Notre-Dame-de-la-Rochette, Ranchal, France / Our Lady of La Rochette: 14 October
There are no easily translated legends of the above Marian Feast. Hopefully, by next year I will find something somewhere.In the meantime, I have found the beautiful Statues and Church and the little citation by Abbot Orsini:
The Abbot Orsini wrote: “Our Lady of La Rochette near Geneva. A shepherd coming up to a bush, where he heard a plaintive voice, found there an image of the Blessed Virgin, which led to a Church being built there.”
St Bernard of Arce St Burchard of Wurzburg (c 752) Bishop, Confessor, Monk, Missionary, disciple of St Boniface. St Celeste of Metz St Dominic Loricatus
Saint Fortunatus of Todi (Died 537) Bishop, Confessor, miracle-worker. An entry in the Roman Martyrology under 14 October records: “At Todi in Umbria, St Fortunatus, Bishop, who, as is mentioned by blessed Gregory, was endowed with an extraordinary gift for casting out unclean spirits.” About St Fortunatus: https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/14/saint-of-the-day-14-october-saint-fortunatus-of-todi-died-537/
St Gaudentius of Rimini St Gundisalvus of Lagos Bl Jacques Laigneau de Langellerie St Lupulo of Capua St Lupus of Caesarea St Manacca St Manehildis St Modesto of Capua St Rusticus of Trier St Saturninus of Caesarea St Venanzio of Luni
Martyrs of Caesarea – (4 Saints): Three brothers and a sister Martyred together in the persecutions of Diocletian – Carponius, Evaristus, Fortunata and Priscian. In 303 in Caesarea, Cappadocia (in modern Turkey) – their relics enshrined in Naples, Italy.
Thought for the Day – 13 October – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
“Month of the Holy Rosary” The Fifth Sorrowful Mystery The Crucifixion
“Be our Mother, O Mary, for you have borne us spiritually on Mount Calvary, at the foot of the Cross. Deign to obtain for us, through your intercession that we may love Jesus as you loved Him and follow Him faithfully, as you followed Him, unto Death. Amen.”
Quote/s of the Day – 13 October – “The Month of the Most Holy Rosary and of the Angels” and the Memorial of Our Lady of Fatima: The Sixth & Final Apparition
Our Lady’s Words
“Let not your heart be disturbed. Do not fear that sickness, nor any other sickness or anguish. Am I not here, who is your Mother? Are you not under my protection? Am I not your health? Are you not happily within my fold? What else do you wish? Do not grieve nor be disturbed by anything.”
Our Lady of Guadalupe to Juan Diego 9 December 1531
“Penance, penance, penance. Pray for sinners.”
Our Lady to St Bernadette Soubirous at Lourdes, 1858
“I have come, to warn the faithful, to amend their lives and ask pardon for their sins. They must not continue to offend Our Lord, Who is already too much offended.”
“Look, my Daughter,” Our Lady said to Lúcia on 10 December 1925, “at my heart, surrounded with thorns, with which ungrateful men pierce me.”
“My child, behold my Heart all pierced with thorns, which the blasphemies and ingratitude of men drive deeper at every moment . . . make known to men that:
I promise to assist. at the hour of death. with the graces necessary for salvation, all those who, on the first Saturdays of five consecutive months, go to Confession, receive Holy Communion, say the Rosary and spend a quarter of an hour with me, in meditation on te fifteen Mysteries of the Rosary, with the object of making reparation to me.”
“Say the Rosary everyday to obtain peace for the world. And after each decade, say the following prayer: ‘O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those in most need of Thy mercy.’”
One Minute Reflection – 13 October – “The Month of the Most Holy Rosary and of the Angels” and the Memorial of Our Lady of Fatima: The Sixth & Final Apparition – Sirach 31:8-11, Luke 12:35-40 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Blessed are those servants whom the Master, on His return, shall find watching.” – Luke 12:37
REFLECTION – “Wishing to emphasise the special office of the servants, whom He has placed in charge of His people, the Lord says, ‘Who, do you think, is the faithful and wise steward, whom the Lord sets over His household, to give to them their measure of wheat at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his Master will find so doing when he comes.” Who is that Master, brethren? Without a doubt, it is Christ, Who says to His disciples: “You call me Teacher and Lord and you are right, for so I am” (Jn 13,13). What, too, is the Master’s Household? Doubtless it is the one which the Lord Himself ransomed… This Sacred Household is the Holy, Catholic Church, which is spread through the whole earth with abundant fertility and glories in the fact, that she has been redeemed by the Precious Blood of her Master. As He Himself says: “The Son of Man came, not to be served but to serve and to give His Life as a ransom for many” (Mk 10,45).
He is, too, the Good Shepherd ”Who laid down His Life for His sheep” (Jn 10,11)…As to who the steward is, who ought to be faithful, as well as wise, the Apostle Paul shows us, when, speaking of himself and his companions, he says: “This is how one should regard us, as the servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they should be found trustworthy” (1Cor 4,1-2).
Now, lest anyone of us should think that it is only the Apostles who have been made stewards…, the blessed Apostle Paul shows us that the Bishops also are stewards, when he says: “For a bishop, as God’s steward, must be blameless” (Tt 1,7)…We, therefore, who are the servants of the Master of the Household, we are the stewards of the Lord, we have received the measure of wheat to disburse to you.” – St Fulgentius of Ruspe (467-532) Bishop in North Africa (Homily 1, on the Lord’s servants) (trans. Breviary Common of Pastors).
