Thought for the Day – 4 March – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
“Short Meditations for March, St Joseph” From “The Devout Year” By Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
4th Day – St Joseph’s Betrothal
+1. When our blessed Lady arrived at a marriageable age, the Chief Priest summoned all the unmarried men of the House of David that, from them, a husband might be chosen for her. There is a tradition that, to each of them, a rod was delivered and the High Priest, speaking under Divine inspiration, declared that God would choose a spouse for Mary in the same way in which Aaron was chosen to be the High Priest in the Old Law. “Whomsoever of these I shall choose, his rod shall blossom (Num xvii:5). On the morrow the rod of Joseph had budded and blossomed. He was thus declared by God, to be the worthy spouse of His holy Mother.
+2. But Joseph had promised God, to remain ever a virgin.* How could he then consent to marriage? He knew by Divine revelation that Mary had made a similar vow and Mary knew the same of him O happy , O ideal union! where the sublime gift of virginity was united to the mutual love and dependence of husband on wife and wife on husband.
+3. But thus it is that God provides for His elect. He plans for them in a way which utterly sets at naught, the prudence of the world. He never disappoints those who leave themselves in His Hands but exercisesH a Divine ingenuity in fulfilling all the desires of their hearts, in most unexpected ways, in return for their submission and obedience to His holy Will. Thus it is, those who do God’s Will, always do their own will , for their will is His and His Will is theirs. (* St Thomas in Quæst Sent ii I).
Quote/s of the Day – 4 March – Feast of the Holy Face of Jesus
The Eight Promises of Jesus To Those Who Honour His Holy Face
All those who honour My Face in a spirit of reparation, will by so doing, perform the office of the pious Veronica. According to the care they take in making reparation to My Face, disfigured by blasphemers, so will I take care of their souls which have been disfigured by sin. My Face is the seal of the Divinity, which has the virtue of reproducing in souls, the image of God.
Those, who by words, prayers or writing, defend My cause in this Work of Reparation, I will defend before My Father and will give them My Kingdom.
By offering My Face to My Eternal Father, nothing will be refused and the conversion of many sinners will be obtained.
By My Holy Face, they will work wonders, appease the anger of God and draw down mercy on sinners.
As in a kingdom, they can procure all that is desired with a coin stamped with the King’s effigy, so, in the Kingdom of Heaven, they will obtain all they desire, with the precious coin of My Holy Face.
Those who, on earth, contemplate the wounds of My Face shall, in Heaven, behold it radiant with glory.
They will receive in their souls, a bright and constant irradiation of My Divinity, that by their likeness to My Face, they shall shine with particular splendour in Heaven.
I will defend them, I will preserve them and I assure them of Final Perseverance.
One Minute Reflection – 4 March – “The Month of Saint Joseph” – Feast of the Holy Face of Jesus – St Casimir (1458-1484) Confessor, Prince – Ecclesiasticus Sir 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 – “Our Lord spoke these words, recorded by the Gospel, to clarify the function of the servants, He had set at the head of His people: “Who is the faithful and prudent Steward Whom the Master will put in charge of His servants, to distribute the food allowance, at the proper time? Blessed is that servant, whom his Master, on arrival, finds doing so” Who is that Steward, my friends? Undoubtedly, it is Christ, Who said to His disciples: “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Master’ and rightly so, for indeed I Am” (Jn 13:13). And what is that Master’s Household? Surely the one which our Lord Himself Redeemed from the hands of the enemy and took to Himself. This Household is the Holy and Universal Church, spreading with remarkable fecundity throughout the world and priding itself on having been redeemed at the price of His Blood…
But who is the faithful and wise steward? The Apostle Paul shows us when he says – speaking of himself and his companions – “One should regard us as servants of Christ and stewards of the Mysteries of God. Now, it is of course required of stewards that they be found trustworthy” (1 Cor 4:1-2). And lest any of you should think that only the Apostles became stewards or, lest some lazy and unfaithful servant should abandon the spiritual combat and fall asleep, the holy Apostle demonstrates that Bishops are just as much stewards, too: “As God’s steward” he says, “a Bishop must be irreproachable” (Tim 1:7). Therefore, we are servants of the Householder, stewards of our Lord and, it is we, who have received the measure of wheat, to be distributed among you.” – St Fulgentius of Ruspe (c462-533) Bishop and Father of the Church (Sermon 1)
PRAYER – O Lord, we beseech Thee, mercifully hear our prayers; loose us from the chains of our sins and keep us from all adversity. 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).
