Our Morning Offering – 25 May – The Octave Day of the Ascension
Sing We Triumphant Hymns of Praise By St Bede the Venerable (673-735) Father and Doctor of the Church
Sing we triumphant hymns of praise, New hymns to Heaven exulting raise. Alleluia, alleluia. Christ, by a road before untrod, Ascendeth to the Throne of God. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. The holy apostolic band Upon the Mount of Olives stand, Alleluia, alleluia. And with the Virgin Mother see Jesu’s resplendent Majesty. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
To whom the Angels, drawing nigh, “Why stand and gaze upon the sky?” Alleluia, alleluia. “This is the Saviour!” thus they say, “This is His noble triumph day!” Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
“Again ye shall behold Him, so As ye today have seen Him go.” Alleluia, alleluia. In glorious pomp ascending high, “Up to the portals of the sky.” Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
O grant us thitherward to tend, And with unwearied hearts ascend, Alleluia, alleluia. Toward Thy Kingdom’s Throne, where Thou, As is our faith, art seated now. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Be Thou our Joy and Strong Defence, Who art our Future Recompense. Alleluia, alleluia. So shall the Light that springs from Thee Be ours through all eternity. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
O Risen Christ, aAcended Lord, All praise to Thee, let earth accord, Alleluia, alleluia. Who art, while endless ages run, With Father and with Spirit One. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Saint of the Day – 25 May – St Aldhelm of Sherborne (640-709) Confessor, Abbot of Malmesbury Abbey and Bishop of Sherborne, England. Latin Scholar and Poet and Ecclesiastical writer. Born in 640 in England and died on 25 May 709 at Doulting, Somerset, England of natural causes. Also known as – Adhelm, Aldelmus, Ealdhelm, Ældhelm, Adelelmus, Adelme.
The Roman Martyrology states: “In England, Saint Aldelmo, Bishop, who, famous for his doctrine and writings, former Abbot of Malmesbury, was later Ordained as the first Bishop of Sherborne among the western Saxons.”
Aldhelm was of Royal blood, the son of Kenten, who was of the Royal House of Wessex, a kinsman of of Ine, the King of Wessex. He received his first education in the school of the Irish Scholar, Missionary and Monk, St Maeldulph of Malmersbury Abbey. Aldhelm himself attributes his progress in letters to the famous St Adrian, formerly a Monk of Monte Cassino, who came to England in the train of Archbishop Theodore and was made Abbot of St Augustine’s Monastery, Canterbury. Aldhelm addresses St Adrian as the ‘venerable preceptor of my rude childhood.‘
Ill health compelled Aldhelm to leave Canterbury and he returned to Malmesbury Abbey, where he was a Monk under St Maeldulph for fourteen years, dating probably from 661 and including the period of his studies with St Adrian.
When St Maeldulph died our Saint succeeded him both in the direction of the Malmesbury School and also as Abbot of the Monastery; but the exact dates given by some of the Saint’s biographers cannot be trusted, since they depend upon charters of very doubtful authenticity. As Abbot his life was most austere and it is particularly recorded of him that he was wont to recite the entire Psalter standing up to his neck in ice-cold water.
From being the companion of the Monks in their studies, Aldhelm soon became their teacher and his reputation for learning spread so rapidly that the small society gathered around him at Malmesbury was increased by scholars from France and Scotland. Under his rule, the Abbey of Malmesbury prospered so greatly that new Monasteries were founded from it and a Chapel dedicated to St Lawrence, built by Aldhelm in the village of Bradford-on-Avon, is standing to this day and here it is below.
During the Pontificate of Pope Sergius (687-701), the Saint visited Rome and is said to have brought back from the Pope, a privilege of exemption for his Monastery.
At the request of a Synod, held in Wessex, Aldhelm wrote a letter to the Britons of Devon and Cornwall upon the Paschal question, by which many of them are said to have been brought back to unity. In the year 705 Hedda, Bishop of the West Saxons, died and, his Diocese, being divided, the western portion was assigned to Aldhelm, who reluctantly became the first Bishop of Sherborne.
Wall Plaque at the Catholic Church of St Aldhelm, Malmesbury. The inscription says ‘St Aldhelm 639–709, Abbot of Malmesbury and Bishop of Sherborne, Latin Poet and Ecclesiastical Writer.’
His Episcopate was short in duration. Some of the stone-work of a Church he built at Sherborne still remains. Aldhelm was on his rounds in his Diocese when he died at the Church in Doulting village in 709, the Church of St Aldhelm and St Aldhelm’s Well there are highly venerated to this day. There are at least 14 Churches dedicated to St Aldhelm across England. His body was conveyed to Malmesbury, a distance of fifty miles and crosses were erected along the way at each halting place where his remains rested for the night. Many miracles were attributed to the Saint both before and after his death. His Feast was on 25 May and in 857 King Ethelwulf erected a magnificent silver Shrine at Malmesbury in his honour.
Church of St Aldhelm, Doulting, Somerset
“Aldhelm was the first Englishman who cultivated classical learning with any success and the first of whom any literary remains are preserved” (Stubbs). Both from Ireland and from the Continent, men wrote to ask him questions on points of learning. His chief prose work is a treatise, “De laude virginitatis – In praise of virginity” which Aldhelm afterwards versified. The prose treatise on virginity was dedicated to the Abbess and Nuns of Barking, a community which seems to have included more than one of the Saint’s own relatives.
Besides the tractate on the Paschal controversy already mentioned, several other letters of Aldhelm are preserved. A few shorter extant poems are interesting, like all Aldhelm’s writings, for the light which they throw upon religious thought in England at the close of the seventh Century. We are struck by the writer’s earnest devotion to the Mother of God, by the veneration paid to the Saints and notably to S. Peter, “the key-bearer,” by the importance attached to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mas, to prayer for the dead and by the esteem in which he held the monastic profession.