PRAYER – From all perils of soul and body defend us, O Lord, we beseech Thee and by the intercession of blessed and gloriosus ever Virgin Mary, Mother of God,and all the Saints, graciously grant us, safety and peace that all adversities and errors being overcome, thy Church may serve Thee in security and freedom. 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 – 13 October – “The Month of the Most Holy Rosary” and the Memorial of Our Lady of Fatima: The Sixth & Final Apparition
Act of Consecration and Reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
O Immaculate Heart of Mary, Queen of Heaven and Earth and tender Mother of men, in accordance with thy ardent wish made known at Fatima, I consecrate to thee, myself, my brethren, my country and the whole human race. Reign over us and teach us how to make the Heart of Jesus reign and triumph in us and around us, as It has reigned and triumphed in thee. We wish to atone for the many crimes committed against Jesus and thee. We wish to call down upon our country and the whole world, the peace of God in justice and charity. We promise to imitate thy virtues, by the practice of a Christian life without regard to human respect. We resolve to receive Holy Communion on the first Saturday of every month and to offer thee five decades of the Rosary on this day, together with our sacrifices in the spirit of reparation and penance. Amen.
Saint of the Day – 13 October – St Simbert of Augsburg (Died c 809) Bishop of Augsburg, Monk, Abbot, Miracle-worker, he restored and built Churches and the Cathedral of Augsburg, as well as, contributed vastly to the reconstruction of the City after the devastation of war. Simbert – name means: on a brilliant path (old high German) Died on 13 October in c 809 of natural causes. Also known as – Simpert, Sintbert, Sinthert. He was Canonised by Pope Nicholas V. Patronages – against headaches, of children and youth of the Diocese of Augsburg and the third Patron of the Diocese.
The Roman Martyrology reads: “In Augsburg in Bavaria in Germany, St Simbert, who was Bishop and Abbot of Murbach.”
Hans Holbein the Younger: St Simpert and the wolf legend, 1492, in the Bavarian State Library in Munich
Simpert, probably the son of Duke Ambertus of Lorraine and his wife Simphorina, a sister of Charlemagne , was educated in a Monastery. King Karl, with whom he was in close contact throughout his life, appointed him Bishop of Augsburg – probably in 778 – as Bishop Tozzo ‘s successor . In documents from 798 and 799, Simpert was also referred to as Bishop of Neuburg an der Donau , in 800 he became Bishop of Neuburg. It was only between 801 and 807 that the areas of the Diocese east and west of the Lech, which had previously been separated, were united and Augsburg, once again, became the sole Episcopal See – this union was due to the great merit of Simbert.
Augsburg was badly damaged in the fighting between Bavaria and Franconia, at the time, and Simpert contributed greatly to the reconstruction of the City of Augsburg. To renovate his Diocese, he received extensive gifts and goods. In Augsburg, he had the destroyed Church of St Afra – today St. Ulrich and Afra – rebuilt and also completed the new building of the Cathedral, which he accordingly Consecrated in 807. He also founded the Cathedral school.
According to his wishes,, Simpert was buried in the Church of St Afra , which he had renovated and Consecrated. In 1064 his bones were raised and reburied. Numerous miracles occurred at his tomb. Records tell us how a mother asked for the intercession of St Simbert because a wolf had kidnapped her child. The wolf then returned the child and left it, unharmed in the Church. Simper’t’s intercession rescued a man who was about to sink in a swamp. Since the late Middle Ages, Simpert has also been revered as a Miracle-worker and regionally, as a unfailing assistant in all needs. Simpert caps were worn for headaches.
St Simpert saves the child from the wolf, artwork in the Church of St. Ulrich and Afra in Augsburg, where St Simbert’s tomb is enshrined
Simpert’s hagiography and reports on the miracles he performed, were written in 1230 by the Abbot of the Monastery in St. Ulrich and Afra. Emperor Maximilian I had a great devotion and veneration for him and included him in his line of ancestors. Emperor Maximillian was present as King when the bones were transferred in 1492. The large marble reclining figure above his grave, dates from 1714. The grave was opened in 1977 and an almost intact skeleton was revealed together with a copy of the biography from 1492 were found. His skull was then transferred to the St Simpert Church , which was newly built in 1978/1979 .
Reclining figure on the St Simpert Shrine and relief of the wolf miracle, 1714, in the Basilica of St. Ulrich and Afra in Augsburg
In 2007, Bishop Walter Mixa placed the Youth ministry of the Diocese of Augsburg and all children and young people under Simpert’s special protection and entrusted them to him as Patron Saint and advocate.
Josef Henselmann 1986: St Simpert with wolf and child (left), Bishop St Ulrich von Augsburg fighting the Hungarians (middle) and St Afra (right). The Group Statue composition stands at the fountain in front of the St Simbert’s Cathedral in Augsburg
In 1450 Pope Nicholas V Canonised St Simbert and allowed Simpert to be venerated as a Saint in his burial Church of St Ulrich and Afra in Augsburg, then in 1622, Pope Gregory XV approved. his veneration in the Diocese of Augsburg and in 1624 he was appointed the third Diocesan Patron.
St Benedict of Cupra St Berthoald of Cambrai St Carpus of Troas St Chelidonia St Comgan the Monk St Florence of Thessalonica St Fyncana St Fyndoca Bl Gebrand of Klaarkamp
St Maurice of Carnoet St Regimbald of Speyer St Romulus of Genoa St Simbert of Augsburg (Died c 809) Bishop, Monk, Abbot St Theophilus of Antioch St Venantius
Three Crowns of Cordoba – (3 Saints): Three Christian men Martyred in the persecutions of Diocletian – Faustus, Januarius and Martial. They were burned to death in 304 in Cordoba, Spain.
Thought for the Day – 12 October – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
“Month of the Holy Rosary” The Fourth Sorrowful Mystery The Road to Calvary
“The executioners realised that Jesus had expended all His energy and became afraid that He would not be able to reach the place of execution. For this reason, they compelled Simon of Cyrene, who was coming back from the country after his work, to carry the Cross instead of Jesus. At first he probably helped reluctantly because he was tired and anxious to get home. When he recognised Jesus, however, he took the Cross willingly and carried it for Him.
What is our attitude to the cross which Jesus gives us? He, Who was innocence itself, carried His burden with perfect resignation and love. Why should not we, who are so sinful, carry ours with similar disposition, since we need so much to expiate our sins and to show our love for Jesus.”