An Aspiration to the Eternal Father to be Frequently Recited During the Day …
Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Holy Face of Jesus, covered with blood, sweat, dust and spittle, in reparation for our sins and the sins of the whole world.
Our Morning Offering – 4 March – Feast of the Holy Face of Jesus and Shrove Tuesday
As part of the preparations for Lent, it is appropriate to celebrate the Feast of the Holy Face by spending some time before the Blessed Sacrament and reciting the prayers of reparation. In addition, the repetition of this Devotion each Tuesday in Lent maybe a means of drawing closer to Our Lord during this time of more intense prayer and conversion.
TAKEN FROM THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF SR MARY OF ST PETER OCD (1816-1848).
“Do you see how I suffer? Yet, very few understand Me. Those who say they love Me are very ungrateful! I have given My Heart as the sensible object of My great love to men and I give My Face as the sensible object of My sorrow for all the sins of men. I wish that it be venerated by a special Feast on Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday. I wish that the Feast be preceded by a Novena in which the faithful make reparation with Me, joining together and sharing in My sorrow.” (Sadly I rem;embered the Novena too late this year, I hope you remembered.)
Offering of the Holy Face of Our Lord Jesus Christ, to God the Father, in Reparation
Eternal Father, turn away Thy angry gaze from Thou guilty people whose face has become unsightly in Thy eyes. Look instead upon the Face of Thy beloved Son, in Whom Thou art well pleased. We now offer Thee, this Holy Face, covered with shame and disfigured by bloody wounds, in reparation for the crimes of our age, in order to appease Thy anger, justly provoked against us. Because, Thy Divine Son, our Redeemer, hast taken upon His Head all the sins of His members that they might be spared, we now beg Thee, Eternal Father, to grant us mercy. Amen.
Saint of the Day – 4 March – St Felix (c970-1038) Abbot and restorer ofSt Gildas’ Abbey at Rhuys, Hermit. Born in c970 near Quimper, Brittany, France and died on 4 March 1038 of natural causes at the reconstructed Rhuys Abbey. Additional Memorial – 9 March 9 in the Liturgical Calendar of the Diocese of Vannes.
Tomb of Saint Felix (right) and Saint Rioc in the Saint-Gildas de Rhuys
Felix was born of wealthy parents in Quimper around 970. He had a great rdevotion for Saint Paul Aurelian who had built a Monastery at Lampoul and whose Relics, in 960, had been translated to Fleury Abbey.
Felix became a Hermit on Ushant but was forced to leave his hermitage during the Norman invasions to take refuge at Fleury in Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire, where he was welcomed by Abbo of Fleury.
Geoffrey I, the Duke of Brittany, asked the Abbot of Fleury to re-establish Rhuys Abbey which had been founded by Saint Gildas in the 6th Century on the Gulf of Morbihan and had been destroyed by the Normans. Father Abbot entrusted Felix with the task of rebuilding this renowned Monastery. The original Abbey had been built in wood on the remains of a Roman settlement.
But Felix now built in stone. Begun in 1008, the reconstruction ended in 1032 with the Consecration of the Church on 30 September, by Judicaël, the Bishop of Vannes and brother of the Duke. Felix was also consecrated as the Abbot, thus forcing him to remain there although his heart still desired to return to the Fleury. He opened a school too.
Félix died there on 4 March 1038 and was buried in his new Abbey. His tomb is now in the north transept of the Abbey Church. He is considered a Saint and his Feastday is set for 4 March ( 9 March 9 in the Liturgical Calendar of the Diocese of Vannes.)
The Feast of the HOLY FACE of JESUS: In the 19th Century Jesus expressed His wishes to Sister Mary of St Peter (1816-1848), a Carmelite Nun in Tours, France, that there be an actual Devotion to his Holy Face. Our Lord wanted this in reparation for blasphemies against Himself and His Holy Name as well, as for the profanation of Sunday (when people engage unnecessarily in commerce and other such labours and chores on Sunday, a day meant for rest and reflection on God). In August of 1843 He dictated to her the well-known Golden Arrow Prayer. He also gave her Promises for those who would honour His Holy Face. The first Holy Medal of the Holy Face was given to Ven Pope Pius XII, who approved the Devotion and the Medal. In 1958 he formally declared the Feast of the Holy Face of Jesus as Shrove Tuesday for all Catholics in perpetuity. https://anastpaul.com/2022/03/01/feast-of-the-holy-face/
Shrove Tuesday: Shrove is the past tense of the word Shrive, which means “to hear a confession, assign penance and absolve from sin.” In the Middle Ages, especially in Northern Europe and England, it became the custom to confess one’s sins on the day before Lent began in order to enter the penitential season in a repentant spirit.
