poems of seven stanzas to his authorship, one of simple construction and the other more complex. Both “are written in a strain of deepest piety.”
He is the Founder of St Eleath’s Church, Amlwch, in the North of Anglesey. A Holy Well nearby, known as “Ffynnon Elaeth” is regarded as having miraculous qualities.
St Baudolino (c700–c740) Hermit, Pilgrim. Mystic, Miracle-worker. Baudolino lived at the time of the Lombard King Liutprand (712-744) and the oldest testimony which speaks of him is given to us by the historian Paolo Diacono, a Lombard Benedictine Monk (c720-799) practically a contemporary of the Saint. A “Man of Wonderful Sanctity”: https://anastpaul.com/2023/11/10/saint-of-the-day-10-november-saint-baudolino-c700-c740-hermi/
St Demetrius of Antioch St Elaeth the King (6th Century) Monk St Eustosius of Antioch St Grellen St Guerembaldus St Hadelin of Sees St John of Ratzenburg St Joseph the Martyr
St Leo of Melun Venerated at Melun, France, but no details of their life have survived. St Monitor of Orleans St Narses of Subagord St Nonnus of Heliopolis St Orestes of Cappadocia St Probus of Ravenna Bishop St Theoctiste St Tryphaena of Iconium St Tryphosa of Iconium
Martyrs of Agde – 3 Saints: A group of Christians who were tortured and Martyred together in the persecutions of Diocletian. The only about them to survive are the names – Florentia, Modestus and Tiberius. Martyred c 303 in Agde, France.
Thought for the Day – 89November – Meditations with Saint A lphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Bishop, Confessor, Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
“How to Pray at All Times” By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
IT IS EASY AND AGREEABLE TO CONVERSE WITH GOD Excerpt (2) from Chapter Two
“You may sleep but God will place Himself at your side and watch over you continually: I will rest with Him and He will be a comfort in my cares and grief (Cf Wis 8:9,16). When you take your rest He does not leave your bedside. He remains there, always thinking of you, that if you awake in the night He may speak to you by His inspirations and, receive from you in return, some act of love, of oblation, of thanksgiving. Thus, He desires to continue, even in the hours of the night, His sweet and gracious converse with you. Sometimes too, He will speak to you while you sleep and make you hear His Voice, so that, in waking, you may put into practice that which He has spoken: I will speak to Him in a dream (Num 12:6).
He is there also in the morning, to hear from you some word of affection, of confidence; to be the depository of your first thoughts and of all the actions which you promise to perform that day, to please Him; of all the griefs, too, which you offer to willingly endure for His glory and love. But as He fails not to present Himself to you at the moment of your waking, do not fail, on your part, to immediately give Him a look of love and, to rejoice, when your God announces to you the glad tidings that He is not far from you (as once He may have been, by reason of your sins) but that, He loves you and would be beloved by you.”
Quote/s of the Day – 9 November – Dedication of The Archbasilica of the Most Holy Saviour
“Zeal for Your House will consume me.”
John 2:17
“God is One and Christ is One, His Church is One, His See is One, founded by the Voice of the Lord on Peter. No other Altar can be set up, no other Priesthood instituted apart from that One Altar and that One Priesthood. Who so gathers elsewhere, scatters!”
St Cyprian of Carthage (c 200-258) Martyr, Bishop of Carthage, Father of the Church
“…The great movement of apostasy being organised in every country for the establishment of a One-World Church which shall have neither dogmas, nor hierarchy, neither discipline for the mind, nor curb for the passions and which, under the pretext of freedom and human dignity, would bring back to the world, (if such a Church could overcome) the reign of legalised cunning and force and the oppression of the weak and of all those who toil and suffer. […] Indeed, the true friends of the people are neither revolutionaries, nor innovators – they are traditionalists.”
“The Church alone, being the Bride of Christ and having all things in common with her Divine Spouse, is the depository of the Truth.”
