Thought for the Day – 22 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Nature and Grace
“Two extremes must be avoided in the relationship between nature and grace. The first is that of the regorists, who see, in human nature, nothing but confusion and the propensity towards evil and, therefore, advocate an iron domination completely lacking in any understanding of human frailty. They believe that perfection must be achieved swiftly, by means of the most ferocious privations and penance. This excessively severe approach to the spiritual life, can lead to discouragement and eventual collapse.
The way of perfection is an ascending ladder, which must be climbed, step-by-step. Falls must be expected but it is necessary to rise again at once, with renewed courage, knowing that when we reach the top, we shall find rest and peace.
The other extreme is an attitude of superficial ease. There is no emphasis on the necessity of grace, nor on the need for prayer and faithful co-operatin with God’s grace, in order to perform good works. Instead, there is a kid of natural decency and lukewarm virtue, which, ignores the necessity for mortification and the spirit of sacrifice. Anyone who sets out on this path, can never be a fervent and active Catholic.”
Quote/s of the Day – 22 July – St Mary Magdalen (1st Century) Penitent – Song 3:2-5; 8:6-7, Luke 7:36-50.
“Wherefore I say to you, her sins, many as they are, shall be forgiven her because she has loved much. But he, to whom little is forgiven, loves little.”
Luke 7:47
“A servant of the Lord stands bodily before men but mentally, he is knocking at the gates of Heaven. with prayer.”
St John Climacus (c 525-606) Father of the Church
“Place all your trust in God, let Him be your fear and your love. He will answer for you, He will do what is best for you. You have here no lasting home. You are a stranger and a pilgrim wherever you may be and you shall have no rest, until you are wholly united with Christ. Why do you look about here when this is not the place of your repose?”
Thomas à Kempis CRSA (1380-1471)
“To magnify her Royal Lover still further, the soul must have eyes only for Him, in other words, with an ever-growing, anxiously eager attentiveness. the soul must study all the details of His beauty, His perfections, must keep on discovering motives for finding ever-increasing gratification in the ineffable Beauty with which it is in love.”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church
“Love tends towards an intimate union with the person loved and does not rest, until this union is achieved. This is the unity of love. “It is now, no longer I that live,” exclaimed St Paul, “but Christ lives in me” (Gal 2:20). If only we could succeed in achieving such a complete and lasting union with God, any sacrifice would seem easy and we should certainly grow in sanctity.”
One Minute Reflection – 22 July – “The Month of the Precious Blood” – St Mary Magdalen (1st Century) Penitent – Song 3:2-5; 8:6-7, Luke 7:36-50.
“She began to bathe His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed is feet and anointed them with ointment.” – Luke 7:38
REFLECTION – “With her hands of good works, she holds the feet of those who preach His Kingdom. She washes them with tears of charity, kisses them with praising lips and pours out the whole ointment of mercy, until He will turn her. This means that He will come back to her and say to Simon, to the Pharisees, to those who deny, to the nation of the Jews, “I came into your house. You gave me no water for my feet.”
When will He speak these words? He will speak them when He will come in the Majesty of His Father and separate the righteous from the unrighteous, like a shepherd who separates the sheep from the goats. He will say, “I was hungry and you did not give me to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me no drink. I was a stranger and you did not take me in.” This is equivalent to saying, “But this woman, while she was bathing my feet, anointing them and kissing them, did to the servants, what you did not do for the Master.” She did for the feet, what you refused to the Head. She expended upon the lowliest members, what you refused to your Creator. Then He will say to the Church, “Your sins, many as they are, are forgiven you because you have loved much.”– St Peter Chrysologus (c 400-450) Bishop of Ravenna, Father and “Doctor of Homilies” (Sermon 95).
PRAYER – May the prayers of blessed Mary Magdalen help us, O Lord, Who was moved by her prayers, her love and peniteance, that we too may learn true repentance and sorrow for our sins..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 – 22 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood” – St Mary Magdalen (1st Century) Penitent
Act of Contrition By St Alphonsus Maria Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
My Lord Jesus Christ, You have made this journey to die for me, with love unutterable and I have so many times unworthily abandoned You but now I love You with my whole heart and because I love You, I repent sincerely for having ever offended You. Pardon me, my God and permit me to accompany You on this journey. You go to die for love of me, I wish also, my beloved Redeemer, to die for love of Thee. My Jesus, I will live and die always united to You. Amen
Saint of the Day – 22 July – St Joseph of Palestine (Died c 356) Layman, Convert from Judaism, a contemporary of Emperor Constantine, a Rabbinical scholar, member of the Sanhedrin and a disciple of Hillel II. Following his conversion, Emperor Constantine gave him the rank of Count, appointed him as supervisor of the Churches in Palestine and gave him permission to build Churches in the Galilee. Patronages – converts, guardians. Also known as – Count Joseph, sJoseph of Tiberias.
This is not St Joseph, of whom there are no representations in art. This is a young Rabbinical Scholar.
After the destruction of Jerusalem, the Jews erected two academies, the one at Babylon, the other at Tiberias, a City on the lake of Genesareth, rebuilt by Herod, in honour of the Emperor Tiberius. Both these schools flourished until the Saracen empire overran those countries. That of Tiberias produced the Massoretes or Massoretic doctors, so famous for the invention of the vowel points in the Hebrew tongue and their care, in preserving the genuine text of the Sacred Scriptures.
Although the Jews then retained no sort of jurisdiction or form of government, yet they chose one among their chief doctors, to whom they gave the title of patriarch or prince of the captivity. The most celebrated person who ever bore this honour among them, was Hillel, whose name is still in great veneration amongst the Jews and who was their most learned oracle and the principal founder and ornament of their academy at Tiberias. This Hillel, a few days before his death, sent for a Christian Bishop in the neighbourhood, under the character of a physician, who ordered a bath to be prepared in his chamber, as if it had been for his health and Baptised him in it. Hillel received the Divine Mysteries, and died.