St Lucius I (Died 254) Pope and Martyr. The 22nd Bishop of Rome from 25 June 253 to his death on 5 March 254. He was banished soon after his consecration but gained permission to return. Patronage – Copenhagen, Denmark. Lucius I’s Tombstone is still extant in the Catacomb of Callixtus. His Relics were later brought to the Church of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere, along with the Relics of St Cecilia and others. His head is preserved in a reliquary in St. Ansgar’s Cathedral in Copenhagen, Denmark. This Relic was brought to Roskilde around the year 1100, after Lucius had been declared Patron Saint of the Danish region Zeeland. The Roman Martyrology reads today: “At Rome, on the Appian Way. during the persecution of Valerian, the birthday of St Lucius, Pope and Martyr, who was first exiled for the Faith of Christ but, being permitted by Divine Providence to return to his Church, he suffered Martyrdom by decapitation, after having combated the Novatians. His praises have been published by the blesseed Saint Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage(200-258).” His Life and Death: https://anastpaul.com/2023/03/04/saint-of-the-day-4-march-st-lucius-i-died-254-pope-and-martyr/
St Adrian of May St Adrian of Nicomedia Bl Alexander Blake St Appian of Comacchio St Arcadius of Cyprus St Basinus of Trier Bl Christopher Bales St Felix (c970-1038) Abbot of Rhuys Abbey St Gaius of Nicomedia
Blessed Humbert III Count of Savoy (1136–1189) Layman Prince. It is recorded of Humberto “who, forced to leave the cloister to deal with public affairs, practiced the monastic life with greater dedication, to which he later returned.” Born in 1136 in Avigliana, Italy and died on 4 March 1189 in Chambéry, France of natural causes. Beatified in 1838 by Pope Gregory XVI. Holy Humbert: https://anastpaul.com/2024/03/04/saint-of-the-day-4-march-blessed-humbert-iii-count-of-savoy-1136-1189/
St Leonard of Avranches Bl Nicholas Horner St Nestor the Martyr St Owen Bl Paolo of Brescia
Martyrs on the Appian Way – 900 Saints: Group of 900 Martyrs buried in the Catacombs of Saint Callixtus on the Appian Way, Rome.
Martyrs of Nicomedia – 20 Saints: A group of 20 Christians murdered together for their faith. The only details about them to survive are three of their names – Archelaus, Cyrillos and Photius. Nicomedia, Bithynia (in modern Turkey)
Martyrs of the Crimea – 7 Saints: A group of 4th century missionary Bishops who evangelised in the Crimea and southern Russia and were Martyred for their work. We know little else beyond the names – Aetherius, Agathodorus, Basil, Elpidius, Ephrem, Eugene and Gapito.
Thought for the Day – 3 March – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
“Short Meditations for March, St Joseph” From “The Devout Year” By Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
3rd Day – St Joseph’s Childhood and Youth
+1. The names of the servants of God often indicate some leading feature in their work or. in their character. When God Himself gives the name, this is always the case. Joseph signifies – adding or increasing – and was a forecast of his continuous increase , not only in grace and in favour with God but also, in glory and repute with men as long as the world shall last. Rejoice in the growing devotion to St Joseph and ask yourself whether your devotion to him grows more and more?
+2. St Joseph is said to have had a boyhood and youth of suffering and, to have been persecuted and ill-treated by his brethren. We should expect it to be so, since this was the lot of the Patriarch of Genesis and, moreover, one who has such an eminent position in the Church on earth and, such exceeding glory in Heaven, must have been conformed to our Blessed Lord in having a career of suffering. St Joseph’s character as known to us in Sacred Scripture, is eminently, one purified by having had much to undergo. Such patience, gentleness, thoughtful charity, cannot be learned except at a heavy price!
+3. Joseph’s trade was that of a carpenter. The thought of the great Patron of the Universal Church, the husband of Mary, having been a handicraftsman, ought to give us a great respect for manual labour. The idea that there is in it anything unsuitable to our dignity is a vulgar, unchristian, heathen notion. All the Saints had a love for manual labour. How much better such a life than that of self-satisfied ease and luxury! Thank God if you have to labour with your hands.
Quote/s of the Day – 3 March – Ferial Day – Quinquagesima Sunday –1 Corinthians 13:1-13 – Luke 18:31-43.– Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“And immediately he saw and followed Him, glorifying God.”