One Minute Reflection – 9 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – Dedication of The Archbasilica of the Most Holy Saviour – Apocalypse 21:2-5, Luke 19:1-10 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“ … He climbed up into a sycamore tree that he might see Him …” – Luke 19:2
REFLECTION – “I’m writing with the desire to see you, a bold and good shepherd, pasturing and guiding the sheep entrusted to you with perfect zeal and thus, imitating the sweet Master of Truth, Who gave His life for us who are His sheep, who have strayed away from the path of grace. True…, we cannot do this without God and we cannot possess God while remaining on earth. But here is a sweet remedy – when our hearts are reduced to nothing and feeling small, we must do as Zacchaeus did. He was not tall and he climbed a tree to see God. This zeal of his, allowed him to hear these sweet words: “Zacchaeus, go home, for I must dine with you today.”
We must do this too, when we are feeling low, when our hearts are constricted and lacking in charity. We must climb the tree of the most holy Cross and there, we shall see, we shall touch God. There we shall find the fire of His inexpressible charity, the love that propelled Him, even to the humiliation of the Cross that raised Him up and made Him desire His Father’s honour and our salvation, with the craving of hunger and thirst… If this is what we want, if our carelessness does not get in the way, we can, in mounting the tree of the Cross, fulfill in ourselves, this word issuing from the mouth of Truth: “When I am lifted up from the earth, I shall draw all things to Myself” (Jn 12,32 Vg). Indeed, when the soul is thus raised up, it sees the blessings of the Father’s goodness and power…, it sees the mercy and lavishness of the Holy Ghost, that is to say, the inexpressible love holding Jesus bound to the wood of the Cross. Nails and bonds cannot hold Him there, only charity… O climb this most holy tree where hang, the ripe fruits of all the virtues which the Body of the Son of God bears, ardently hasten. Dwell within the holy and sweet love of God. O sweet Jesus, Jesus love.” – St Catherine of Siena (1347-1380) (Letter 119, to the prior of the Olivetan Monks).
PRAYER – O God, Who for us bring each year the recurrence of the Consecration day of this Thy holy temple and always bring us back safely to the Sacred Rites, hear the prayers of Thy people and grant that, whoever enters this temple to pray for blessings., may rejoice in having obtained whatever he sought. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Our Morning Offering – 9 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory”
O DIVINE Heart of JESUS Pope Leo XIII Indulgence 100 Days, Once a day Raccolta 167 13 March 1901.
O DIVINE Heart of JESUS, grant, we beseech Thee, eternal rest to the Souls in Purgatory, the final grace to those who shall die today, true repentance to sinners, the light of the faith to pagans and Thy Blessing to me and mine. To Thee, O most compassionate Heart of JESUS! I commend all these souls and I offer to Thee, on their behalf, all Thy merits, together with the merits of Thy most Holy Mother and of all the Saints, Angels and all the Sacrifices of the Holy Mass, Communions, prayers and good works, which shall be accomplished today, throughout the Christian world. Amen
Saint of the Day – 9 November – St Agrippinus of Naples (3rd Century) Bishop, Miracle-worker, a zealous shepherd and Defender of his faithful people. Patronage – Arzano, Italy. Also known as – Agrippino, Arpinus.
The Roman Martyrology reads today: “At Naples in Campania, St Agri[[inus, the Bishop, renowned for miracles”
Saint Agrippino was almost as popular as Saint Januarius of the Liquifying blood.
According to tradition, Agrippino was the 6th Bishop of the Neapolitan Diocese. A 9th Century writer praised him thus: “In love with his country, defender of the City, he did not cease to pray everyday, for us, his fellow servants.” He greatly increases the army of those who believe in the Lord and gathers them in the bosom of the Holy Mother, the Church.
There is not much information about him. He lived and died at the end of the 3rd Century .There is, however, in the words of the unknown author, a particular warmth, an intent of praise which demonstrates how the memory of St Agrippinus, even in the absence of more precise details, had particular prominence among that of other Neapolitan Bishops. It is clear, in short, how the veneration of this Saint was, exceptionally fervent. There does seem to be a Biography too by L Caspar, I would be fascinated to read it.
The translation of his Relics took place in the so-called Stefania, that is, in the Church built in the 5th Century to make room for the new Cathedral. Previously, his Relics had rested in the Catacombs of St Januarius.