Statue of St Aldhelm in niche 124 of the West Front of Salisbury Cathedral
St Pope Gregory VII (1015-1085) Confessor, Bishop of Rome 22 April 1073 to his death in 1085, Monk, Priest, Reformer, Administrator, Adviser. Pope Gregory “was probably the most energetic and determined man ever to occupy the See of Peter and was driven by an almost mystically exalted vision of the awesome responsibility and dignity of the papal office” (Eamonn Duffy, Saints and Sinners: A History of the Popes). Biography: https://anastpaul.com/2018/05/25/saint-of-the-day-25-may-st-pope-gregory-vii-c-1015-1085/
St Aldhelm of Sherborne (640-709) Confessor, Abbot of Malmesbury and Bishop of Sherborne Bl Antonio Caixal Bl Bartolomeo Magi di Amghiari St Canio St Denis Ssebuggwawo St Dionysius of Milan St Dunchadh of Iona St Egilhard of Cornelimünster Bl Gerardo Mecatti St Gerbald St Injuriosus of Auvergne St Iosephus Chang Song-Jib Bl James Bertoni Bl Juan of Granada St Leo of Troyes
St Madeleine Sophie Barat RSCJ (1779-1865) Virgin, Religious, Foundress of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Institute of Teachers. Patronage – Teachers. Her body is incorupt. Saint Madeleine Sophie died in Paris on 25 May, 1865. Ascension Day. She was buried in the cemetery at Conflans. In 1904, when the French Sisters were expelled by the Combes laws, her body was transferred to the Sacred Heart at Jette, Brussels. Since her Beatification in 1908 by St Pius X, her well-preserved body has been exposed in a Shrine. She was Canonised n 24 May 1908 by Pope Pius XI Her Life of Love: https://anastpaul.com/2022/05/25/saint-of-the-day-25-may-st-madeleine-sophie-barat-rscj-1779-1865-v/
St Matthêô Nguyen Van Ðac Phuong St Maximus of Evreux Bl Nicholas Tsehelsky St Pasicrates of Dorostorum Bl Pedro Malasanch St Pherô Ðoàn Van Vân St Scholastica of Auvergne St Senzio of Bieda St Urban I, Pope St Valentio of Dorostorum St Victorinus of Acquiney St Winebald of Saint Bertin St Worad of Saint Bertin St Zenobius of Florence
If Thou take Thy grace away, Nothing pure in man will stay; All his good is turned to ill.
THE GIFT OF UNDERSTANDING
Understanding, as a Gift of the Holy Ghost, helps us to grasp the meaning of the truths of our holy religion. By faith we know them but, by Understanding, we learn to appreciate and relish them. It enables us to penetrate the inner meaning, of revealed truths and through them, to be quickened to newness of life. Our faith ceases to be sterile and inactive but, inspires a mode of life, which bears eloquent testimony, to the faith which is in us, we begin to: “walk worthily of God in all things, pleasing Him and increasing, in the knowledge of God.”
Prayer
Come, O Spirit of Understanding and enlighten our minds, that we may know and believe all the Mysteries of salvation and may merit, at last, to see the eternal light of Thy Light and in the light of glory, to have a clear vision of Thee and the Father and the Son. Amen.
Our Father and Hail Mary – ONCE. Glory be to the Father – SEVEN TIMES.
ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT To be recited daily during the Novena
On my knees, I, before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses, offer myself, soul and body to You, Eternal Spirit of God. I adore the brightness of Your purity, the unerring keenness of Your justice and the might of Your love. You are the Strength and Light of my soul. In You I live and move and am. I desire never to grieve You by unfaithfulness to grace and I pray with all my heart to be kept from the smallest sin against You. Mercifully guard my every thought and grant that I may always watch for Your light, listen to Your Voice and follow Your gracious inspirations. I cling to You and give myself to You and ask You, by Your compassion, to watch over me in my weakness. Holding the pierced Feet of Jesus, looking at His Five Wounds and trusting in His Precious Blood and adoring His opened Side and stricken Heart, I implore You, Adorable Spirit, Helper of my infirmity, t o keep me in Your grace, that I may never sin against You. Give me grace O Holy Spirit, Spirit of the Father and the Son, to say to You always and everywhere, “Speak Lord for Your servant hears.” Amen.
Thought for the Day – 24 May – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Recollection of Mary
“Holy Mary, thou who are constantly close to God, obtain for me too, this interior spirit of prayer. Then, I shall be able to raise my thoughts to God in the midst of worldly confusion and I shall not surrender to the enchantments of worldly pleasures. Under thou protection, I shall always remain united to God, Who is my only true good. Amen.”
Quote/s of the Day – 24 May – The Memorial of Saint Vincent of Lérins (Died c445) Confessor, Monk, Writer, the Author of the ‘Commonitorium.’
“Hold fast to that Faith, which has been received, everywhere, always by all.”
“All novelty in faith, is a sure mark of heresy.”
“True piety admits no other rule than that, whatsoever things have been faithfully received from our fathers, the same are to be faithfully consigned to our children and that, it is our duty, not to lead religion whither we would but rather, to follow religion whither it leads and that, it is the part of Christian modesty and gravity, not to hand down our own beliefs or observances to those who come after us but, to preserve and keep what we have received, from those who went before us.”
“What, then, shall a Catholic do … if some novel contagion attempts to infect, no longer a small part of the Church alone but the whole Church alike? He shall then see to it that he cleave unto antiquity, which is now utterly incapable of being seduced by any craft or novelty.”
“Avoid the profane novelty of words, St Paul says (I Timothy 6:20) … For if novelty is to be avoided, antiquity is to be held to, tightly and if novelty is profane, antiquity is sacred!”
St Vincent of Lérins (Died c445) Author of the ‘Commonitorium.’