Luke 18:43
“I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness, of what you have seen and what you will be shown. I shall deliver you from this people and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you, to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may obtain forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those, who have been consecrated by faith in me.”
Acts 26:16-18
“So that our minds might be free of these illusions, the Word invites us to shake this deep sleep from the eyes of our soul, so that we might not slip away from the true realities, by becoming attached to that which has no consistency. That is why He suggests that we be watchful when He says: “Let your loins be girt about and your lamps burning …” (Lk 12:35) For when the light shines before our eyes, it chases sleep away and, when our loins are held tight by a belt, they prevent the body from succumbing to it… The person who has fastened on the belt of temperance lives in the light of a pure conscience; the trust of a child illuminates his life like a lamp… If we live in this way, we will enter a life like that of the Angels!”
St Gregory of Nyssa (c335–c395) Father of the Church (Brother of St Basil the Great)
“I was in the world like someone blind and as though without God, since I did not know my God. Then Thou, in person, pitied me and looked upon me, when Thou shone Thine Light into my darkness, Thou converted me and drew me to Thyself, O my Creator. And when Thou had snatched me out of the depths of the pit … of this life’s pleasures and desires, then Thou showed me the way and gave me a guide who would lead me to Thy commandments.”
One Minute Reflection – 3 March – “The Month of Saint Joseph” – Ferial Day – Quinquagesima Sunday –1 Corinthians 13:1-13 – Luke 18:31-43.– Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“And immediately he saw and followed Him, glorifying God.” – Luke 18:43
REFLECTION – “Our Redeemer foresaw that the hearts of His disciples would be greatly disturbed by His Passion. He foretold to them, far ahead, of both the agony of His Passion and the glory of His Resurrection (Lk 18:31-33). Then, when they beheld Him dying, as had been foretold, they would not doubt that He was to rise again. But since the disciples, still worldly as they were, were entirely unable to grasp, the Words of the Mystery (v.34), there was need of a miracle! A blind man received the Light before their eyes, so that a heavenly deed might strengthen the faith of those, who failed to grasp the Words of the heavenly Mystery.
We must understand the miracles of our Lord and Saviour, dearly beloved, so as to believe that they have been truly effected and that their meaning, nevertheless, still signifies something else too … We do not know the historical identity of the blind man but we do know whom he mystically denotes. The blind man is the human race. In our first parents it was driven from the joys of paradise and ignorant of the brightness of the Divine Light, it suffered the darkness of its condemnation. But yet, it is enlightened by the presence of its Redeemer, to see already, the joys of inward light, by desire and to direct the footsteps of its good works, in the way of Life.” – St Gregory the Great (540-604) Pope, Father and Doctor of the Church (Sermons on the Gospels).
PRAYER – O Lord, we beseech Thee, mercifully hear our prayers; loose us from the chains of our sins and keep us from all adversity. 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 – 3 March – Quinquagesima Week
Lord God, Lift Me Up! By St John of the Cross (1542-1591) Doctor of the Church
Lord God, my Beloved, if Thou art still mindful of my sins and wilt not grant my petitions, let Thy Will be done, for this is my main desire. Show Thy goodness and mercy and Thou shalt be known for them. If Thou art waiting for me to do good works and upon their performance, Thou wilt grant my petitions, cause them to be accomplished in me, O Lord! Send also, the punishment for my sins, which is acceptable to Thee. For how will I raise myself up to Thee, born and bred as I am, in misery, unless Thou, O Lord, wilt lift me up with the Hand which made me?! Amen
Saint of the Day – 3 March – Saint Titian (Died c540) Bishop of Brescia, Italy. In the list of Bishops of Brescia, he is considered the 15th Bishop of Brescia, succeeding Vigilius and preceding Paul II. His Episcopate is believed to have occurred between 526 and 540. Also known as – Tiziano. Additional Memorial – 20 April together with all the Saints of Brescia.
Sadly, we know nothing of our Saints life. He was buried in the Church of Sts Cosma and Damiano, perhaps built by himself. Later a Monastery was annexed to this Church but in 1302, the entire complex was demolished by Bishop Berardo Maggi to make room for the Palazzo Broletto, currently in Piazza del Duomo.
The Church and Monastery, now a Basilica, were rebuilt to the west of the City, in the Campi Bassi area where they still are today. In 1505, St Titian’s Rrelics were translated by Bishop Paolo Zane and placed in a marble Reliquary erected on the Altar in the Chapel on the left of the nave of the new Basilica.