Quote/s of the Day – 12 October – 1 Corinthians 1:4-8, Matthew 9:1-8–
“And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, Take courage, son, your sins are forgiven you.”
Matthew 9:2
“Perhaps, your own faith is feeble. Nevertheless, the Lord, who is love will stoop down to you, provided only that you are penitent and can say sincerely, from the depths of your soul: “Lord, I believe. Help thou mine unbelief,” (Mark 9:23)……”
St Cyril of Jerusalem (315-387) Father and Doctor of the Church
“Faith gives rise to prayer and this prayer obtains an increase of faith.”
St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace
“Keep, O Lord, my heart at peace, always close to Thee. Thou Who calms the wild waves of the sea.”
St Joseph Calasanz(1557-1648)
“All things are possible for him who believes, more to him who hopes, even more to him who loves.”
St Lawrence of Brindisi (1559-1619)
Hear us, O Heavenly Father, For the Sake of Your Only Son By St Augustine (354-430)
Almighty Father, come into our hearts and so fill us with Your love that forsaking all evil desires, we may embrace You, our only good. Show us, O Lord our God, what You are to us. Say to our souls, I am your salvation, speak so, that we may hear. Our hearts are before You, open our ears, let us hasten after Your Voice. Hide not Your Face from us, we beseech You, O Lord. Open our hearts, so that You may enter in. Repair the ruined mansions, that You may dwell therein. Hear us, O Heavenly Father, for the sake of Your only Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen
One Minute Reflection – 12 October – “The Month of the Most Holy Rosary and of the Angels” – 1 Corinthians 1:4-8, Matthew 9:1-8 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins, – then He said to the paralytic – Arise, take up your pallet and go to your house. ” – Matthew 9:6
REFLECTION – “None can forgive sins except God alone and so, He who healed them, is God… And so that people might understand that He had taken flesh for the remission of their sins and to gain resurrection for their bodies, He said: “That you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins on earth” – He then said to the paralytic: “Rise, pick up your pallet” It would have been enough to have said: “Rise” but… He added: “Pick up your pallet and go home.” Firstly, He granted remission of sins, then He manifested the power of the resurrection and then, by making him take up his pallet, He taught that weakness and pain will no longer afflict the body. Finally, by sending this man home healed, He showed that believers must rediscover the road to paradise, the same road that Adam, the father of all, abandoned when he was spoiled by the stain of sin.”… St Hilary (315-368) Father & Doctor of the Church.
PRAYER – May the working of Thy mercy, we beseech Thee, O Lord, guide our hearts, for without Thee, we cannot please Thee. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son ouTheeord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
O God of Our Life By St Augustine (354-430) Father & Doctor of the Church
O God of our life, there are days when the burdens we carry chafe our shoulders and weigh us down, when the road seems dreary and endless, the skies grey and threatening, when our lives have no music in them and our hearts are lonely and our souls have lost their courage. Flood the path with light, run our eyes to where the skies are full of promise, tune our hearts to brave music, give us the sense of comradeship, with heroes and Saints of every age and so quicken our spirits, that we may be able to encourage, the souls of all, who journey with us on the road of life, to Your honour and glory. Amen
Saint of the Day –12 October – Saint Opilio of Piacenza (Died mid 5th Century) Deacon. Opilio died in Piacenza of natural causes. He is also known as – Opilione.
Opilio is commonly remembered together with his brother St Gelasius and the Piacenza Bishop St Maurus. The three Saints are almost always remembered in a single chapter by the biographers and are always defined with the similar characteristics.
Opilio was a great example ,especially for his piety, his spirit of austere penance and his lively charity towards his neighbour. Tradition has it that he shared with the poor the food that his mother sent him through Sr Gelasius, his brother.
We have no certain information about his biography. Some inform us that as an Acolyte, he participated in the translation of the body of St Antoninus, commissioned by St Savinien.
The date of death of Saint Opilio can be placed in the first half of the 5th century. His bones rest in the Basilica of St Antoninus and some relics were brought by the Bishop Giovanni Battista Scalabrini, to the Chapel of the City’s Seminary.
There are various works depicting St Opilio Deacon, none of which can be traced online. In the Chapel of the Seminary, there is a painting of the late nineteenth Century, by the painter Ghittoni, which depicts the young St Opilio, with an ecstatic face in conversation with the Angels, together with St Gelasius.
Furthermore, there is still the only painting by the artist Bernardo Ferrari that depicts the two Saints and is located in the Basilica of St Antoninus in Piacenza.
The Basilica of St Antoninus in Piacenza where St Opilio’s tomb is venerated
In the Parish Church there is a painting from 1882, by Fedele Toscani, which depicts him alone. Finally, St Opilio is depicted in a portrait in relief in stone, in the Altar of the Crypt of the Piacenza Cathedral.
St Opilio is remembered by the Piacenza Church on 12 October.
St Evagrius the Martyr St Felix St Herlindis St Juan Osiense St Maximilian of Celeia St Meinards St Monas of Milan (Died 249) Saint Opilio of Piacenza Deacon (Died first half of the 5th Century) St Pantalus of Basle St Priscian the Martyr St Relindis
St Serafino of Montegranaro OFM Cap (1540-1604) Confessor, Franciscan Capuchin Lay Friar, gifted with the Charism of prophecy, Mystic, Apostle of the poor, Spiritual Advisor, devoted to the Blessed Sacrament, the Holy Rosary and to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Miracle-worker. The Roman Martyrology states: “At Ascoli, St Seraphinus, Confessor, of the Order of Minorite Capuchins, distinguished by holiness of life and humility. Hre was enrolled among the Saints by the Sovereign Pontiff Clement XIII.” Holy St Serafino: https://anastpaul.com/2021/10/12/saint-of-the-day-12-october-st-serafino-of-montegranaro-ofm-cap-1540-1604/
Martyrs of Arian North Africa: Commemoration of the 4,996 Martyrs who died in the persecutions of the Vandals in Africa mandated by the Arian King Huneric. The persecuted Christians include Bishops, Priests, Deacons and thousands of the lay faithful. They died in 483 at various locations in North Africa. (Would we follow Christ and stand true to the Faith today?)