One Minute Reflection – 24 May – “The Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary” and the Feast of Our Lady, Help of Christians/Auxilium Christianorum – Within the Octave of the Ascension – Acts 1:1-11, Mark 16:14-20 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“He who believes and is baptised, shall be saved ...” – Mark 16:16
REFLECTION – “When He says, “All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me,” He touches on their unbelief, showing, that whoever does not believe in Him transgresses the Will of the Father. He covertly shows, that unbelievers are not only at variance with Him but also, with the Father. For if this is [the Son’s] Will and if this is the reason He came, that is, that He might save the entire world, then those who do not believe transgress His Will.
When, therefore, He says, the Father guides someone, there is nothing that hinders that person from coming to [Jesus]. And Paul says, that [the Son] delivers them up to the Father. Now, just as the Father, when He gives, does not take from Himself, so neither does the Son take from Himself when He gives up. The Son is said to give up to the Father because we are brought to the Father by Him. And at the same time, we read that it was the Father “by whom you were called to the fellowship of His Son,” that is, by the Will of the Father.
Faith in Me, He intimates here, is no ordinary thing or one that comes from human reason but [it] needs a revelation from above. And this He establishes throughout His discourses, showing, that this faith requires a noble sort of soul and one drawn on by God. The expression “that the Father gives Me” shows, that it is no accident whether a person believes or not. It shows, that belief is not the work of human reasoning but requires a revelation from on high and a mind devout enough to receive the revelation. “Whoever then,” our Lord says, “comes to Me, shall be saved,” meaning they shall be greatly cared for. For to save such as these, I took up flesh and the form of a servant.” – St John Chrysostom (347-407) Archbishop of Constantinople, Father and Doctor of the Church (Homilies on the Gospel of John 45)
PRAYER – Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord God, unto all Thy servants, that they may remain continually in the enjoyment of soundness, both of mind and body and by the glorious intercession of the Blessed Mary, always a Virgin and our help in all our needs, may be delivered from present sadness and enter into the joy of thine eternal gladness. 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 – 24 May – “The Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary” and the Feast of Our Lady, Help of Christians/Auxilium Christianorum
Most Holy Virgin Mary, Help of Christians By St John Bosco (1815-1888)
Most Holy Virgin Mary, Help of Christians, how sweet it is to come to thy feet imploring thy perpetual help. If earthly mothers cease not to remember their children, how can thou, the most loving of all mothers, forget me? Grant then to me, I implore thee thy perpetual help in all my necessities, in every sorrow and especially in all my temptations. I ask for thy unceasing help for all who are now suffering. Help the weak, cure the sick, convert sinners. Grant through thy intercession, many vocations to the religious life. Obtain for us, O Mary, Help of Christians, that having invoked thee on earth we may love and eternally thank thee in Heaven. Amen
Saint of the Day – 24 May – Saint Vincent of Lérins (Died c445) Confessor, Monk, Writer, the author of the ‘Commonitorium.’ Born in Toulouse, France and died in c445 in Lerins, France of natural causes.
After the Church was given the green light with the Edict of the Emperor Constantine and was able to come out into the open, becoming part of the new society which was born from the ashes of the secular Roman empire, many Christians felt a more yearning desire for “detachment from world” and the reference to the “desert,” that is to say, to the quiet and solitude of the contemplative life.
This yearning was translated into various forms of eremitucal, monastic or community life. St Jerome lived for a long time in a cave near Betlem; St Paulinus of Nola stripped himself of all his wealth to live in a small room next to the tomb of the Martyr St Felix. Many chose the real desert, such as St Antony Abbot; others put the sea between themselves and the tumultuous society and took refuge on a small island.
Among the main monastic refuges of the Fifth Century was the Island of Lérins, in the Mediterranean, right opposite of Cannes in France. Founded by St Honoratius, future Bishop of Arles, the Monastery of Lérins became a seedbed for Bishops, Saints and Writers. Let us recall St Eucherius who, before becoming the Archbishop of Lyons, stayed for a long time on the islet with his wife and children and wrote two books there with significant titles: In Praise of Solitude and Contempt for the World. He is remembered for his letters advocating extreme self-abnegation.
But the most famous name which came out of this “nurse of saints” is our Saint today St Vincent of Lérins. Born to a noble family, he is believed to be the brother of St Lupus of Troyes. In his early life he engaged in secular pursuits; it is unclear whether these were civil or military, although the term he uses, “secularis militia,” may imply the latter. He entered Lérins Abbey on Île Saint-Honorat, where, under the pseudonym Peregrinus, he wrote the Commonitorium in c434, about three years after the Council of Ephesus. Vincent defended the Blessed Virgin as the Mother of God, against the heretical teachings of the condemned Nestorius. St Eucherius of Lyon called him a “conspicuously eloquent and knowledgeable” holy man.
We do not have much information about his life. His fame is linked to a booklet on the tradition of the Church, entitled Commonitorium, which St Robert Bellarmine defined as “a golden book.” It is a manual of rules of conduct to be followed in order to fully experience the Gospel message. In 434 (the year in which the precious booklet was published), the Monk provided future Theologians with the famous canon of orthodoxy, i.e. the yardstick for judging the goodness of a Theological affirmation: “Quod ubique, quod semper, quod ab omnibus creditum est” – “Let us hold fast to what has been believed everywhere, always and by everyone.”
However, Vincent hoped for progress: “It is necessary for understanding to grow and to progress very vigorously,” Living during the years of the Church’s struggle against the Pelagian heresy, Vincent of Lérins, born in northern France, perhaps in Belgium and landed definitively in Lérins, in whose peace he died around 450, with his writings provided a very effective weapon against “the frauds and snares of heretics.”
His relics are preserved at Lérins. Hid work is still quoted by Popes and Theologians.
Our Lady of China: Our Lady of China is a title for the Virgin Mary in China who is believed to have appeared at the small village of Donglu in 1900. In Chinese she is called Zhōnghuá Shèngmǔ. She is also known as Our Lady of Donglu.