Joseph, one of his assistants, called Apostoli, whose life we are writing, was witness to this secret transaction and, having always been the confidant of Hillel, had the care of his son Judas, who succeeded him in the dignity of patriarch of the Jews. Joseph found the Holy Gospels in Hillel’s treasures and read them with incredible pleasure.
The young patriarch fell into evil ways and employed magical arts, to seduce a Christian woman but the Sign of the Cross made his charms of no effect. Joseph was surprised to hear this prodigy. He seemed in a dream one night, to see Christ and to hear from His mouth these words: “I am Jesus whom thy fathers Crucified; believe in Me.”
He relished our Holy Faith more than ever,and going into Cilicia to collect the tenths (tithes) for the patriarch, he borrowed again the Holy Gospels. The Jews, already dissatisfied with his conduct, finding him with this Holy Book, dragged him to their synagogue and cruelly scourged him. They were preparing worse treatment for him, when the Bishop rescued him out of their hands. Joseph having already begun to suffer for Christ, was soon disposed to receive Baptism.
Constantine the Great became master of the East in 323. He gave Joseph the title and rank of Count, with authority to build Churches all over Palestine, wherever he should judge proper. Joseph began to raise one at Tiberias. The Jews employed many artifices to hinder the work and stopped his lime-kilns from burning by enchantments but he, making the Sign of the Cross upon a vessel of water and invoking the Name of Jesus, poured it on the kilns and the fire instantly burst forth and burned with great activity.
Count Joseph showed no less zeal against the Arians than against the Jews and both conspired together to persecute him;but he was protected by his dignity of Count, which gave him a superior command and authority. Joseph, however, when the Emperor Constantius persecuted the orthodox prelates, retired from Tiberias to the neighbouring City, Scythopolis, where, in 355, he lodged St Eusebius of Vercelli, banished by the Arians. His was the only Catholic house in that Town. He harboured many other illustrious servants of God and among the rest, St. Epiphanius, who had from his own mouth the particulars here related. Joseph was then seventy years of age. He died soon after, about the year 356. The Greeks and Latins both mention his name in their Martyrologies. St Joseph’s guardianship of holy writings and holy men led to his association with and patronage of guardians in general.
The only Marian Feast I can find for today seems to be unverified, in other words, I can find absolutely no references online relating to this invisible Shrine.There is also a Marian Title relating to the Orthodox Church which is not recognised by the Catholic Church.
St Baudry of Montfaucon St Claudius Marius Victorinus of Saussaye St Cyril of Antioch St Dabius St John Lloyd St Joseph of Palestine (Died c 356) Layman, Convert from Judaism St Lewine St Maria Wang Lishi St Meneleus of Ménat St Movean of Inis-Coosery St Pancharius of Besancon Bl Paolo de Lara
Martyrs of Marula/Massylis: – 3 Saints: Three Christians Martyred together. We know nothing else about them but the names – Ajabosus, Andrew and Elian. They were martyred in Massylis (Marula), Numidia (in modern Algeria).
Martyrs of Massilitani: A group of Christians Martyred together in northern Africa. Saint Augustine of Hippo wrote about them.
Thought for the Day – 21 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Our Dominant Passion
“Holy and God-fearing people know their own particular weakness. They accept it as a cross and will not rest until they have conquered it with God’s help, The battle cannot be won in a day but, in most cases, takes a great many years. Often the ultimate victory is not gained until the hour of death.
It has been said that self-love dies three days after ourselves! We are enormously attached to our own ego and humility is a very difficult virtue to acquire. Sometimes, we have struggled for years to gain it and quite suddenly, we meet with another disastrous fall. It would be easy to be overcome by discouragement at this stage but, this should not be allowed to happen. When we fall, we should say to God in our repentance: “It is good for me to be humbled.” To ourselves, we should say immediately: “Let us begin all over again.”
St Francis de Sales was endowed by nature with a sharp and hasty temperament, against which he fought for many years with great determination and reliance on God’s help. Finally, he conquered and came to regarded as an angel of peace. Nevertheless, even in the late years of his life, he still experienced inward tendencies towards anger, so that his exterior gentleness, was really a supreme act of victory!
Quote/s of the Day – 21 July – 1 Corinthians 7:25-3, Matthew 13:44-52
“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field; he who finds it, hides it and in his joy. goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”
Matthew 13:44
“For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.”
Luke 12:34
“We have had Your treasure hidden within us, ever since we received baptismal grace, it grows ever richer at Your sacramental table.”
St Ephrem (306-373) Father and Doctor of the Church
“O man, send your treasure on, send it ahead into Heaven, or else your God-given soul will be buried in the earth! Gold comes from the depth of the earth — the soul, from the highest Heaven. Clearly it is better ,to carry the gold to where the soul resides, than to bury the soul, in the mine of the gold. That is why God orders those who will serve in His Army here below, to fight as men stripped of concern for riches and unencumbered by anything.”
St Peter Chrysologus (c 400-450) “Doctor of Homilies” Father and Doctor of the Church
“Where is the heart that loves? On the thing it loves. Therefore, where our love is, there our heart is held captive. It cannot leave it; it cannot be lifted higher, it cannot go either to the right or the left; see, it is fixed. Where the miser’s treasure is, there is his heart and where our heart is, there is our treasure.”
One Minute Reflection – 21 July – “The Month of the Precious Blood” – the Memorial of St Praxedes of Rome, Virgin Martyr (Died 164) – 1 Corinthians 7:25-3, Matthew 13:44-52
“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. When he finds a single pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.” – Matthew13:45-46
REFLECTION – “For the man who loves God it is sufficient to please the One he loves; and, there is no greater recompense to be sought, than the loving itself. For love is from God, by the very fact, that God Himself is love. The good and chaste soul is so happy to be filled with Him that it desires to take delight in nothing else. For what the Lord says is very true: – ‘Where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.’