Thought for the Day – 11 October – Feast of the Divine Maternity –Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Mary, the Mother of God
“St Matthew (Cf Mt 12:46-50) and St Mark (Cf Mk 3:31-35), relate how Jesus was preaching one day in Galilee, surrounded by His Apostles and by a large crowd, when a man approached and said: “Behold, thy mother and thy brethren are standing outside, seeking thee.” “Who is my mother,” He answered, “and who are my brethren?” Then He extended His hand towards His disciples and said: “Behold, my mother and my brethren! For whoever does the will of my Father in Heaven, he is my brother and sister and mother.”
These words were directed at us, not at Our Lady. Not only was she the Immaculate Mother of Jesus Christ but, she performed lovingly, on all occasions, the Will of the heavenly Father. She did His Will, in poverty and obedience, in exile and on Mount Calvary. Therefore, she was God’s Mother in the spiritual, as well as, in the physical sense of the word, insofar, as she was constantly united to Him by a bond of love and of conformity with His desires.
Christ’s words indicate, that Mary’s perfect and continuous acceptance of God’s Will, was even more pleasing to God, than the dignity of the divine Motherhood.
We cannot equal her in dignity but, we can imitate her in this other respect. Jesus will look on us as His brothers and as worthy sons of Mary, if we carry out His Will in all things. It is not always easy to do this. It is not easy, when we are strongly tempted to commit sins of pride, anger or impurity. It is not easy, when we are overcome by sorrow or by sickness, when we are let down or misunderstood by others, when we are in want and, when we feel that we are collapsing beneath the weight of our cross. At times like these, we should pray for Mary’s spirit of complete acceptance of the Will of God.”
Quote/s of the Day – 11 October – Feast of the Divine Maternity
“Mary, having merited to give flesh to the Divine Word and thus, supply the price of our redemption that we might be delivered from eternal death, therefore, she is more powerful than all others, to help us gain eternal life.”
St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace
“The One Who is the Wisdom of the Father, put His arms around her neck, the One Who is the strength, which gives movement to everything, sat in her arms. He, Who is the rest of souls, (Mt 11:29) rested on her motherly breast. … Filled with the Holy Spirit, she held Him close to her heart … She never had enough of seeing Him or of hearing Him … Thus Mary, grew evermore in love and her mind was unceasingly attached , to Divine contemplation.”
St Amadeus of Lausanne (1108-1159) Bishop (Homily on the Motherhood of Mary, 4).
“Wherefore, in the same holy bosom of His most chaste Mother, Christ took to Himself flesh and united to Himself, the spiritual Body formed by those who were to believe in Him. Hence Mary, carrying the Saviour within her, may be said, to have also carried, all those. whose life was contained in the life of the Saviour. Therefore, all we who are united to Christ and, as the Apostle says, are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones (Eph 5:30), have issued from the womb of Mary, like a body united to it’s head.”
St Pius X (1835-1914) Pope from 1903 to 1914 Encyclical “Ad diem illum laetissimum” #10-11
Alma Redemptoris Mater Loving Mother of the Redeemer By Bl Herman of Reichenau (1013–1054)
Loving Mother of the Redeemer! Hear thou thy people’s cry, Star of the deep and portal of the sky! Mother of Him Who thee from nothing made, Sinking we strive and call to thee for aid; Oh, by that joy which Gabriel brought to thee, Thou Virgin first and last, let us thy mercy see.
One Minute Reflection – 11 October – Feast of the Divine Maternity – Ecclesiasticus 24:23-31, Luke 2:43-51 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“He went down with them and came to Nazareth and was obedient to them and His mother kept all these things in her heart.” – Luke 2:51
REFLECTION – “Consider the most prudent woman Mary, Mother of true Wisdom, as the pupil of her Son. For she learned from Him, not as from a child or man but, as from God. Yes, she dwelt in meditation on His words and actions. Nothing of what was said or done by Him, fell idly on her mind. As before, when she conceived the Word itself, in her womb, so now, does she hold within her, His ways and words, cherishing them, as it were, in her heart. That which she now beholds in the present, she waits to have revealed with greater clarity, in the future. This practice she followed as a rule and law through all her life.” – St Bede the Venerable(673-735) Father and Doctor of the Church (Exposition of the Gospel of Luke).
PRAYER – O God, Who, by the message of an Angel, willed to take flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, grant that we, Thy suppliants, who believe her to be truly the Mother of God, maybe assisted by her intercession with Thee.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).
Our Morning Offering – 11 October – Feast of the Divine Maternity
Mother of Salvation, Blessed Lady By Anselm (1033-1109) Magnificent Doctor Marian Doctor
Mother of Salvation, Blessed Lady, you are the Mother of Justification and those who are justified; the Mother of Reconciliation and those who are reconciled; the Mother of Salvation and those who are saved. What a blessed trust and what a secure refuge! The Mother of God is our Mother. The Mother of the One in Whom alone, we hope and Whom alone, we fear, is our Mother! … The One Who partook of our nature and by restoring us to life, made us children of His Mother, invites us by this grace, to proclaim that we are His brothers and sisters. Therefore, our Judge, is also our Brother. The Saviour of the world, is our Brother. Our God has become – through Mary – our Brother! Anen
Saint of the Day – 11 October – Blessed James Grissinger OP (c 1407-1491) “The Innocent,” Lay Brother of the Order of Preachers, Artist of Religous imagery, especially stained glass, former Soldier. Born in 1407 at Ulm, Swabia (modern Germany) and died on 11 October 1491, aged 84, in Bologna, Italy of natural causes. Also known as – James Griesinger, James of Ulm.
The Roman Martyrology reads: “In Bologna, blessed Giacomo da Ulm Grissinger, a religious of the Order of Preachers, who, although unlearned, he was a skilled decorator of stained glass windows and for fifty years, offered everyone an example of dedication to work and prayer.”