A thousand years later, in 1744, Cardinal Spinelli searched for the Relics of the ancient Bishop. He found a marble vase with the following inscription: “Uncertain Relics which are thought to be the body of Saint Agrippinus.” Uncertain Relics which only a more examination or new documents will be able to assign with certainty to our Saint Bishop Agrippinus, a shepherd venerated and loved almost on a par with San Januarius because he too was in love with his City and protected the Neapolitan faithful.
Blessed Gabriel Ferretti OFM (1385-1456) Priest, Friar of the Order of Friars Minor, Provincial Superior, Mystic. renowned missionary Preacher. He was zealous in the restoration and establishment of new Convents. He was an ancestor to both Cardinal Gabriele Ferretti and Blessed Pope Pius IX, having been descended from a long noble lineage. Patronage – Ancona. His body is incorrupt. He was Beatified on 19 September 1753 by Pope Benedict XIV. Biography: https://anastpaul.com/2021/11/09/saint-of-the-day-9-november-blessed-gabriel-ferretti-ofm-1385-1456/
Blessed George Napper (1550-1610) Priest Martyr Beatified by Pope Pius XI on 15 December 1929
St Pabo St Sopatra St Theodore Stratelates St Ursinus of Bourges St Vitonus of Verdun
Martyrs of Constantinople – 3 Saints: A group of ten Christians who tried to defend an image of Jesus over the Brazen Gate of Constantinople from an attack by Iconoclasts during the persecutions of Emperor Leo the Isaurian. The group of was seized by soldiers, condemned by judges for opposing the emperor, and Martyred. The only details that have survived are three of their names – Julian, Marcian and Maria. They were martyred in 730 at Constantinople (modern Istanbul, Turkey).
Thought for the Day – 8 November – Meditations with Saint A lphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Bishop, Confessor, Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
“How to Pray at All Times” By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
IT IS EASY AND AGREEABLE TO CONVERSE WITH GOD Excerpt from Chapter Two
“… It is a great mistake to speak to God with diffidence – to appear before Him as a timid slave, trembling with alarm before his prince – it would be a still greater mistake, to think that conversing with God is wearisome and unpleasant.
Now, you are not required to apply your mind so constantly to prayer as to forget your ordinary work and recreation. ‘Praying always’ means that, without neglecting your ordinary occupations, you treat God as you treat the friends who love you and whom you love. God is ever near you, even within you – In Him we live and move and have our being (Acts 18:28). He who would speak to God has no door to open; God is pleased when you speak to Him without reserve. Tell Him of your business, your plans, your griefs, your fears –of all which concerns you. Above all, do so (as I have already said) with confidence and entire freedom. For God is not wont to speak to the soul who does not speak to Him; in fact, being unaccustomed to speak to God, the soul would scarcely understand Him when He spoke.
It is the Will of God that we remember His surpassing Power and His rigorous Justice … but, on the contrary, He wishes that we should treat Him as a most affectionate friend, if we love Him and, that we should speak to Him confidingly and without restraint.”
Quote/s of the Day – 8 November – The Octave Day of All Saints
“Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.”
Matthew 5:8
“Remember, that you will derive strength by reflecting, that the Saints yearn for you to join their ranks; desire to see you fight bravely and, that you behave like true knights in your encounters with the same adversities which they had to conquer. That breath-taking joy is theirs and your eternal reward for having endured a few years of temporal pain. Every drop of earthly bitterness will be changed into an ocean of heavenly sweetness!”
Blessed Henry Suso (1295-1366)
“Our greatest fault is, that we wish to serve God in our way, not in His way — according to our will, not according to His will…. To be truly a Saint, it is necessary to be one according to the will of God.”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor Caritatis
“We should honour God in His Saints and beseech Him to make us partakers of the graces He poured, so abundantly, upon them.”