St Afra of Brescia Bl Benedict of Cassino
St David, King of Scotland (1085-1183) King David was a social and religious Reformer, a man of great administrative skills, apostle of charity and of holy piety. He transformed his Kingdom by the widespread introduction of Catholic Churches and Monasteries, thus also assisting in the international diplomatic influence of his country, it’s farming and agricultural wealth and it’s education. He was the main force and instrument of God in Christianising Scotland. St David’s life: https://anastpaul.com/2020/05/24/saint-of-the-day-24-may-st-david-king-of-scotland-1085-1183/
Bl Diego Alonso St Donatian of Nantes St Gennadius of Astroga St Hubert of Bretigny St Joanna the Myrrhbearer Bl John del Prado Bl John of Montfort Bl Juan of Huete St Manahen St Marciana of Galatia St Meletius the Soldier Bl Nicetas of Pereslav St Palladia St Patrick of Bayeux
St Rogatian of Nantes St Sérvulo of Trieste St Simeon Stylites the Younger
St Susanna Martyr (Died 2nd Century) One of a group of wives of 2nd century Martyred soldiers under the command of Saint Meletius. Following the death of the soldiers, the wives and children were Martyred, as well.
Martyrs of Istria: A group of early Martyrs in the Istria peninsula. We know little more than some names – Diocles, Felix, Servilius, Silvanus and Zoëllus.
Bl Thomas Vasière St Vincent of Lérins (Died c445) Monk, Ecclesiatical Writer St Vincent of Porto Romano
Martyrs of Plovdiv: 38 Christians Martyred together in the persecutions of Diocletian and Maximian. We don’t even known their names. They were beheaded in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
Light immortal! Light Divine! Visit Thou these hearts of Thine, And our inmost being fill!
THE GIFT OF KNOWLEDGE
The Gift of Knowledge enables the soul to evaluate created things, at their true worth, in their relationship to God. Knowledge unmasks the pretence of creatures, reveals their emptiness and points out their only true purpose, as instruments, in the service of God. It shows us the loving care of God, even in adversity and directs us to glorify Him in every circumstance of life. Guided by its light, we put first things first and prize the friendship of God, beyond all else. “Knowledge is a fountain of life to him who possesseth it.”
Prayer
Come, O Blessed Spirit of Knowledge and grant that I may perceive the Will of the Father; show me the nothingness of earthly things, that I may realise their vanity and use them, only for Thy glory and my own salvation, looking ever beyond them to Thee and Thine Eternal Rewards. Amen.
Our Father and Hail Mary – ONCE. Glory be to the Father – SEVEN TIMES.
ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT To be recited daily during the Novena
On my knees, I, before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses, offer myself, soul and body to Thee, Eternal Spirit of God. I adore the brightness of Thy Purity, the unerring keenness of Thy Justice and the might of Thy Love. Thou art the Strength and Light of my soul. In Thee, I live and move and am. I desire never to grieve Thee by unfaithfulness to grace and I pray with all my heart to be kept from the smallest sin against Thee. Mercifully guard my every thought and grant that I may always watch for Thy Light, listen to Thine Voice and follow Thy gracious inspirations. I cling to Thee and give myself to Thee and ask Thee, by Thy compassion, to watch over me in my weakness. Holding the pierced Feet of Jesus, looking at His Five Wounds and trusting in His Precious Blood and adoring His opened Side and stricken Heart, I implore Thee, Adorable Spirit, Helper of my infirmity, to keep me in Thy grace that I may never sin against Thee. Give me grace O Holy Spirit, Spirit of the Father and of the Son, to say to Thee, always and everywhere, “Speak Lord for Thine servant hears.” Amen.
Thought for the Day – 23 May – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Prayer to Mary, Our Mother
“O Mary, be my merciful and kind Mother always but especially when you see me struggling against temptation and against the wiles of the devil. Grant that I may never fall and offend God again. I need you so much. Help me and save me. Amen.”
Quote/s of the Day – 23 May – Within the Octave of the Ascension
“Through the Holy Spirit comes our restoration to paradise, our ascension into the Kingdom of Heaven, our return to the adoption of sons, our liberty to call God, Our Father, our being made partakers of the grace of Christ, our being called children of Light, our sharing in eternal glory and, in a word, our being brought into a state of all “fulness of blessing,” both in this world and in the world to come, of all the good gifts that are in store for us, by promise hereof, through faith, beholding the reflection of their grace, as though they were already present, we await the full enjoyment.”
St Basil the Great (329-379) Father and Doctor of the Church
“And He departed from our sight that we might return to our hearts and find Him there. For He left us and behold, He is here!”
St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace
“May your heart be an Altar, from which the bright flame of unending thanksgiving ascends to Heaven.”
One Minute Reflection – 23 May – Within the Octave of Ascension – The Memorial of St John Baptiste de Rossi (1698-1764) Priest, Confessor – Acts 1:1-11, Mark 16:14-20 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Go ye into the whole world and preach the Gospel to every creature.” – Mark 16:15
REFLECTION – “You have heard what the Lord said to His disciples after the Resurrection. He sent them out to preach the Gospel and they did so. Listen: “Through all the earth their voice resounds and to the ends of the world, their message” (Ps 18[19],5). Step by step, the Gospel has reached even to us and the ends of the earth. In a few words, the Lord addressing Himself to His disciples, set out what we are to do and what we have to hope for. Just as you have heard, He said: “Whoever believes and is Baptised will be saved.” He asks for our faith and offers us salvation. What He offers us is so precious, that what He asks of us is as nothing.