What is a man’s treasure but the heaping up of profits and the fruit of his toil? For whatever a man sows, this too will he reap and each man’s gain, matches his toil and where delight and enjoyment are found, there the heart’s desire is attached. Now there are many kinds of wealth and a variety of grounds for rejoicing – every man’s treasure is that, which he desires. If it is based on earthly ambitions, its acquisition makes men not blessed but wretched.
But those who enjoy the things that are above and eternal, rather than earthly and perishable, possess an incorruptible, hidden store, of which the prophet speaks: ‘Our treasure and salvation have come, wisdom and instruction and piety, from the Lord: these are the treasures of justice.’ Through these, with the help of God’s grace, even earthly possessions are transformed into heavenly blessings. It is a fact that many people use the wealth, which is either rightfully left to them or otherwise, acquired, as a tool of devotion. By distributing what might be superfluous to support the poor, they are amassing imperishable riches, so that what they have discreetly given, cannot be subject to loss. They have properly placed those riches, where their heart is, – it is a most blessed thing, to work to increase such riches, rather than to fear that they may pass away.” – St Pope Leo the Great (400-461) Bishop of Rome and Great Western Father and Doctor of the Church (An excerpt from Sermon 92).
PRAYER – Graciously hear us, O God our Saviour, that, as we rejoice in the festival of blessed Praxedes, Thy Virgin, so may we be nourished by the food of her heavenly teaching, as to be enlightened by the fervour of her dedicated holiness. 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 – 21 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood”
Heal Us Lord God By St Albert of Trapani O.Carm. (c 1240-1307)
O my God, You have created the human race by Your wonderful power. It is an act of Your clemency that has called us to share Your glory and eternal life. When the first sin condemned us to suffer death, out of Your goodness, You wished to redeem us through the Blood of Your Son, To unite us to Yourself through our faith and Your great mercy. You have brought us back from the shame of our sin, You have veiled our dishonour in the brightness of Your glory. Look now and see that what You have created, giving it subtle limbs and joints and made beautiful through its immortal soul, is now subject to the attack of Satan. Be pleased Lord to reconstitute Your work and heal it. May Your power be glorified and may the malice of the enemy be stunned. Amen
Saint of the Day – 21 July – St Daniel the Prophet (Died 5th-century BC). Daniel means ‘God is my Judge. One of the four Great Prophets in the Old Testament and the Writer of the book of Sacred Scripture which bears his name. Died 5th-century BC in Babylon of natural causes. Patronage – Ledeberg, Belgium.
Daniel was a noble Jewish youth of Jerusalem taken into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon, serving the king and his successors with loyalty and ability until the time of the Persian conqueror Cyrus, all the while remaining true to the God of Israel. Daniel is not a Prophet in Judaism but the rabbis regard him to be the most distinguished member of the Babylonian diaspora, unsurpassed in piety and good deeds, firm in his adherence to the Law ,despite being surrounded by enemies, who sought his ruin.
The canon of Sacred Scripture contains the Book of Daniel as part of the Old Testament. In it we hear the tale of Daniel and his three companions carried off to Babylon following the capture of the city by Nebuchadnezzar. They were to be trained in the court and are given new names. In observance of Jewish dietary law, they refuse the food and wine provided by the King.
St Daniel refusing to eat the food of the King
Daniel and his friends gain a reputation for great wisdom. In a number of instances Daniel is the only one who can interpret the dreams of the King, including a dream which foretells the fall of the King’s rule to the rule of the Medes and Persians. Under the new rule, Daniel is appointer to a high position; jealous rivals seek to destroy him by accusing him of worshiping God instead of the King. He is thrown into a den of lions where they assume he will be torn to pieces but he is rescued from the lions den through his trust in the Lord.
Daniel had a number of visions and in the New Testament ,in Matthew 24:15, Jesus recognises Daniel as a Prophet of God.
This statue at St. Daniel the Prophet Parish in Scottsdale depicts the Old Testament author with the lions that were used in an attempt to kill him. (Ambria Hammel/CATHOLIC SUN)
The last mention of Daniel in the Book of Daniel is in the third year of Cyrus (Daniel 10:1). Rabbinic sources suppose that he was still alive during the reign of the Persian King Ahasuer,us (better known as Artaxerxes – Babylonian Talmud, Megillah 15a, based on the Book of Esther 4, 5) but he was killed by Haman, the wicked Governor of Ahasuerus (Targum Sheini on Esther, 4, 11). The 1st century Jewish writer Josephus, reported that Daniel’s body lay in a tower in Ecbatana in Parthia, alongside the bodies of the Kings of the Medes and Persians; later Jewish authorities said he was buried in Susa and that near his house were hidden the vessels from the Temple of Solomon. Muslim sources reported that the Muslims had discovered his body, or possibly only a box containing his nerves and veins, together with a book, a jar of fat and a signet ring, engraved with the image of a man being licked by two lions. The corpse was reburied, and those who buried it decapitated it, to prevent them from revealing the spot.
Today six cities claim Daniel’s Tomb – Babylon, Kirkuk and Muqdadiyah in Iraq, Susa and Malamir in Iran and Samarkand in Uzbekistan. The most famous is that in Susa, (Shush, in southern Iran), at a site known as Shush-e Daniyal. According to Jewish tradition. the rich and poor of the city quarrelled over possession of the body and the bier was, therefore, suspended from a chain over the centre of the river. A house of prayer open to all who believed in God, was built nearby and fishing was prohibited for a certain distance up and down the river. Fish that swam in that section of the river had heads that glinted like gold and ungodly persons who entered the sacred precinct, would miraculously drown in the river. To this day the tomb is a popular site of pilgrimage.