At the end of the 19th Century, his original marble Sarcophagus, after several moves, was placed as a fountain in a corner of Piazzetta Tito Speri, where it is currently located.
Blessed Benedetto Sinigardi da Arezzo OFM (1190-1282) Friar of the Order of Friars Minor, who received the Habit directly from St Francis of Assisi. Although rarely mentioned, Blessed Benedetto is the Author of the Angelus! Furthermore, the beautiful custom of reciting the Marian Antiphon “The Angelus Domini” is attributed to Blessed Benedetto, meditating on the saving Mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God in Mary’s virginal womb. The Angelus Domini became a pious practice firstly to the entire Franciscan Order, then to the whole Church, as it still is today. Lovely Fr Benedetto!: https://anastpaul.com/2023/03/03/saint-of-the-day-3-march-blessed-benedetto-sinigardi-da-arezzo-ofm-c1190-1282-the-author-of-the-angelus/
St Anselm of Nonantola St Arthelais of Benevento St Calupan St Camilla St Cele-Christ
St Cunegundes (c975-1040) Empress of the Holy Roman Empire, Nun, she took a vow of Virginity before her marriage, which, after a miracle was upheld by her husband, the King (also a Saint). Founder of Monasteries and Churches, Nun in one of her Convents, Apostle of Charity. Born in c 975 and died in 1040 of natural causes. Biography: https://anastpaul.com/2022/03/03/saint-of-the-day-3-march-st-cunegundes-c-975-1040/
Bl Pierre-René Rogue St Sacer St Titian (Died c540) Bishop and Confessor St Winwallus of Landévennec
40 Martyrs in North Africa – A group of Christians Martyred together in North Africa, date unknown. No details have survived, but we know these names – Antonius, Artilaus, Asclipius, Astexius, Basil, Bosimus, Carissimus, Castus, Celedonius, Claudianus, Cyricus, Donata, Emeritus, Emeterius, Euticus, Felix, Fortunatus, Frunumius, Gajola, Georgius, Gorgonius, Hemeterus, Isicus, Janula, Julius, Luciola, Luciolus, Marcia, Marinus, Meterus, Nicephorus, Papias, Photius, Risinnius, Sabianus, Savinianus and Solus
Martyrs of Pontus – 3+ Saints – A large group of Christians Martyred together in the persecutions of Emperor Maximian Galerius and governor Ascleopiodato. We have some details on three of them – Basiliscus, Cleonicus and Eutropius. 308 in Pontus (in modern Turkey) Martyrs of Caesarea; Asterius Marinus
Martyrs of Calahorra: Cheledonius Emeterius
Martyrs of Gondar, Ethiopia: Bl Antonio Francesco Marzorati Bl Johannes Laurentius Weiss Bl Michele Pío Fasol
Thought for the Day – 2 March – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
“Short Meditations for March, St Joseph” From “The Devout Year” By Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
2nd Day – St Joseph’s Parentage and Birth
+1. Although St Joseph lived in poverty and contempt, he came of a noble ancestry. The blood of Kings and Saints ran in his veins and, what is more, he inherited, from them, the virtues of each but in a far higher degree, than that which their original possessor had enjoyed. How much the good in me is an inheritance from my parents and forefathers!? Yet how ill I have employed the virtues I received from them! Instead of being better than they, like St Joseph, I am the degenerate child of parents far better than myself.
+2. St Joseph, as the greatest of all the Saints next to Our Lady, had all the privileges of other Saints. Hence, we may piously believe that, like St John, he was cleansed from sin in his mother’s womb. He was to be Mary’s spouse, he was to occupy the first and foremost place in the family of Jesus, he was, hereafter, to be the Patron of the whole Church! It was, therefore, fitting that he should be endowed with this initial privilege of being, from his birth, a child of God, an heir of the Kingdom of Heaven. Thank God for this privilege bestowed on him!
+3. St Joseph was the connecting link between the Old and the New Dispensation, the first dawn which announces the coming day. In his youth, he belonged to the Old Law, in his later life, to the New. As the dawn brightens into the glorious day, so St Joseph’s life, beautiful from the first, advanced in splendour continually. Is this the history of my life? Have I made steady progress in the love of God?
Quote/s of the Day – 2 March – Quinquagesima Sunday
“ For man’s lowliness, is his gratitude and, God’s greatness, is His Mercy.”