“The children of men take refuge in the shadow of Thy wings, O my God… from Thy delightful stream, Thou give them to drink, for with Thee is the fountain of life” (Ps 35[36],8f.). Jesus Christ is the Fountain of Life. Before the Fountain of Life came to us, we had only a human salvation like that of the beasts, of which the psalm speaks: “Man and beast you save, O Lord” (Ps 35[36],7). But now the Fountain of Life has come even to us, the Fountain of Life died for our sakes. Will He refuse us, His Life, Who, for our sakes, gave His Death? He is Salvation and this Salvation is not worthless, like the other one. Why? Because it does not pass away. The Lord has come. He died but he killed death. In Himself, He brought an end to death. He assumed it and He killed it. Where is death now, then? Look for it in Christ and it is no longer there. It used to be there but there it died. O life, Death of death! Take heart – it will also die in us! What was fulfilled in the Head will also be fulfilled in the members and death will die in us, too.” – St Augustine (354-430) Bishop of Hippo and Father and Doctor of the Church (Excerpt from Sermon 233 ).
PRAYER – Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that as we do believe Thine Only-Begotten Son our Saviour to have this day Ascended into the Heavens, so we may also, in heart and mind thither ascend and with Him, continually dwell. And may the merits and intercession of Thy Confessor, John Baptiste de Rossi, be an aid on our journey. 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 – 23 May – Saint Ivo of Chartres (1040-1116) Bishop of Chartres from 1090 until his death, Confessor, renowned Scholar, Writer, Expert in Canon Law. Ivo was an important Canon Lawyer during the Investiture Crisis. He left extensive Canon writings as well as much correspondence and wonderful sermons. Born in 1040 in Beauvais, France and died on 23 December in 1116 of natural causes at Chartres. Also known as – Ives, Yves, or Yvo.Patronages – of Canon Lawyers, Lawyers. . He was Canonised on 18 December 1570 by St Pius V. Additional Memorials – 20 May and 23 December, on some Calendars.
Ivo was born of a noble family in Beauvais. From the neighbourhood of Beauvais, his native country, he went for his studies first to Paris and thence to the Abbey of Bee in Normandy, at the same time as St Anselm of Canterbury, to attend the lectures given by St Lanfranc.
In about 1080 he became, at the desire of his Bishop, Prior of the Canons of St-Quentin at Beauvais. He was then one of the best teachers in France and so prepared himself to infuse a new life into the celebrated schools of Chartres, of which City he was appointed Bishop in 1090, his predecessor, Geoffroy, having been deposed for simony.
His Episcopal government, ranged over a period of twenty-five years. No man, perhaps, is better portrayed in his writing than is Ivo in his letters and sermons – in both, he appears as a man always faithful to his duties, high-minded, full of zeal and piety, sound in his judgements, a keen jurist, straight-forward, mindful of others’ rights, devoted to the Papacy and to his country, at the same time, openly disapproving of all which he considered wrong and which IS wrong by Sacred Scripture. Very often, Ivo was consulted on Theological, Liturgical, Political and especially Canonical matters. Ivo was regarded as a moral and intellectual authority by many Prelates in northern Europe.
During his Episcopacy, he wrote the majority of his extant works, for which he later became famous and is considered among the greatest scholars of the mediaeval era.
Of his life, little more is known than may be gathered from his own letters. As Bishop, he strongly opposed Philip the First, who wished to desert Bertha, his legitimate wife and marry Bertrade of Anjou (1092) – his opposition gained him a prison cell.
In the Investiture struggle then raging in France and especially in Germany, Ivo represented the moderate party. Although he died too early to witness the final triumph of his ideas, with the Concordat of Worms (1122), his endeavours and his doctrines may be said to have paved the way for an agreement satisfactory to both sides. His views on the subject are fully expressed in several of his letters, especially those of the years 1099, 1106 and 1111. These letters are still of interest as to the question of the relationship between Church and State, the efficacy of the Sacraments administered by heretics, the sin of simony and much more.
The printed works of Ivo of Chartres may be arranged into three categories – canonical writings, letters and sermons. Some of his works had great influence and his letters are a valuable reflection of his era. Many of his letters and sermons circulated already in his lifetime and were copied widely, especially in the mid-twelfth century. The same is true for the canonical collections; they were copied frequently and used in the making of other collections.
His works are replete with treatments of charity and dispensation in a pastoral manner regarding the Holy See. He believed that caritas was the solution for sin and not harsh punishment without contrition. This theme is most evident in his Prologus, which is most often compared to the teachings of the Church Fathers than those of the scholars of his day. Paul’s message of loving one’s fellow man as one would oneself, is particularly prevalent in Ivo’s works:
“He was called to teach. His lesson was love. It was all that mattered.” Saint Ivo of Chartres (1040-1116)
Martyrs of Béziers: 20 Mercedarian Friars murdered by Huguenots for being Catholic. Martyrs. 1562 at the Mercedarian convent at Béziers, France.
Martyrs of Cappadocia: A group of Christians tortured and Martyred in the persecutions of Diocletian and Galerius. Their names and the details of their lives have not come down to us. They were crushed to death in c.303 in Cappadocia (in modern Turkey).
Martyrs of Carthage: When a civil revolt erupted in Carthage in 259 during a period of persecution by Valerian, the procurator Solon blamed it on the Christians, and began a persecution of them. We know the names and a few details about 8 of these martyrs – Donatian, Flavian, Julian, Lucius, Montanus, Primolus, Rhenus and Victorius. They were beheaded in 259 at Carthage (modern Tunis, Tunisia).
Martyrs of Mesopotamia: A group of Christians Martyred in Mesopotamia in persecutions by imperial Roman authorities. Their names and the details of their lives have not come down to us. They were suffocated over a slow fire in Mesopotamia.
Martyrs of North Africa: A group of 19 Christians Martyred together in the persecutions of the Arian Vandal King Hunneric for refusing to deny the Trinity. We know little more than a few of their names – Dionysius, Julian, Lucius, Paul and Quintian. c430.
Pentecost Novena to the Holy Spirit for the Seven Gifts
FOURTH DAY
Thou in toil art comfort sweet, Pleasant coolness in the heat, Solace in the midst of woe.