The Archangel Gabriel visited Daniel:
The Archangel St Gabriel, appears to the Prophet Daniel and explains his visions (Daniel 8:15–26, 9:21–27). The Gospel of Luke relates the stories of the Annunciation, in which the angel Gabriel appears to Zechariah and the Virgin Mary, foretelling the births of St John the Baptist and Jesus, (Luke 1:11–38) (The Annunciation: Luke 1:26-45, 57-60).
Daniel 7:13–14
13 “I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. 14 Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations and languages, should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one, Which shall not be destroyed.”
St Daniel the Prophet (Died 5th-century BC) One of the four Great Prophets in the Old Testament and the Writer of the book of Sacred Scripture which bears his name.
St Barhadbescialas St Benignus of Moyenmoutier Bl Claudius of Avignon St Claudius of Troyes St Corona of Marceille Bl Cristóbal López de Valladolid Orea Bl Daniel Molini St Eleutherius of Marseille St Eternus of Evreaux Bl Gabriel Pergaud St Iosephus Wang Yumei St John of Edessa St John of Moyenmoutier Bl Juan de Las Varillas Bl Juan de Zambrana St Jucundinus of Troyes St Julia of Troyes St Justus of Troyes Bl Parthenius of Thessaly St Praxedes of Rome St Simeon Salus
Martyrs of Africa – 6 Saints: Six Christians who were Martyred together. We know no other details about them but the names – Emilian, Hugal, Motanus, Saphus, Stercorius and Victor. They were martyred in an unknown location in Africa, date unknown.
Thought for the Day – 20 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Our Passions
“It is a difficult thing to control and to direct our natural inclinations. It requires perseverance, sacrifice and the grace of God, for which we should always pray.
Often, this struggle will last a lifetime and we can still fall, even after many years of combat. It is important, however, never to give up. If we accept defeat and quietly submit to the tyranny of sinful passions, we are lost forever. It is a poor outlook too, for a Catholic who ends up by being satisfied with a life of worthless mediocrity. We must fight hard, pray fervently and value nothing higher than the love of Christ. When we are finally victorious, our joy will be greater than any happiness which the world can give.”
Quote/s of the Day – 20 July – “The Memorial of St Jerome Emiliani (1486–1537) Confessor – Isaias 58:7-11, Matthew 19:13-21
“God wishes to test you, like gold in the furnace. The dross is consumed by the fire but the pure gold remains and its value increases. It is in this manner that God acts with His good servant, who puts his hope in Him and remains unshaken in times of distress. God raises him up and, in return for the things he has left, out of love for God, He repays him a hundredfold in this life with eternal life hereafter.”
One Minute Reflection – 20 July – “The Memorial of St Jerome Emiliani (1486–1537) Confessor – Isaias 58:7-11, Matthew 19:13-21
“If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven.” – Matthew 19:21
REFLECTION – “After his parents’ death … when Anthony was about eighteen or even twenty years old …) he went into the Church when it happened that the Gospel was being read,and he heard the Lord saying to the rich man: “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven.” It was as if the passage were read on his account. Immediately Antony went out from the Lord’s house and gave to the townspeople the possessions he had from his forebears. And selling all the rest that was portable, when he collected sufficient money, he donated it to the poor, keeping a few things for his sister.
But when, entering the Lord’s house once more, he heard in the Gospel the Lord saying, “Do not be anxious about tomorrow” (Mt 6:34), he could not remain any longer but going out he gave those remaining possessions also to the needy. Placing his sister in the charge of respected and trusted virgins, and giving her over to the convent for rearing, he devoted himself from then on to the discipline rather than the household, giving heed to himself and patiently training himself ….
He worked with his hands, though, having heard that “he who is idle, let him not eat” (2 Thess 3:10). And he spent what he made partly for bread and partly on those in need. He prayed constantly, since he learned that it is necessary to “pray unceasingly” (Lk 21:36) in private. For he paid such close attention to what was read that nothing from Scripture did he fail to take in, rather, he grasped everything and in him the memory took the place of books. … All those then, who were from his village and those good people with whom he associated, seeing him living thus, used to call him ‘God-loved‘, and some hailed him as ‘son‘, some as ‘brother‘.” – St Athanasius (297-373) Bishop of Alexandria, Father and Doctor of the Church – Life of Saint Anthony, the Father of Monks, 2-4
PRAYER – O God, the Father of mercies, by the merits and intercession of St Jerome, whom Thou willed to be the helper and father of orphans, grant that we may faithfully guard the spirit of adoption which makes us Thy sons both in name and reality.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 – 20 July – The Memorial of St Jerome Emiliani (1486–1537) Confessor
O Mary, Twice Mother of Mercy By St Jerome Emiliani (1486–1537)
O Mary, thou art twice Mother of Mercy because thou hast been made Mother of our most merciful Saviour, and, furthermore because, thou hast given to us so many signs of thy maternal care and love. Turn upon us, we beseech thee, thy glance of compassion and grant, that we may always live free from sin, which is the only impediment to receiving the fruits of the Divine Mercies. Amen.
Saint of the Day – 20 July – St Jerome Emiliani (1486–1537) Confessor, Layman, Founder of the Somascan Fathers, Apostle of the poor, orphans, the sick, Catechist, Founder of countless Orphanages, Teaching institutions and Homes for converted street woman, Apostle of prayer. He was Beatified in 1747 by Pope Benedict XIV and Canonised in 1767 by Pope Clement XIII. Patronages – Orphans and Abandoned Children
Ca’Rezzonico – Cappella di Zianigo – San Girolamo Miani – Giandomenico Tiepolo
Jerome was bora at Venice, of the patrician family of the Emiliani and from his boyhood embraced a military life. At a time when the Republic was in great difficulty, he was placed in command of Castelnovo, in the territory of Quero, in the mountains of Tarviso. The fortress was taken by the enemy and Jerome was thrown, bound hand and foot, into a horrible dungeon. When he found himself thus destitute of all human aid, he prayed most earnestly to the Blessed Virgin, who mercifully came to his assistance. She loosed his bonds and led him safely through the midst of his enemies, who had possession of every road, till he was within sight of Tarviso. He entered the town; and, in testimony of the favour he had received, he hung up at the Altar of our Lady, to whose service he had vowed himself, the manacles, shackles and chains which he had brought with him.