James, born in Ulm in 1407, had since childhood in his family, the Grissingers, the most precious examples of Christian piety. After a period as a Soldier, being unhappy in that life, at 25 years of age, with the blessing of his parents, from the banks of the Danube, he set out as a pilgrim to Rome to venerate the tombs of the Holy Apostles.
After various wanderings, he passed through Bologna, where he stopped for some time. His favourite destination was the tomb of St Domenic and here, during his devoted visits, he felt a strong inspiration to embrace the Order.
Although he was not completely uneducated, he asked and obtained, in 1441, to be admitted among the lay brothers. Candid and sensitive soul, he understood and knew how to fully implement his holy vocation.
His prayer touched ecstasy and he was often seen surrounded by light But although his heart was foreign to the earth, his hands were always ready to work and to render any humble service with that amiable smile that opens hearts. He was skilled in the art of painting glass, so much so that excellent works remain in remembrance of him. for the benefit of souls.
It is said that one day, while he supervised the firing of some painted glass, the Prior commanded him to go in search of alms. The Blessed one, without opening his mouth, went to fulfill the task in holy obedience. On his return, instead of finding the glass incinerated, as was to be expected, he found them cooked to the right point, by the Divine intercession at which he marvelled in thanksgiving.
He always kept his Baptismal innocence and, having expired his blessed soul, on 11 October 1491, his candour seemed to be communicated also to his body, which shone with celestial light.
On 3 August 1825, Pope Leo XII confirmed his cult. His relics, are preserved in St Domeni’s Basilica in Bologna,
Feast of the Divine Maternity – Second Sunday in October or 11 October:
The object of this feast is to commemorate the dignity of the Mary as Mother of God. Mary is truly the Mother of Christ, who in One Person unites the Human and Divine Nature. This title was solemnly ratified by the Council of Ephesus on 22 June, 431. It was long celebrated in Portugal, where the Maternity of Our Lady was declared a feast on 22 January in 1751, at the request of King Joseph Manuel. The feast, granted to the Dioceses of Portugal, Brazil, and Algeria, was assigned to the first Sunday in May. In the following year it was extended to the Province of Venice; in 1778, to the Kingdom of Naples; in 1807, to Tuscany. It was finally instituted in 1931 by Pope Pius XI in view of the fifteenth Centenary of the Council of Ephesus. At the same time the Pope ordered, at his own cost, the restoration of the Marian mosaics in Saint Mary Major, much decayed through age. He issued an encyclical letter, “Lux veritatis.”In this, among the objects of the new festival, is named one truth that was particularly close to the heart of Pius XI, “…that Mary, who is loved and revered so warmly by the separated Christians of the East, would not suffer them to wander and be unhappily led further away from the unity of the Church and, therefore, from her Son, whose Vicar on earth we are.” At present the feast is not found in the Universal Calendar of the Church but nearly all Diocesan calendars have adopted it.
St Agilbert of Paris
St Alexander Sauli CRSP (1534-1592) Bishop “The Apostle of Corsica,” Clerk Regular of the Congregation of Saint Paul (The Barnabites) – St Alexander is referred to as “The Second Founder,” Missionary, Writer, Teacher of philosophy and theology at the University of Pavia, Reformer, Evangeliser, Confessor, Superior-General of the Barnabites in 1565. In addition, St Alexander Sauli was both friend, advisor and spiritual comfort to St Charles Borromeo, who held him in very high esteem. His Life: https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/11/saint-of-the-day-11-october-saint-alexander-sauli-crsp-1534-1592/
St Anastasius V St Anastasius the Apocrisarius St Andronicus of Ephesus St Andronicus the Soldier St Ansilio St Bruno the Great St Canice St Digna of Sicily St Dionisio de Santarem St Emilian of Rennes St Ethelburgh of Barking St Eufridus St Firminus of Uzes St Germanus of Besancon St Gratus of Oloron St Guiadenzio of Gniezno
Blessed James Grissinger OP (c 1407-1491) Lay brother of the Order of Preachers, Artist of Religous imagery. St Juliana of Pavilly St Nectarius of Constantinople St Philip the Deacon St Philonilla St Placid St Placidia St Probus of Side St Santino of Verdun St Sarmata St Taracus of Cladiopolis St Zenaides
Martyrs of Vilcassin – 4 Saints: Four Christians who were Martyred together. We know little more than the names – Nicasius, Pienza, Quirinus and Scubicolus. Their martyrdom occurred in Vexin Lugdunense territory of Gaul (modern Vilcassin, France), date unknown.
Martyrs of Sicily: A group of eight Christians who were Martyred together. We know little more than the names – • Ampodus, • Anastasius, • Faustus, • Januarius, • Jovinian, • Marcellus, • Martialis and • Placidus. They died in Sicily, Italy,
Martyrs of Vilcassin: Four Christians who were Martyred together. We know little more than the names – Nicasius, Pienza, Quirinus and Scubicolus. They died in the Vexin Lugdunense territory of Gaul (modern Vilcassin, France).
Thought for the Day – 10 October – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
“Month of the Holy Rosary” The Third Sorrowful Mystery The Crowning with Thorns
“By the Crowning with Thorns, Jesus wished to make special reparation for sins of thought – thoughts of impurity and of hatred, thoughts of ambition, of anger and revenge and, thoughts of despair. The evil thought is often the beginning of the greatest sins. It is essential to resist immediately and resolutely – before the thought takes hold of us and arouses our evil instincts and desires. When we are tormented by bad thoughts, let us look at Jesus, Crowned with Thorns and ask Him for the grace to resist generously and successfully.”
Quote/s of the Day – 10 October – St Francis Borgia SJ (1510-1572) Confessor
“He who desires to consecrate himself to God must, in the first place, trample under his feet, all regard for what others will say of him. O my God, why do we not ask what Jesus Christ or His holy Mother, will think of our conduct?”
“Wherever our brethren may be, let their first care be, for those already converted. Their first aim must be, to strengthen these in the faith and to help them save their souls. After this, they may convert others not yet Baptised.”