The Gift of Fortitude
By the Gift of Fortitude, the soul is strengthened against natural fear and supported to the end, in the performance of duty. Fortitude imparts to the will, an impulse and energy which move it to undertake, without hesitancy, the most arduous tasks, to face dangers, to trample underfoot, human respect and, to endure, without complaint, the slow martyrdom of even lifelong tribulation. “He who shall persevere unto the end, he shall be saved.”
Prayer
Come, O Blessed Spirit of Fortitude, uphold my soul in time of trouble and adversity, sustain my efforts, after holiness, strengthen my weakness, give me courage against all the assaults of my enemies that I may never be overcome and separated from Thee, my God and greatest Good. Amen.
Our Father and Hail Mary – ONCE. Glory be to the Father – SEVEN TIMES.
ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT To be recited daily during the Novena
On my knees, I, before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses, offer myself, soul and body to Thee, Eternal Spirit of God. I adore the brightness of Thy Purity, the unerring keenness of Thy Justice and the might of Thy Love. Thou art the Strength and Light of my soul. In Thee, I live and move and am. I desire never to grieve Thee by unfaithfulness to grace and I pray with all my heart to be kept from the smallest sin against Thee. Mercifully guard my every thought and grant that I may always watch for Thy Light, listen to Thine Voice and follow Thy gracious inspirations. I cling to Thee and give myself to Thee and ask Thee, by Thy compassion, to watch over me in my weakness. Holding the pierced Feet of Jesus, looking at His Five Wounds and trusting in His Precious Blood and adoring His opened Side and stricken Heart, I implore Thee, Adorable Spirit, Helper of my infirmity, to keep me in Thy grace that I may never sin against Thee. Give me grace O Holy Spirit, Spirit of the Father and of the Son, to say to Thee, always and everywhere, “Speak Lord for Thine servant hears.” Amen.
Thought for the Day – 22 May – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Mary, Queen of Heaven and Earth
“O Queen of Angels and of Saints, my most powerful and most loving Mother, have pity on me, for I am surrounded by such great perils and need so much to advance in virtue. Although I am weak and weary, I desire ardently to imitate the shining example of thy holidness. Obtain for me, from thy Divine Son, the grace to imitate thee, as far as I am able on earth, so that one day I may share thy happiness in the Presence of God for all eternity. Amen.”
Quote/s of the Day – 22 May – St Rita of Cascia (1386-1457) Mother, Widow, Stigmatist, Consecrated Religious, Mystic
Saint Rita (1381-1457) was born at Cascia in Umbria, Italy. At the age of twelve she was forced to marry an ill-tempered nobleman, who was a heavy cross to her for many years. After his death she joined the Augustinian nuns. Our Lord sealed His love for her by piercing her brow with a thorn from His sacred Crown. Saint Rita is almost without equal as the shining model of the unmarried, of wives and mothers and of religious. Her Patronage extends to Impossible Causes and Wives in Abusive Marriages.
Indulgenced Prayer to St Rita
O God, who didst deign to communicate so great grace to Saint Rita that she imitated Thine example, in the love of enemies and bore in her heart and on her countenance, the Sacred marks of Thy love and Passion; grant, we beseech Thee, by her merits and intercession, that we may love our enemies and ever contemplate, with deep contrition, the sorrows of Thy Passion, Who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.
Indulgence of 300 days, once a day. Plenary Indulgence on the usual conditions, if the daily recitation of this prayer is continued for a month.
A Prayer to St Rita When in Special Need
O powerful St Rita, rightly called Saint of the Impossible, I come to you with confidence in my great need. You know well my trials, for you yourself were many times burdened in this life. Come to my aid, speak for me, pray with me, intercede on my behalf before the Father. I know that God has a most generous heart and that He is a most loving Father. Join your prayers to mine and obtain for me the grace I desire ……………… (here mention your request). You who were so very pleasing to God on earth and are so much now in Heaven, I promise to use this favour, when granted, to better my life, to proclaim God’s Mercy and to make you more widely known and loved. Amen.
One Minute Reflection – 22 May – “The Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – Within the Octave of Ascension – Acts 1:1-11, Mark 16:14-20 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“And the Lord Jesus, after He spoke to them, was taken up into Heaven and took His seat at the Right Hand of God.” – Mark 16:19
REFLECTION – “And so, while at Easter it was the Lord’s Resurrection which was the cause of our joy, our present rejoicing is due to His Ascension into Heaven. With all due solemnity, we are commemorating that day on which our poor human nature was carried up in Christ, above all the Hosts of Heaven, above all the ranks of Angels, beyond those Heavenly Powers, to the very Throne of God the Father.
It is upon this ordered structure of Divine acts, that we have been firmly established, so that the grace of God may show itself still more marvellous when, in spite of the withdrawal from our sight of everything that is rightly felt to command our reverence, faith does not fail, hope is not shaken, charity does not grow cold. It was in order that we might be capable of such blessedness that on the fortieth day after His Resurrection, after He had made careful provision for everything concerning the preaching of the Gospel and the Mysteries of the New Covenant, our Lord Jesus Christ was taken up to Heaven before the eyes of His Disciples and so, His Bodily Presence among them, came to an end.
From that time onward, He was to remain at the Father’s Right Hand, until the completion of the period, ordained by God, for the Church’s children to increase and multiply, after which, in the same Body with which He ascended, He will come again to judge the living and the dead. And so, our Redeemer’s Visible Presence has passed into the Sacraments. Our faith is nobler and stronger because, empirical sight has been replaced by a reliable teaching, whose authority is accepted by believing hearts, enlightened from on high.” – St Leo the Great (400-461) Pope , Great Father and Doctor of the Church (Sermon 74).