On his return to Venice he gave himself with the utmost zeal to exercises of piety. His charity towards the poor was wonderful but he was particularly moved to pity, for the orphan children who wandered poor and dirty about the town. He received them into houses which he hired, where he fed them at his own expense and trained them to lead Christian lives.
At this time Blessed Cajetan and Peter Caraffa, who was afterwards Paul IV., disembarked at Venice. They commended Jerome’s spirit and his new institution for gathering orphans together. They also introduced him into the hospital for incurables, where he would be able to devote himself with equal charity to the education of orphans and to the service of the sick. Soon, at their suggestion, he crossed over to the Continent and founded orphanages, first at Brescia, then at Bergamo and Como. At Bergamo his zeal was specially prolific, for there, besides two orphanages, one for boys and one for girls, he opened a house, an unprecedented thing in those parts, for the reception of fallen women, who had been converted.
Finally he took up his abode at Somascha, a small village in the territory of Bergamo, near to the Venetian border and this he made his headquarters; here, too, he definitely established his Congregation, which, for this reason, received the name of Somasques. In course of time it spread and increased and, for the greater benefit of the Christian Republic, it undertook, besides the ruling and guiding of orphans and the taking care of Sacred buildings, the education, both secular and moral, of young men in Colleges, Academies and Seminaries.
Somasques. Italy
Pius V. enrolled it among religious Orders and other Roman Pontiffs have honoured it with privileges. Entirely devoted to his work of rescuing orphans, Jerome journeyed to Milan and Pavia and in both Cities, he collected numbers of children and provided them, through the assistance given him by noble personages, with a home, food, clothing and education. He returned to Somascha and, making himself all to all, he refused no labour which he saw might turn to the good of his neighbour. He associated himself with the peasants scattered over the fields and while helping them, with their work of harvesting, he would explain to them the mysteries of faith. He used to take care of children with the greatest patience, even going so far as to cleanse their heads and he dressed the corrupt wounds of the village folk, with such success, that it was thought he had received the gift of healing. In 1928 Pope Pius XI proclaimed St Jerome as the Universal Heavenly Patron of Orphans and abandoned children.
On the mountain which overhangs Somascha, he found a cave in which he hid himself and there, scourging himself, spending whole days fasting, passing the greater part of the night in prayer and snatching only a short sleep on the bare rock, he expiated his own sins and those of others. In the interior of this grotto, water trickles from the dry rock, obtained, as constant tradition says, by the prayers of the Servant of God. It still flows, even to the present day and being taken into different countries, it often gives health to the sick.
At length, when a contagious distemper was spreading over the whole valley and he was serving the sick and carrying the dead to the grave, on his own shoulders, he caught the infection and died at the age of fifty-six. His precious death, which he had foretold a short time before, occurred in the year 1537. He was illustrious both in life and death for many miracles. Benedict XIV. enrolled him among the Blessed,and Clement XIII. solemnly inscribed his name on the catalogue of the Saints.
Bl Anne Cartier St Ansegisus St Aurelius of Carthage St Bernward of Hildesheim St Cassian of Saint Saba St Elijah the Prophet
St Elswith St Frumentius of Ethiopia
Blessed Gregory Lopez (1542-1596) “The Mystery Man” – Hermit, Spiritual Advisor, Writer. Around 1585, word of a “Mystery Man” began to leak into Mexico City, a strange hermit who lived out in the lonely valley of Guesteca, who walked miles to go to Mass, lived totally subject to “Lady Poverty” and had travelled from the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Spain (which dates from 712), to her Shrine in Mexico (which dates from 1531). Biography: https://anastpaul.com/2018/07/20/saint-of-the-day-20-july-blessed-gregory-lopez-1542-1596/
St Joseph Barsabbas the Just (1st Century) Disciple of Jesus, Bishop, Martyr. The Roman Martyrology states today: “The birthday of the blessed Joseph, surnamed the Just, whom the Apostles selected with the blessed Matthias, for the Apostleshop in the place of the traitor, Judas. The lot having fallen upon Matthias, Joseph, notwithstanding, continued to preach and advance in virtue and after having sustained from the Jews, many persecutions for the Faith of Christ, happoily ended his life in Judea.” His Life and Death: https://anastpaul.com/2021/07/20/saint-of-the-day-20-july-saint-joseph-barsabbas-the-just-1st-century-disciple-of-jesus/
St Mère St Paul of Saint Zoilus St Rorice of Limoges St Severa of Oehren St Severa of Saint Gemma St Wulmar
Martyrs of Corinth – 22 Saints: 22 Christians who were Martyred together. We know nothing else about them but the names – • Appia • Calorus • Cassius • Celsus • Cyriacus • Donatus • Emilis • Felix • Fructus • Magnus • Maximus • Nestita • Partinus • Pasterus • Paul • Romanus • Spretus • Tertius • Theodolus • Ueratia • Valerian • Victor. They were martyred in Corinth, Greece.
Martyrs of Damascus – 16 Saints: 16 Christians who were Martyred together. We know the names of six of then, but no details about any of them – Cassia, Julian, Macrobius, Maximus, Paul and Sabinus. They were martyred in Damascus, Syria, date unknown.
Thought for the Day – 19 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Voice of God – The Saints
“God speaks to us through His Saints.
The Saints are those in whom God dwells in such a special way that their entire personalities reflect Him. They live the Gospel perfectly. They have renounced themselves in order to belong completely to God. Not only have they overcome their evil inclinations but, they have conquered themselves in the process of that Christian annihilation which, sublimates human nature, rather than destroys it. They have enthroned God in the place of their own will and of their own ego, so that, like St Paul, they can claims: “It is no longer I that live but Christ lives in me.”