(Excerpt from his correspondence, as Master General of the Order, to the Jesuit Missionaries he had sent to the Spanish colonies in Florida, Mexico and Peru.)
“This beast, (so he often called his body) “must suffer ,to expiate the delight it formerly took, in immoderately flattering its palate and can I forget, that Christ drank gall for me on His Cross!”
One Minute Reflection – 10 October – St Francis Borgia SJ (1510-1572) Confessor, Priest of the Society of Jesus, – Ecclesiasticus 45:1-6, Matthew 19:27-29 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“And everyone who has left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for My Name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold and shall possess life everlasting.” – Matthew 19:29
REFLECTION – “The Apostle Paul said: “Take off the old self with its practices and put on the new self” (Col 3,9-10)… This was the work Christ accomplished when He called Levi; He refashioned him into a new man. Similarly, it is as a new person that the former publican prepares a banquet for Christ, since Christ takes pleasure in him and he ,himself merits, to have a share in happiness, with Christ… He followed Him now, happy, lighthearted and overflowing with joy.
“I have the aspect of a publican no more,” he said, “I do not carry around the old Levi, any longer, I put off Levi when I put on Christ. I flee from my earlier life, my Lord Jesus, Thou alone, Who heals my wounds, I desire to follow. Who shall separate me from the love of God within Thee? tribulation? anguish? hunger? (Rom 8,35). I am bound to Thee by faith as by nails, I am held fast by the worthy bonds of love. All Thy commandments will be like a cautery which I will apply firmly to my wound – the remedy stings but it takes away the ulcerous infection. Lord Jesus, with Thy powerful sword, cut away the corruption of my sins, come quickly, lance my hidden and varied passions. Purge away all infection in the new bath.
Listen to me, you people who are fixed to the earth, you whose thoughts are intoxicated by your sins. I, Levi, was also wounded by similar passions. But I found a Doctor Who dwells in Heaven and pours out His remedies on earth. He, alone, can cure my wounds, since He, Himself, has none. He alone can remove the heart’s pain and the soul’s lethargy, for He knows everything that lies hidden.” – St Ambrose (c.340-397) Bishop of Milan and Father and Doctor of the Church (Commentary on Saint Luke’s Gospel, 5, 23.27).
PRAYER – O Lord Jesus Christ, model of true humility and its reward, we beseech Thee, that as Thou made blessed Francis one of Thy glorious imitators, by his contempt for earthly honours, grant us to follow his example and to share in his glory. 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).
Our Morning Offering – 10 October – St Francis Borgia SJ (1510-1572) Confessor
Suscipe By St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)
Take, Lord and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will, All I have and call my own. You have given all to me. To You, Lord, I return it. Everything is Yours, do with it what You will. Give me only Your love and Your grace, that is enough for me. Amen
Saint of the Day – 10 October – St Francis Borgia SJ (1510-1572) Confessor, Priest of the Society of Jesus, Advisor, Missionary, Evangelist, Administrator par excelleance. Francisco de Borja y Aragon was the 4th Duke of Gandía, was a Grandee of Spain, a Spanish Jesuit and third Superior General of the Society of Jesus
“St Francis instituted at his Court, before he entered the religious life, the veneration of the Saints of the Month. Every Catholic, besides worshipping the Almighty, ought to honour the Saints. We should especially honour the Divine Mother, as the Queen of all the Saints, then, the foster-father of Christ, St Joseph and further,, our Guardian Angel and Patron Saint. Besides this, we ought to select some special Patrons, for whom we feel particular esteem and love. It is also very beneficial, to adopt the practice of the “Monthly Patrons.” This consists in selecting, on the last day of every month, a Saint whose festival will be celebrated during the following month. Daily should he be invoked and honoured. If possible his life should be read and something from it, be selected for imitation. We may also approach the Sacraments on his festival, or on the Sunday after it and employ a little more time than usual, in good works. It is known, that several great servants of God, at the end of their days, called upon the Saints whom they had honoured as their Monthly Patrons during life and it cannot be doubted, that they received benefit and comfort. “Everyone,” says St Bonaventure, “ought to venerate an especial Saint with great devotion. To him, he ought daily, to commend himself and practise some good work, in his honoru.” By Fr Francis Xavier Weninger SJ (1805-1888)
Because the life of St Francis Borgia is rather long for one post, I post below, a part of it on his childhood and youth. Hopefully, we do not have to wait a year before I add to it. It is excerpted from the Lives of the Saints by Fr Alban Butler (1711-1773.)
St Francis Borgia, Fourth Duke of Gandia and Third General of the Jesuits, was son to John Borgia, Duke of Gandia and Grandee of Spain and of Joanna of Arragon, daughter of Alphonso, natural son to Ferdinand V King of Arragon … who was the great-grandfather to our Saint. The family of Borgia or Borja, had long flourished in Spain but in 1455, received a new lustre, by the exaltation of Cardinal Alphonso Borgia to the Pontificate, under the name of Calixtus III.
St Francis was born in 1510, at Gandia, a town which was the chief seat of the family, in the Kingdom of Valencia. His pious mother had a great devotion to St Francis of Assisi and, in the pangs of a dangerous labour, made a vow that if she brought forth a son, he should be called Francis.
As soon as he began to speak, his parents taught him to pronounce the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, which he used often to repeat with wonderful seriousness. At five years of age he recited, everyday on his knees, the chief parts of the Catechism. All his diversion was to set up pious pictures, make little altars, imitate the ceremonies of the Church and teach them to the little boys, who were his pages. From the cradle he was mild, modest, patient and affable to all. The noble sentiments of gratitude and generosity, which he then began to discover, were certain presages of an innate greatness of soul – the former being inseparable from a goodness of heart and the latter, when regulated by prudence and charity, being the greatest virtue of a Prince, who is raised above others, only that he may govern and do good to mankind.