“Perfection consists in one thing alone, which is doing the will of God. For, according to Our Lord’s words, it suffices for perfection to deny self, to take up the cross and to follow Him. Now who denies himself and takes up his cross and follows Christ better, than he who seeks not to do his own will but always that of God? Behold, now, how little is needed to become as Saint!? Nothing more than to acquire the habit of willing, on every occasion, what God wills.”
St Vincent de Paul (1581-1660)
“Holiness consists in love – not earthly love, of course but supernatural love. It consists in seeking God in all things, in doing His will without reservation, in aiming at His glory alone. All else, is dust and ashes! … Herein lies the explanation of the lives of the Saints, lives of sacrifice dedicated to God and to the salvation of souls. “Everything for the greater glory of God,” was the motto of St Ignatius Loyola. “Everything in the Name of God,” said St Vincent de Paul. “My God is my All” said St Catherine of Genoa. “Love God, serve God, everything is in that!” exclaimed St Clare of Assisi.
How do my thoughts, desires and ambitions compare with these?”
One Minute Reflection – 8 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – The Octave Day of All Saints – Apocalypse 7:2-12; Matthew 5:1-12 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain… And opening His mouth, He taught them …” – Matthew 5:1-2
REFLECTION – “May it be granted me to sit with Jesus, to sit at His feet on the mountain side and partake of His instruction! When He is in the crowd, He is standing and walking, occupied and wearied and so hard pressed, that neither He, nor His disciples are, as it were, allowed to eat bread, “the bread of life and understanding”,(Mk 6:31) and to drink “the water of wisdom” (Jn 6:35). For this water can only be drunk in a time of leisure and, it is drawn by those who have little to do. For “the well is deep”(Sir 15:3; 38:24) …
Opening His mouth, Jesus speaks to the heart of Jerusalem, talking to her in solitude, or on the mountain and this is what He says: “Happy are the poor in spirit.” He, Who is Happiness speaks of happiness, He Who became poor, of poverty, speaks of repletion, Mercy of mercifulness, He Who is the Purity of hearts speaks of purification of heart, the truly Peaceful of peace-making, the Son by nature speaks of sonship …
“Happy are the poor in spirit.” Wisely indeed, He puts first … that which every man seeks … For who does not wish to be happy? Why do men universally quarrel and fight, bargain, resort to flattery and inflict injuries, on one another? Is it not simply in order to obtain, by fair means or foul… something which promises to make them happy? … So the Teacher of all men … begins by redirecting those who have lost the way… He Who is “the Way, the Truth and the Life” (Jn 14:16; 6:32; 14:6)… begins with the words: “Happy are the poor in spirit.” – Blessed Isaac of Stella O.Cist. (c1100 – c1170) Cistercian Abbot, Theologian, Philosopher (Sermon 1, for the Feast of All Saints).
PRAYER – Almighty, eternal God, Who granted us to honour the merits of all Thy Saints in a single solemn festival, bestow on us, we beseech Thee, through their manifold intercession, that abundance of Thymercy for which we yearn. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Saint of the Day – 8 November – St Clarus of Tours (Died c397) Priest, Disciple of St Martin of Tours (c316-397), Hermit. Also known as – Clair, Chiaro.
The Roman Martyrology reads today: “At Tours, St Clarus, Priest, whose Epitaph was written by St Paulinus.”
Monastery in Marmoutier
Clarus was born in Auvergne to an illustrious family. He became a disciple of St Martin at the Monastery in Marmoutier. After being Ordained a Priest, Clarus performed various functions in the education of the Monks, which make him resemble a modern Master of Novices. In this role, Clarus thus gave proof of his prudence and judgement, he wisely selected candidates for the Religious life.
Clarus lived his last years as a Hermit near the Monastery. After his death, St Sulpicius Severus (c363–c425) had him buried in the Church of Primuliacum, south-western France and asked St Paulinus of Nola for an suitable Epitaph for the Tomb. St Paulinus sent him three, to choose from, in which, playing on the name, he praised the merits of Clarus and asked for his intercession. The cult seems to have spread in a very late period: the Roman Martyrology, in which it was introduced, names it on 8 November, a few days before Saint Martin, whom he would have preceded in death by a short period which occurred around 396 or 397.