God still speaks to us through His Saints, for even in this troubled and [digital] age, there are pure and humble souls declared to God and the service of their fellowmen. Whenever we encounter one of these privileged beings, whether in the pages of a book [or online] or in our actual surrounding world, let us pay attention to them and do our best to imitate their virtues.”
Quote/s of the Day –19 July – The Memorial of St Vincent de Paul (1581-1660) Confessor
“Every time, that some unexpected event befalls us, be it affliction, or be it spiritual or corporal consolation, we should endeavour to receive it. with equanimity of spirit, since all comes from the Hand of God.”
“He who submits himself to God, in all thing, is certain that whatever men say or do, against him, will always turn to his advantage.”
“After knowing the Will of God, in regard to a work which we undertake, we should continue courageously, however difficult it may be. We should follow it to the end with as much constancy as the obstacles, which we encounter, are great.”
“We ought to have a special devotion to those saints who excelled in humility, particularly to the Blessed Virgin, Mary, who declares that the Lord regarded her on account of her humility.”
One Minute Reflection –19 July – “The Month of the Precious Blood” – The Memorial of St Vincent de Paul (1581-1660) Confessor – 1 Corinthians 4:9-14, Luke 10:1-9
“The Lord appointed seventy two others and sent them forth, two-by-two before Him, into every town and place, where He Himself was about to come.” – Luke 10:1
REFLECTION – “The names of the Apostles of the Saviour, are clear to everyone from the Gospels but no list of the seventy [two] disciples is in circulation anywhere. Some have said, to be sure, that Barnabas was one of them and the Acts of the Apostles and Paul writing to the Galatians, have made special mention of him. They say Sosthenes was of these as well. Together with Paul, he wrote to the Corinthians. Tradition also holds that Matthias, who was listed among the Apostles in place of Judas and Joseph Justus, who was honoured with him at the same casting of lots, were considered worthy of the same calling among the seventy [two]. They say that Thaddaeus was also one of them, about whom I shall presently relate a story which has come down to us. On observation, you would find that the disciples of the Saviour appear to have been more than the seventy. Paul says that after the Resurrection from the dead, Cephas saw Him first, then the Twelve. After these saw Him, He was seen by more than five hundred brothers all at once, some of whom he says, had fallen asleep, although the majority were still alive at the time that this account was being composed by him.” – St Eusebius of Caesarea (c 260-339) Bishop of Caesarea, Historian, Theologian, Father (Ecclesiastical History 1.)”
PRAYER – O God, Who endowed St Vincent with apostolic strength, to preach the Gospel to the poor and to enhance the dignity of clerical life; grant, we beseech Thee, that we. who honour his holy merits, may also conform to the example of his virtues. 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 – 19 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood” and the Memorial of St Vincent de Paul (1581-1660) Confessor
Lord, Teach me How to Pray By St Vincent de Paul
Oh Lord, You selected the poor and simple people to be Your Apostles. Look upon Your poor servant kneeling before You now. I recognise that I am simple and poor too. Dear Lord, please teach me how to pray as You taught Your disciples upon their humble request. If it pleases You in Your goodness to grant me that grace, I shall be able to pray well and much better than I could ever hope for if left to my own efforts. Lord, I trust that You will bless me with the fulfilment of this request. Amen
Saint of the Day – 19 July – St Vincent de Paul (1581-1660) Confessor. “Holy Hero of Divine Charity.” The Roman Martyrology states of him today: “St Vincent de Paul, Confessor, who slept in the Lord on 27 September, Leo XIII declared the Heavenly Patron before the Thron of God, of all Charitable Organisations throughout the Catholic world, owing in any manner, their origin to him.” Vincent’s body was exhumed in 1712, 53 years after his death. The written account of an eyewitness states that “the eyes and nose alone showed some decay“. However, when it was exhumed again during the Canonisation in 1737, it was found to have decomposed due to an underground flood . His bones have been encased in a waxen figure which is displayed in a glass Reliquary in the Chapel of the headquarters of the Vincentian fathers in Paris,
St Vincent de Paul (1581-1660) Confessor, Founder of the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians) and Co-Founder of the Sisters of Charity, is an outstanding example of great love for the poor and unfortunate and the Celestial Patron of all Catholic Charitable Societies. (added by Pope Leo XIII). By Fr Francis Xavier Weninger SJ (1805-1888)
Vincent de Paul, a Frenchman, was born at Pouy, not far from Dax, in Gascony and from his boyhood, was remarkable for his exceeding charity towards the poor. From the care of his father’s flocks, he was sent to study letters. He learned the humanities at Dax and Theology first at Toulouse, then at Saragossa. Having been Ordained Priest and having taken a Degree in Theology, he fell into the hands of the Turks and was led captive by them, into Africa. But being sold into slavery, he won his owner (an apostate) back to Christ. By the help of the Mother of God, therefore, Vincent and his owner hurried away from the shores of the barbarians. Then Vincent undertook a journey to Rome, to visit the thresholds of the Apostles.
Having returned to France, he governed, in a most saintly manner, first, the Parish of Clichy and then, that of Chatillon. He was appointed by the King as Principal Chaplain of the French galleys and showed marvellous zeal in striving for the salvation of both the drivers and the rowers. The holy Francis de Sales, appointed him Superior of the Nuns of the Visitation, whom he ruled for nearly forty years, with so great prudence that he amply justified the opinion of their most holy Founder, who confessed that he knew no worthier Priest than Vincent.