Francis, at seven years of age, could read his mother tongue and the Latin Office of the Blessed Virgin very distinctly. His father, therefore, thought it time for him to learn writing and grammar, for which purpose he appointed him a preceptor of known prudence, learning and piety, who was called Dr.Ferdinand. At the same time, he was furnished with a governor, whose business it was, at different hours, to fashion the young Prince to the exercises that were suitable to his birth, in proportion as his age was capable of them. It was the first care of the parents, in the choice of the masters whom they placed about their son, that they were persons of uncommon piety, whose example might be a continual lesson of virtue and whose instructions, should all ultimately tend to the grafting, in his mind, true sentiments of morality and religion, without which all other accomplishments, lose their value.
St Francis Borgia assists at the death of a impenitent by Goya
Before he was ten years old , Francis began to take wonderful delight in hearing sermons and spent much time in practising devotions, being tenderly affected to the Passion of our Divine Redeemer, which he honoured with certain daily exercises. In his tenth year, his pious mother fell dangerously ill; on which occasion, Francis, shutting himself up in his chamber, prayed for her with abundance of tears. This was the first time he used that practice of mortification, which he afterwards frequently made a part of his penance. It pleased God that the Duchess died of that distemper in 1520. This loss cost Francis many tears, though he moderated his grief by his entire resignation to the Divine will. Her pious counsels had always been to him a great spur to virtue and he took care never to forget them.
At that time, Spain was filled with tumults and insurrections of the common people, against the regency. The rebels, taking advantage of the absence of the young King, Charles V.(who was then in Germany, where he had been chosen Emperor,) plundered the houses of the nobility in the Kingdom of Valencia and made themselves masters of the town of Gandia. The Duke fled with his whole family. Going to Saragossa, he left his son Francis, then twelve years old, under the care of the Archbishop, John of Arragon, who was his uncle, being brother to his deceased mother. The Archbishop made up a household for his nephew and provided him with masters in grammar, music,and fencing, which he had begun to learn. The young nobleman laboured at the same time, to improve daily in grace and in every virtue.
At the age of fifteen, Francis was sent to Tordesillas, to be taken into the family and service of the Infanta Catharine, sister to Charles V. who was soon after to be married to John III. King of Portugal. The marriage was accomplished in 1525 but when the Infanta went into Portugal, the Duke of Gandia, who had greater plans for his son in Spain, recalled him, and engaged the Archbishop of Saragossa to re-assume the care of his education. When he had finished rhetoric, Francis studied philosophy for two years under an excellent master, with extraordinary diligence and applause. …
By the eighteenth year of his age, Francis had strong inclinations to entera religious state. … But in 1528, his father and uncle, to divert his thoughts from a religious life, removed him from Saragossa to the Court of Charles V. , where they hoped his thoughts would take a different turn. He considered his duty to his Prince, as his duty to God and although he willingly accepted, every mark of his Prince’s regard for him, he was very solicitous in all things to refer himself, his actions,and whatever he received from God, purely to the Divine honour. … (TO BE CONTINUED …)
St Aldericus St Cassius St Cerbonius of Populonia St Cerbonius of Verona St Clarus of Nantes Bl Demestrius of Albania Bl Edward Detkens St Eulampia St Eulampius St Florentius the Martyr St Fulk of Fontenelle St Gereon St Gundisalvus Bl Hugh of Macon
Bl Pedro de Alcantara de Forton de Cascajares St Pinytus of Crete Bl Pontius de Barellis St Tanca St Teodechilde St Victor of Xanten
Martyrs of Ceuta – 7 Beati: A group of seven Franciscan Friars Minor missionaries to Muslims in the Ceuta area of modern Morocco. Initially treated as madmen, within three weeks they were ordered to convert to Islam and when they would not they were first abused in the streets, then arrested, tortured and executed. • Angelo • Daniele di Calabria • Donnolo • Hugolinus • Leone • Nicola • Samuele They were beheaded in 1227 in Mauritania Tingitana (Ceuta, Morocco). Local Christians secreted the bodies away and gave them proper burial in Ceuta. They were Beatified in 1516 by Pope Leo X.
Thought for the Day – 9 October – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
“Month of the Holy Rosary” The Second Sorrowful Mystery The Scourging
“Tradition holds that Mary followed Jesus through the various stages of His Passion. It is impossible to believe that she would have abandoned Him in these tragic hours. She must, at least, have known of the cruel flogging which He endured and, while His body was being torn by lashes, she was most probably not far away, participating, by her maternal sorrow in her Son’s torment. Here, then, was a double Martyrdom – the Martyrdom of Blood and the Martyrdom of tears.
Life demands the shedding of blood and the shedding of tears! What are the motives which cause you sorrow in life? Are yours the tears of unsated ambition, of frustrated caprice, or of discouragement in times of trouble? Such tears are not worthy of a Christian. His, should be tears of repentance for his sins and tears of love for Jesus and Mary.”
Quote/s of the Day – 9 October – St John Leonardi (1541-1609) Confessor, Priest, Founder
“The medicine of God, is Jesus Christ, Crucified and Risen, the measure of all things.”
“Christ first of all, Christ in the centre of the heart, in the centre of history and of the cosmos. Humanity needs Christ intensely because, He is our “measure.” There is no realm, that cannot be touched by His strength; there is no evil, that cannot find remedy in Him, there is no problem, that cannot be solved in Him. Either Christ or nothing!”
“Those who want to work for moral reform in the world, must seek the glory of God before all else. Because He is the source of all good, they must wait for His help and pray for it, in this difficult and necessary undertaking.”
“Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy.”