PRAYER – Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that as we do believe Thine Only-Begotten Son, our Saviour, to have this day, ascended into the Heavens, so we may also, in heart and mind, thither ascend and with Him continually dwell.Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Saint of the Day – 22 May – Saint Fulgentius of Otricoli (Mid 6th Century) Bishop., Miracle-worker, remembered by St Gregory the Great in his Dialogues. Died in the mid 6th Century in Otricoli, Terni, Italy of natural causes. Also known as – Fulgenzio, Fulgencio.
In the Town of Otricoli in the Province of Terni, an ancient inscription is preserved, which recalls its Bishop, Fulgentius, who found the body of the holy Martyr Victor and built an Altar for it. The said epigraph is still preserved in the collegiate Church of St Maria, which already existed in the 12th Century.
Fulgentius, the Bishop of Otricoli, who is remembered by St Gregory the Great (535-604), in his ‘Dialogues.’ The holy Pope reports a miracle worked by Fulgentius, told to him by an old cleric, still alive when he wrote his work about him.
Totila, King of the Ostrogoths from 541 to 552, in his descent into Italy, defeating the Byzantines, passed through Otricoli and here he received some gifts from the Bishop Fulgentius, who thus tried to mitigate the insane fury of the barbarian King, so that he would spare the population of that City.
But Totila, despising the homage, had the Bishop placed in custody to then submit him to trial/ Those guarding him thus placed him within a circle traced on the ground, forbidding him to go beyond it. The Bishop suffered from the heat of the scorching sun, from which he could not shelte. Then the weather changed and it began to rain heavily but the place where Fulgentius was sitting remained dry!
This fact was reported to Totila, who then transformed his hatred into admiration.
This miracle has been told and depicted in all the hagiographic works which have come down to us. His feast day falls on 22 May.
St Boethian of Pierrepont St Castus the Martyr St Conall of Inniscoel Bl Diego de Baja Bl Dionisio Senmartin St Emilius the Martyr St Faustinus the Martyr St Fulgentius of Otricoli (Mid 6th Century) Bishop Bl Fulk of Castrofurli Bl Giacomo Soler Bl Giusto Samper St Helen of Auxerre
St Lupo of Limoges St Marcian of Ravenna St Margaret of Hulme Bl Pedro of the Assumption St Quiteria St Romanus of Subiaco St Timothy the Martyr St Venustus the Martyr
Pentecost Novena to the Holy Spirit for the Seven Gifts
THIRD DAY
Thou, of all consolers best, Visiting the troubled breast, Dost refreshing peace bestow.
The Gift of Piety
The gift of Piety begets in our hearts, a filial affection for God as our most loving Father. It inspires us to love and respect, for His sake. persons and things consecrated to Him, as well as those, who are vested with His authority, His Blessed Mother and the Saints, the Church and its visible Head, our parents and superiors, our country and its rulers. He who is filled with the gift of Piety, finds the practice of his religion, not a burdensome duty but, a delightful service. Where there is love, there is no labour.
Prayer
Come, O Blessed Spirit of Piety, possess my heart. Enkindle therein, such a love for God, that I may find satisfaction only in His service and for His sake, lovingly submit to all legitimate authority. Amen.
Our Father and Hail Mary – ONCE. Glory be to the Father – SEVEN TIMES.
ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT To be recited daily during the Novena
On my knees, I, before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses, offer myself, soul and body to Thee, Eternal Spirit of God. I adore the brightness of Thy Purity, the unerring keenness of Thy Justice and the might of Thy Love. Thou art the Strength and Light of my soul. In Thee, I live and move and am. I desire never to grieve Thee by unfaithfulness to grace and I pray with all my heart to be kept from the smallest sin against Thee. Mercifully guard my every thought and grant that I may always watch for Thy Light, listen to Thine Voice and follow Thy gracious inspirations. I cling to Thee and give myself to Thee and ask Thee, by Thy compassion, to watch over me in my weakness. Holding the pierced Feet of Jesus, looking at His Five Wounds and trusting in His Precious Blood and adoring His opened Side and stricken Heart, I implore Thee, Adorable Spirit, Helper of my infirmity, to keep me in Thy grace that I may never sin against Thee. Give me grace O Holy Spirit, Spirit of the Father and of the Son, to say to Thee, always and everywhere, “Speak Lord for Thine servant hears.” Amen.
Thought for the Day – 21 May – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Holy Purity
“Most Pure Virgin, Immaculate Mother of God, thou sees how many dangers and snares surround my soul. Thou sees how weak I am and how much I need thy help. Assist me, I beseech thee when I am tempted. Gran, I cry unto thee, that I may die in the state of grace, rather than fall into sin. Amen”
Quote/s of the Day – 21 May – “The Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary”
“As breathing is not only a sign but even, a cause of life, so the name of Mary, which is constantly found on the lips of God’s servants, both proves that they are truly alive and, at the same time, causes and preserves their life and gives them, every succour . . . may Your name, O Mother of God, be the last sound that escapes my lips!”
St Germanus of Constantinople (c 640-733)
“… The design of the Redeemer of our race was to bring about a birth and, as it were, a new creation to replace the one that went before. Therefore, just as in Paradise, He had taken a little clay out of the pure and spotless earth, to fashion the first Adam (Gn 2,7), so, at the moment of bringing about His Own Incarnation, He made use of another earth, so to speak, namely, this Pure and Immaculate Virgin, chosen from among all other beings He had created. It is in her that He, Adam’s Creator, has remade us in our very substance and become a new Adam (1Cor 15,45) that the old might be saved by the new and eternal.”
St Andrew of Crete (660-740)
“There is no sinner in the world, however much at enmity with God, who cannot recover God’s grace by recourse to Mary and by asking her assistance.”
St Bridget of Sweden (1303-1373)
“Never will anyone who says his Rosary everyday, be led astray. This is a statement that I would gladly sign with my blood.”