To the preaching of the Gospel unto the poor, especially to the country people, he devoted himself unweariedly, until he was disabled by old age. To this apostolic work he obligated both himself and the members of the Congregation, which he specially founded under the name of Secular Priests of the Mission, by a perpetual vow confirmed by the Holy See. And how greatly he laboured for bettering the discipline of the clergy, is attested by the Seminaries erected for senior clerics, by the frequency of sacred conferences among the Priests and by the religious exercises preparatory to the Sacrament of Holy Orders; for which purposes, as well as that of giving pious retreats for laymen, he desired that the Houses of his Institute, should be freely opened. Moreover, for the extension of faith and piety, he sent evangelical labourers, not only into the Provinces of France but also into Italy, Poland, Scotland, Ireland and even to Barbary and to the Indies.
And at the death of Louis XIII, whom he had attended and exhorted on his deathbed, Vincent himself was summoned by the Queen, Anne of Austria, mother of Louis XIV and made a member of the young King’s Council of Conscience. In this position, he most zealously urged that only the more worthy men should be placed in authority over the Churches and Monasteries; that civil discords, single combats, slowly-spreading false doctrines, which he both perceived and dreaded, should be ended; and that due obedience should be rendered by all, to the apostolic decisions.
There was no kind of misfortune which he did not, with fatherly tenderness, endeavour to relieve . The faithful groaning beneath the Turkish yoke, infants which had been abandoned, wayward youths, maidens exposed to danger, Nuns driven from their Convents, fallen women, convicts condemned to the galleys, infirm strangers, disabled workmen and even lunatics and beggars without number, all these he received and devoutly assisted with resources and in hospices, which have lasted to this day. When Lorraine, Champagne, Picardy and other Provinces were devastated by plague, famine and war, he relieved their necessities with an open hand. He founded many societies for seeking out and alleviating the lot of the wretched, among them, a celebrated association of matrons, widely spread under the name of Sisters of Charity. He likewise promoted the foundation of the Daughters of the Cross, of Providence and of St Genevieve, for the education of the weaker sex.
Amid these and other most important affairs, he was ever intent upon God, affable to everyone and always true to himself, simple, upright, lowly and ever shrank from honours, riches and luxuries. He was heard to say that in nothing was there any pleasure for him, except in Christ Jesus, Whom he desired to imitate in all things.
At length, worn out with bodily pains, labours and old age, on 27 September in the year of salvation 1660 and, in the eighty-fifth year of age, at Paris, in the House of St Lazare, which is the Motherhouse of the Congregation the Mission, he calmly fell asleep.
Since he became illustrious for virtues, merits and miracles, Clement XII placed him among the Saints, assigning 19 July as his annual feast. And Leo XIII, at the earnest request of many Bishops, claimed and appointed this notable hero of divine charity, who has deserved so exceedingly well, of every class of men, the special Patron before God, of all the Charitable Societies existing in the entire Catholic world and in any way soever, emanating from his foundation.
St Vincent de Paul CM (1581-1660) Confessor, known as the “Great Apostle of Trumpets” – Priest, Founder, Apostle of Charity, Doctor of Canon Law, Reformer of Society and Priests, founder of Hospital and Orphanages. St Vincent was Beatified on 13 August 1729 by Pope Benedict XIII and Canonised on 16 June 1737 by Pope Clement XII. His Body is incorrupt. Biography: https://anastpaul.com/2017/09/27/saint-of-the-day-27-september-st-vincent-c-m-1581-1660/
St Ambrose Autpertus Bl Antonio of Valladolid St Aurea of Cordoba
St Arsenius the Great (c 354-c 449) Deacon, Hermit, Desert Father, Theologian, writer. Arsenius one of the most highly regarded of the Desert Fathers, whose teachings were greatly influential on the development of asceticism and the contemplative life. His contemporaries so admired him as to surname him “the Great”. His Lifestory: https://anastpaul.com/2021/07/19/saint-of-the-day-19-july-saint-arsenius-the-great-c-354-c-449/
Bl Bernhard of Rodez St Daria of Constantinople St Epaphras of Colosse St Felix of Verona
St Macrina the Younger (c 327-379) Virgin, Ascetic. With charm and grace, St Macrina ruled the roost in a family of saints. St Basil the Elder and St Emmelia, her parents, had ten children including the younger St Basil the Great (329-379) Father and Doctor of the Church, St Gregory of Nyssa (c 335–C 395) Father of the Church and St Peter of Sebaste Bishop (c 340–391). As the eldest child, Macrina exercised a formative influence on her more famous brothers and even on her mother. Her Life: https://anastpaul.com/2019/07/19/saint-of-the-day-19-july-saint-macrina-the-younger-c-327-379/
St Martin of Trier St Michael the Sabaitè Bl Pascasio of Lyon
St Romain of Ryazan St Pope Symachus St Vicente Cecilia Gallardo
Martyrs of Meros – 3 Saints: Three Christians tortured and Martyred together in the persecutions of emperor Julian the Apostate and governor Almachio. We know nothing else about them but the names – Macedoniuis, Tatian and Theodule. They were burned to death on an iron grill in Meros, Phrygia (in modern Turkey).
Martyrs of China: 3 Beati Elisabeth Qin Bianshi Elisabeth Ioannes Baptista Zhu Wurui Simon Qin Chunfu
Thought for the Day – 18 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Everlasting Salvation
“More than anything else, it is necessary to look after our eternal salvation. In comparison with this, all other business is unimportant. Our personal salvation is the only thing which is absolutely essential in our lives. Let us meditate on this momentous fact which has converted so many sinners and filled Heaven with Saints.
If I lose my soul, what use will ,money or success be to me? What good will be human learning or worldly pleasure? All this will pass away, whereas only my good actions will weigh the balance of Divine Justice in my favour.
Let us think of our sins, which are unfortunately so numerous and of our good actions, which are probably far fewer in number. It will be tragic for us if the weight of our sins should carry us towards damnation. It is still in our power, to guard against this by leading lives of penance and sanctity. “Strive … by good works, to make your calling and election sure” (2 Pet 1:10).”