Four Crowned Martyrs: Saint Castorus, Saint Claudius, Saint Nicostratus and Saint Simpronian. Skilled stone carvers in the 3rd century quarries. Martyred when they refused to carve an idol of Aesculapius for Diocletian. They were drowned in the River Sava in 305. Patronages – against fever, cattle, sculptors, stone masons, stonecutters.
All Deceased Dominicans All Saints of Bologna, Italy All Saints of Wales Augustinian Martyrs of Spain
All Saints of the Diocese of Evry: A regional memorial of all the Saints and Beati of the calendar who have a connection to the Diocese of Evry-Corbeil-Essonnes, France:
Blessed Isabella of France, founded the Longchamp monastery
Blessed Nicolas Gaudreau, pastor of Vert-le-Petit
Blessed Pierre Bonse, pastor of Massy
Our Lady of Good Guard, patron saint of the diocese, venerated in Longpont-sur-Orge, France
Saint Corbinian, born in Saint-Germain-lès-Arpajon
Saint Denis of Paris, evangelizer of part of Essonne and revered ni Longpont-sur-Orge
Saint Eloi, who lived in Chilly-Mazarin
Saint Germain of Paris
Saint William of Bourges, son of Count Baldwin IV of Corbeil
Saint William of Aebelholt, pastor of Brunoy
Saint Wulfran of Sens, born in Milly-la-Forêt
Blessed Nativelle, vicar of Longjumeau
Blessed René Le Bris, pastor of Bris-sous-Forges
Saint Spire of Bayeux, whose relics are in Corbeil in the cathedral that bears his name
Thought for the Day – 7 November – Meditations with Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Bishop, Confessor, Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
“How to Pray at All Times” By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
GOD WISHES US TO SPEAK TO HIM WITH CONFIDENCE AND FAMILIARITY Excerpt from Chapter One
“Bear well in mind, you have neither friend, nor brother, nor father, nor mother, nor spouse, nor lover, who loves you more than God. Divine grace is that great treasure whereby we, vile creatures and poor servants, become the dear friends of our Creator Himself : For it is an Infinite Treasure to men, for they who use it, become the friends of God (Wis 7:14). In order to fill our hearts with confidence, He emptied Himself, as St Paul says (Phil 2:7), abasing Himself to our level and conversing familiarly with us. … He went as far as to become an Infant, to become poor, to die publicly on a cross; He went as far as to hide Himself under the appearance of bread, in order to become our constant Companion and to unite Himself intimately to us: He who eateth My Flesh and drinketh My Blood, abideth in Me and I in him (John 6:57).
In a word, He loves you as though He had no-one else to love but you alone. You, too, should love Him alone and all others for His Sake. Of Him you may say and, indeed, you should say: My Beloved to me and I to Him (Cant, 2:16). My God has given Himself all to me and I give myself all to Him; He has chosen me for His beloved and I choose Him, above all others, for my only Love.
Say, then, to Him, often:
O my Lord! wherefore dost Thou love me thus? What good thing dost Thou see in me? Hast Thou forgotten the injuries I have done Thee? But since Thou hast treated me so lovingly and, instead of casting me into hell, hast granted me so many favours, Whom can I desire to love from this day forward but Thee, my God, my all? … Thou art the God of my heart and the God Who is my portion forever (Ps. 72:25). Thou alone art and shalt be forever, the only Lord of my heart, of my will; Thou my only good, my heaven, my hope, my love, my all: ‘The God of my heart and the God Who is my portion forever.’”
Quote/s of the Day – 7 November – The Feast of All Saints of the Order of Preacher
“Speak only with God or about God.”
“None who persevered in devotion to the Holy Rosary, will be condemned.”
St Dominic (1170-1221)
“Your purity of life, your devotion, deserve and call for a reward because you are acceptable and pleasing to God. Your purity of life must be made purer still, by frequent buffetings, until you attain perfect sincerity of heart. If, from time to time, you feel the sword falling upon you with double or treble force, this also should be seen as sheer joy and the mark of love!”