One Minute Reflection – 21 May – “The Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – SUNDAY within the OCTAVE of ASCENSION – 1 Peter 4:7-11, John 15:26-27; 16:1-4. – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“And you shall give testimony of Me …” – John 15:27
REFLECTION – “Everything has been accomplished which remained to be done on earth but it still remained necessary that we should “share and participate in the Divine nature” of the Word (2 Pt 1:4) – that is, that we should put away our life and be utterly transformed and launched on a new way of holy living… For I think, it is true to say that, while Christ was still present in bodily form among those who believed in Him, He was revealed to them as One Who conferred every good gift but since the time and the need were now calling Him to be carried up to His Father in Heaven, it was necessary for Him to be present through the Spirit, with those who worshipped Him and to “dwell in our hearts through faith” (Eph 3:17).
It is easy to prove, from the Old and New Testaments, that the Spirit changes the character of those, among whom He comes to dwell and transforms their life. The holy man Samuel, when speaking to Saul, said: “The Spirit of the Lord will come mightily upon you and you will be turned into another man” (1 Sam 10:6). Saint Paul said: “We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into the same likeness from one degree of glory to another and this comes from the Lord, the Spirit; for the Lord is the Spirit” (2 Cor 3:8).
You can see, then, that the Spirit re-creates, so to speak, in a new pattern, those among whom He is seen to dwell. He readily replaces their desire to think earthly thoughts, with the desire to fix their gaze only on the things of Heaven; He changes their unmanly cowardice, into the spirit of courage. We can certainly see that the disciples experienced this: the Spirit became their armour, so that they did not yield to the attacks of their persecutors but held fast to the love of Christ. And so the truth of our Saviour’s words can be seen: “It is to your advantage that I go away to Heaven” (Jn 16:7). For that was the time for the descent of the Spirit.” – St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) Bishop, Father and Doctor of the Church (Commentary on Saint John’s Gospel, 10).
PRAYER – Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord God, unto all Thy servants, that they may remain continually in the enjoyment of soundness, both of mind and body and by the glorious intercession of the Blessed Mary, always a Virgin, may be delivered from present sadness and enter into the joy of Thine eternal gladness. 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 – 21 May – “The Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary”
St Robert Bellarmine’s Hymn to Mary the Virgin: Among St Robert’s extant writing, there is a short poem of twenty stanzas which he composed in the nature of a Litany to the Blessed Virgin. The text was first published in Italian some fifty years ago and to the best of the writer’s knowledge, has never been translated into English. Each verse-line begins with the name “Virgin,” joined to a title and petition to Our Lady, starting with the letter “A” and going down the Italian alphabet to “V.” Thus the first seven verses begin with the invocation: “Vergine adorna … Vergine Bella …Vergine casta … Vergine degna … Vergine eletta … Vergine felice … Vergine gradita …”
A translation to this tribute to the Virgin Mother reads as follows: – Servant of God Fr John A Hardon SJ (1914-2000).
Hymn to Mary the Virgin By St Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621) Doctor of the Church.
Virgin adored and clothed with the sun, grant me thine aid. Virgin most beautiful, mystical rose, take abode in my heart. Virgin most chaste, all undefiled, grant me true peace. Virgin deserving of all honour and praise, give me thy love. Virgin elect and full of all grace, lead me to God. Virgin most blessed, star of the sea, dispel the storms besetting me. Virgin most virtuous, holy and sweet, show me the way. Virgin illustrious, with thy burning light, enlighten thou my mind. Virgin more precious than jewels or gold, make reparation for me. Virgin most worthy of all praise, mother, daughter and immaculate spouse. Virgin and Mother, make me more pleasing to Jesus thy Son. Virgin most innocent of any stain or fault, make me more worthy of God. Virgin enriched with every gift and grace, obtain the remission of my sins. Virgin most pure, grant me to enjoy the bliss of heavenly love. Virgin, thou lily among thorns, I pray thee for the grace of a happy death. Virgin more rare than the rarest dream, bring joy to my heart. Virgin so great, there is none like thee on earth, bring peace to my soul. Virgin most true, loving Mother too, Virgin Mary. Amen.
Saint of the Day – 21 May – Saint Collen of Denbighshire (Died c600) Welsh Abbot and Founder of a Monastery in Wa;es, Hermit. Also known as – Gollen, Colan, Gollen.
Collen was a Monk in Wales, Brittany and Cornwall. It is believedthat he travelled to Rome too. Collen lived as a Hermit in a small cave near Glastonbury Abbey.
He became the Abbot of a Monastery in Wales. The Welsh town of Llangollen (Collen’s Enclosure), is named for him, indicating that it formed around his hermitage and Church.
Collen was at the right time and place to be a transitional figure in the folklore of the region. There are tales of him slaying a Welsh giantess to save the people of Llangollen (the Church there still has an image of him in this triumph and of fighting a duel with a Saracen in front of the Pope. Stories have him being taken to the land of faerie but always as a Christian and always showing the power of God over the old ways.
Legend says that Collen was once invited to dine with the King of the Fairies; some say he was asked by a man, some say by a fairy and some say by a talking peacock; I cannot say. The Saint declined three time but finally accepted. Although the king appeared to live in an enormous castle, wealthy and fair, surrounded by courtiers and servants and seated before a table groaning under the weight of good eatings. Collen, however, knew him for the lying spirit he was. The Saint reminded the king of the fate of the Godless, then sprinkled holy water in all directions – in an instant, there was nothing left but an angry, demonic bird, flying away from the scene!
Llangollen is internationally famous as a beauty spot, for its Eisteddfod and the 13th Century bridge, which is reckoned as one the Seven Wonders of Wales. TheParish Church has been much restored over the Centuries but it still stands on the site of the Saint’s tomb. In all the Welsh Calendars, St.Collen is commemorated on 21 May but in Cornwall his Parish keeps festival on the Sunday after the first Thursday in May. At Langolen in Brittany, his Feast is held on the second Sunday in August.
AnaStpaul 
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