Quote/s of the Day – 18 July – “The Month of the Precious Blood” – St Camillus de Lellis MI (1550-1614) Confessor, Priest and Founder the Order of the Ministers of the Sick, or simply as the “Camillians,” known as “The Giant of Charity.”
“My hope is placed in Your Divine Mercy through Your Precious Blood.”
“I do not put a penny’s value on this life if only our Lord will give me a tiny corner in Paradise.”
“The happiness to which I aspire is greater than anything on earth. Therefore, I regard with extreme joy, whatever pains and sufferings may befall me here.”
One Minute Reflection – 18 July – “The Month of the Precious Blood” – St Camillus de Lellis MI (1550-1614) Confessor, Priest and Founder the Order of the Ministers of the Sick, or simply as the “Camillians,” known as “The Giant of Charity.” – 1 John 3:13-18, John 15:12-16
“This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” – John 15:12
REFLECTION – “This commandment that He is giving them, is a new one, the Lord Jesus tells ,is disciples. Yet was it not contained in the Old Law, where it is written: You shall love your neighbour as yourself? Why does the Lord call it new, when it is clearly so old? Or is the commandment new because it divests us of our former selves and clothes us with the new man? Love does indeed renew the man who hears, or rather obeys its command but only that love, which Jesus distinguished from a natural love, by the qualification – As I have loved you.
This is the kind of love that renews us. When we love as He loved us, we become new men, heirs of the new covenant and singers of the new song. My brothers, this was the love, which even in bygone days, renewed the holy men, the Patriarchs and Prophets of old. In later times, it renewed the blessed Apostles and now, it is the turn of the Gentiles. From the entire human race throughout the world, this love gathers together into One Body, a new people, to be the Bride of God’s Only Son. She is the Bride of whom it is asked in the Song of Songs: Who is this who comes clothed in white? White indeed are her garments, for she has been made new and the source of her renewal, is none other, than this new commandment.
And so, all her members make each other’s welfare their common care. When one member suffers, all the members suffer with him and if one member is glorified, all the rest rejoice. They hear and obey the Lord’s Words: A new commandment I give you, that you love one another, not as men love one another for their own selfish ends, nor merely on account of their common humanity but because. they are all gods and sons of the Most High. They love one another as God loves them, so that they may be brothers of His only Son. He will lead them to the goal that alone will satisfy them, where all their desires will be fulfilled. For when God is all in all, there will be nothing left to desire.
This love is the gift of the Lord who said: As I have loved you, you also must love one another. His object in loving us, then, was to enable us to love each other. By loving us Himself, our mighty Head has linked us all together, as members of His Own Body, bound to one another by the tender bond of love.” – St Augustine (354-430) Bishop of Hippo, Great Western Father and Doctor of the Grace, (Excerpt from his Tractates on the Gospel of John, 65).
PRAYER – O God, Who endowed St. Camillus with a special gift of charity for the help of souls struggling in their final agony, pour upon us, we beseech Thee, by his merits, the spirit of Thy love, so that at the hour of our death, we may be found worthy to overcome the enemy and attain the heavenly crown. 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 – 18 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood”
Pardon Lord, I Ask By St Ambrose (340-397) Father and Doctor of the Church
Lord Jesus Christ, Who stretched out Your Hands on the Cross and redeemed us by Your Blood, forgive me, a sinner , for none of my thoughts are hidden from You. Pardon I ask, Pardon I hope for, Pardon I trust to have. You, Who are full of pity and mercy, spare me and forgive. Amen
Saint of the Day – 18 July – St Scariberga of Yvelines (c 495-c 550) Chaste wife and widow of St Arnulf of Bishop of Tours, Recluse. Born in c 495 in Gaul (in modern France) and died in c 550 in the forest of Yvelines in France of natural causes. Also known as – Scariberg, Scariberge.
The holy Scariberga was born around 495 in Gaul. She was descended from a noble family and the sources call her a niece of the first Christian Frankish King, Clovi I (481-511).
While still young, her uncle married her to Saint Arnulf , later the Bishop of Tours and Martyr. When Arnulf became a Bishop, he also gave his chaste wife, Scariberg, the veil.
When Arnulf was murdered in 535, she had him buried at the place where his Martyrdom had happened, in the forest Yvelines in Aquilina between Paris and Chartres. Over his grave she built a cell, where she lived the rest of her life in prayer and meditation.
She died around the middle of the 5th century. Her memorial day is today, the same day as her husband but 2 October is also mentioned.
Around Arnulf’s tomb grew the present Municipality of Saint-Arnoult-en-Yvelines in the department of Yvelines in the Île-de-France region.
St Symphorosa and her seven sons / Also known as – The Martyrs of Tivoli – 8 Saints: A widow, St Symphorosa and her seven sons ( Crescens, Eugene, Julian, Justin, Nemesius, Primitivus and Stracteus) Martyred in Tivoli, Italy in the 2nd-century persecutions of Hadrian.
St Aemilian of Dorostorium St Alanus of Sassovivo St Alfons Tracki Blessed Angeline of Marsciano Bl Arnold of Amiens St Arnold of Arnoldsweiler St Arnoul the Martyr
St Goneri of Treguier St Gundenis of Carthage Bl Herveus St Marina of Ourense St Maternus of Milan St Minnborinus St Pambo of the Nitrian Desert St Philastrius of Brescia St Rufillus of Forlimpopoli
St Scariberga of Yvelines (c 495-c 550) Chaste wife of St Arnulf of Bishop of Tours, Nun, Recluse.
Martyrs of Silistria – 7 Saints: Seven Christians who were Martyred together. No details about them have survived but the names – Bassus, Donata, Justus, Marinus, Maximus, Paulus and Secunda. They were martyred in Silistria (Durostorum), Moesia (in modern Bulgaria), date unknown.
AnaStpaul 
You must be logged in to post a comment.