One Minute Reflection – 9 October – St John Leonardi (1541-1609) Confessor, Priest, Founder – 1 Corinthians 1:4-8, Matthew9:1-8 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Which is easier to say: Thy sins are forgiven thee, or to say: Arise, and walk?” – Matthew 9:5
REFLECTION – “And people there brought to him a paralytic.” Saint Matthew merely says that this paralytic was carried to Jesus. Other Evangelists describe, how he was let down through an opening in the roof and placed before the Lord, without expressing any particular request, leaving it to Him to assess the needs …
“When Jesus saw their faith,” the Gospel says, that is to say, the faith of those who had brought the man to Him. Consider how sometimes Christ pays no attention to the faith of the sick person – perhaps because, the latter is incapable of it, being unconscious or possessed with an evil spirit. However, in this case, this paralytic had great trust in Jesus, otherwise, would he have allowed them to let him down in front of Him? Christ responds to this trust with an extraordinary miracle. With the power of God, He forgives this man’s sins. Thus He showed, that He is equal to the Father, a truth He had already shown, when He said to the leper: “I will do it – be made clean” (Mt 8:3) … and when, with a word, He stilled the tempestuous sea (Mt 8:26), or when, as God, He had cast out the demons who recognised in Him their ruler and their judge (Mt 8:32). So here, He shows His adversaries, to their great astonishment, that He is equal to the Father
And once more, the Saviour shows here, how He turns away from anything spectacular or a source of vainglory. On all sides the crowd is pressing Him, yet, He is in no hurry to work a visible miracle by healing the external paralysis of this man …. He begins with an invisible miracle – by healing the man’s soul. This kind of healing, is far more beneficial for him and, outwardly speaking, less glorious for Christ.” – St John Chrysostom (345-407) Priest at Antioch then Bishop of Constantinople, Father and Doctor of the Church – homilies on Saint Matthew’s Gospel, no. 29, 1.
PRAYER – O God, Who in a wondrous way graciously urged blessed John, Thy Confessor, to propagate Thy faith among the pagans and through him brought together a new religious family in Thy Church for the education of the faithful, grant Thy servants, so to profit by his teaching that we may reach everlasting rewards. 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 October – The Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost
O Jesus, Sweetest Love, Come Thou to Me (1940) By Fr Francis Xavier Lasance (1860–1946)
O JESUS, sweetest Love, come Thou to me. Come down in all Thy beauty unto me. Thou Who didst die for longing of me And never, never more depart from me. Free me, O beauteous God, from all but Thee; Sever the chain that holds me back from Thee; Call me, O tender Love, I cry to Thee; Thou art my all! O bind me close to Thee. O suffering Love, Who hast so loved me; O patient Love, Who wearies not of me. Thou alone O Love! Thou weary not of me! Ah! Weary not till I am lost in Thee, Nay, weary not, till I am found in Thee. Amen
Saint of the Day – 9 October – St John Leonardi (1541-1609) Confessor, Priest, Founder. Patron of Pharmacists.
Saint John Leonardi was born in 1541 in Diecimo, in the Province of Lucca, Italy. He was the youngest of seven children and was raised in his Catholic faith. His family was industrious and John was the same. Throughout his adolescence, John spent a lot of time working hard in a shop of herbs and medicines that was located in his home town. When he was seventeen years old, his father had enrolled him in a regular course in Pharmacy training in Lucca, with plans for him to be a future Pharmacist. John agreed to follow this path and worked very diligently to achieve his goals.
After studying for more than a decade, John was able to open his own Pharmacy shop, however, he did not think the moment had arrived for him to fulfil a plan that he always had in his heart. After a mature reflection and much prayer, he decided to enter the Priesthood. He left his career as a Pharmacist and began taking theological formation courses.
On the Feast of the Epiphany in 1572, John was Ordained a Priest and celebrated his first Mass. As a Priest, John realised how his passion for Pharmaceutics had helped him in his vocation. With his Pharmacist background, he was able to help people discover “the medicine of God,” which is Jesus Christ Crucified and Risen, “measure of all things.” He firmly believed that all people needed this medicine and he desired to “start anew from Christ,” as he often said. He spent a lot of time working in hospitals and prisons and spreading “the medicine of God” to these people.
John knew that the fundamental reason for his existence, was his personal relationship with Jesus Christ in order to save his own soul and because of this conviction, he knew that Christ took primacy over everything in his life. This conviction helped him live out his Priestly vocation. John decided to dedicate himself with enthusiasm to the apostolate among the youth, through the Company of Christian Doctrine. On 1 September 1574, he founded the Congregation of Reformed Priests of the Blessed Virgin, later known as the Order of Clerks Regular of the Mother of God. He encouraged his disciples to have “before the mind’s eye only the honour, service and glory of Christ Jesus Crucified” and, like a good Pharmacist, accustomed to giving out medicines, according to careful measurements, he would add: “Raise your hearts to God a bit more and measure things with him.” He chose the Blessed Mother to be the Patroness of his Order because he had a strong devotion to her. He always kept his gaze on our Lady and she was his teacher, sister and mother, who protected him and led him closer to Jesus Christ.
During his Priestly life, the Church was under spiritual renewal and many new religious institutes were forming. In May 1605, John sent Pope Paul V a report, in which he suggested the criteria for a genuine renewal of the Church. He explained that “whoever wishes to carry out a serious moral and religious reform, must make first of all, like a good doctor, a careful diagnosis of the evils that beset the Church, so as to be able to prescribe, for each of them, the most appropriate remedy.” He knew what the real medicine was for these spiritual evils and he explained it by saying, “Christ first of all, Christ in the centre of the heart, in the centre of history and of the cosmos. Humanity needs Christ intensely because, He is our ‘measure.’ There is no realm that cannot be touched by His strength; there is no evil that cannot find remedy in Him, there is no problem that cannot be solved in Him. Either Christ or nothing!” This was John’s prescription for every type of spiritual and social reform.
John was also very much concerned with the Christian formation of the people, especially the young. He educated them in the purity of the Christian faith and in holy practices. John spent his entire life working hard to purify the Church and to evangelisie the world. His apostolic zeal and all of his evangelical efforts, led him to be one of the Founders of the College for the Propagation of the Faith.
On 9 October 1609, he passed away from influenza, which he contracted while he was giving himself to the care of all those, who had been stricken by the epidemic,in the Roman quarter of Campitelli. He was venerated for his miracles and religious fervour and was Canonised in 1938 by Pope Pius XI.
AnaStpaul 
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