St Raymond of Peñafort (1175-1275)
“Faith in Jesus and in the power of His Holy Name is the greatest spiritual force in the world today. It is a source of joy and inspiration in our youth; of strength in our manhood, when only His Holy Name and His grace, can enable us to overcome temptation; of hope, consolation and confidence at the hour of our death, when more than ever before, we realise, that the meaning of Jesus is ‘Lord, the Saviour.’ We should bow in reverence to His Name and submission to His Holy Will.”
Bl Henry Suso OP (1290-1365)
“Love takes up, where knowledge leaves off.”
“If then, you are looking for the way by which you should go, take Christ, for He, Himself, is the Way.”
St Thomas Aquinas OP (1225-1274) Doctor Angelicus / Doctor Communis
“When troubled by temptations, raise up your heart and soul to God, humbly beseeching Him to turn them to His greater glory and to your salvation, supporting the temptations as long as it shall please Him and imploring Him, to grant you grace, never to offend Him.”
St Vincent Ferrer OP (1350-1419)
O Divine Jesus! Lonely in So Many Tabernacles By St Pope Pius X (1835-1914) “Pope of the Blessed Sacrament” (St Pius X was elected to the Chair of St Peter on the Feast of St Dominic and became a ‘Protector’ of the Order).
O Divine Jesus! Lonely today in so many Tabernacles, without visitor or worshipper, I offer Thee my lonely heart. May it’s every beat be a prayer of love to Thee. Thou are ever watching under the Sacramental Veils, in Thou love, Thou never sleeps and Thou are never weary of Thy vigils for sinners. O Loving Jesus! O Lonely Jesus! may my heart be a lamp, the light of which shall burn and beam for Thee alone. Watch, Sacramental Sentinel! Watch for the weary world, for the erring soul and for Thy poor lonely child.
O Jesus, my God, I adore Thee, here present in the Sacrament of Thy love. Amen
Indulgences: 100 days each time before the Tabernacle 300 days each time before the Blessed Sacrament Exposed (St Pope Pius X – 3 July 1908) Prayers to the Sacred Heart 15th Ed 1936
One Minute Reflection – 7 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – Within the All Saints Octave and the Feast of all the Dominican Saints – Apocalypse 7:2-12, Matthew 5:1-12 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in Heaven.” – Matthew 5:12
REFLECTION – “Rejoice in the Lord without ceasing (cf Phil 4:4), my dear children. I beg you rejoice, citizens of Heaven but exiles on earth, inhabitants of the Jerusalem on high (cf Gal 4:26) but banished from affairs here below, inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven but disinherited from taking any part at all, in earthly pleasures! Rejoice, ardent travellers, at undergoing exile and maltreatment in a foreign land in the name of the commandment of God! Rejoice, you who are last in this world but lords of blessings which exceed our understanding (cf Phil 4:7).
Rejoice, noble company, brought together by God, assembly united in heart and soul, who give life to filial and fraternal love, a replica on earth of the Host of Angels! … Rejoice, God’s workers, apostolic men. … Rejoice, you who set your joy in each other, each making his own the reputation of his brother, you in whom is found neither jealousy, rivalry nor envy but, in their place, peace and charity and life in common. In truth, I do not say that we are not attacked – indeed, who is crowned if not the one who struggles and fights, who exchanges thrusts and wounds with his assailants? – but, I say, we should not let ourselves be brought down by the machinations of Satan.
Yes, my children, assembly of God, nourish yourselves with the food of the Spirit and drink the water given by the Lord; whoever comes to possess this water will never thirst again but it will become, in Him, a spring of living water welling up to eternal life (cf Jn 4:14). … Yet a little while and we shall have vanquished. And blessed shall we be; blessed also, it shall be said, are the places, family and countries which have borne you (cf Lk 11:27-28).” – St Theodore the Studite (759-826) – (Catechesis 47 – The Great Catecheses)
PRAYER – Almighty, eternal God, Who granted us to honour the merits of all Thy Saints in a single solemn festival, bestow on us, we beseech Thee, through their manifold intercession, that abundance of Thy mercy for which we yearn. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
You must be logged in to post a comment.