St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace
“Thou art the Good Shepherd; seek me, Thy lamb and neglect me not, who has gone astray. [John 10:11-14]”
St Andrew of Crete (660-740) Bishop, Father of the Church
“Be generous to the poor orphans and those in need. The man to whom our Lord has been liberal ought not to be stingy. We shall one day find in Heaven, as much rest and joy as we ourselves have dispensed in this life.”
St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)
“I often speak with my Teacher, Jesus, in the Blessed Sacrament because I learn from Him. Jesus is the Teacher of the science of holiness. I go to Him because I would like to learn, from Him, how to become a Saint. Of what use to me is all knowledge and education, if I do not become holy?”
One Minute Reflection – 2 March – “The Month of Saint Joseph” – Quinquagesima Sunday –1 Corinthians 13:1-13 – Luke 18:31-43. – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“And he cried out, saying, Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” – Luke 18:38
REFLECTION – The blind man must have understood, that the sight of the blind cannot be restored by human means but requires, on the contrary, a divine power and an authority such as God only possesses. With God nothing, whatsoever, is impossible. The blind man came near to Him, as to the omnipotent God. How then does he call Him, the Son of David? What can one answer to this? The following is perhaps the explanation. Since He was born and raised in Judaism, of course, the predictions contained in the law and the holy Prophets, concerning Christ, had not escaped his knowledge. He heard them chant that passage in the book of the Psalms, “The Lord has sworn in truth to David and will not annul it, saying: ‘of the fruit of your loins I will set a king upon your throne.’” The blind man also knew that the blessed Prophet Isaiah said, “There will spring up a shoot from the root of Jesse and from his root a flower will grow up.” Isaiah also said, “Behold, a virgin will conceive and bring forth a son,and they will call his name Emmanuel, which, being interpreted is, God with us.” He already believed that the Word, being God, of His own will, had submitted to be born in the flesh of the holy Virgin. He now comes near to Him, as to God and says, “Have mercy on me, Son of David.” Christ testifies, that this was his state of mind in offering his petition. He said to him, “Your faith has saved you.” – St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) Archbishop of Alexandria, Father and Doctor of the Incarnation (Commentary on Luke, Homily 126)
PRAYER – O Lord, we beseech Thee, mercifully hear our prayers; loose us from the chains of our sins and keep us from all adversity. 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 – 2 March – Quinquagesima Sunday
Merciful Jesus! Stretch Forth Thy Hand of Mercy (Excerpt – Prayer in a Time of Anguish) By St Jerome (347-419) Father and Doctor of the Church
Merciful Jesus! Thou art my strength, my refuge and my deliverer; in Thee I have believed and hoped; in Thee have I loved. Call me now, I beseech Thee and I will answer. Stretch forth Thy Hand of mercy, to the work of Thy Hands and let me not perish, whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy Precious Blood. It is now time for dust to return to dust and my spirit to Thee Who gavest it. Open then, Lord, the Gate of Life and receive me. Receive me most merciful Lord, according to the multitude of Thy tender mercies, Who receivedst the thief on the cross and now prepare my soul for hearing the same promise of mercy which he did. I am ill, O Lord and Thee my Physician. Heal me then, my God and I shall be healed, let me not be confounded, for I put my trust in Thee. In Thee have I hoped – let me not be cast off forever! … Deal not with me, according to what I deserve, nor chastise me, according to my iniquities but help me, O God, my Saviour and for the glory of Thy Name deliver me. Now, at this hour, show mercy to me and whenever I depart, receive me into the number of Thy family that I, may be one of those, who are to praise Thee forever. Amen
Saint of the Day – 2 March – Blessed Fulk of Neuilly (Died 1201) Priest of the Parish of Neuilly-sur-Marne, renowned Preacher which encouraged the 4th Crusade, Founder of a Monastery in Paris which encouraged fallen women to seek refuge and repentance in the religious life. Fulk died on 2 March 1201 of natural causes. Also known as – Folco, Foulques, Fulke, Foulque.
In 1191, Fulk was appointed as the Parish Priest of Neuilly-sur-Marne, after attended the lectures of Peter the Chantor (Died 1197) in Paris.
Beginning in 1195, Fulk began to preach gaining a reputation for piety and eloquence. His preaching focused on reforming the morals of the lay faithful and many of his denunciations were upon the sins of usury and lustfulness. But, even more than the laity, Fulk preached most particularly on reforming the morals and lives of the Clergy who, at that time living dissipated lives. Clerical concubinage was a common target of his sermons and he would often indicate and name Priests and concubines, who were guilty of this sin in the crowd, listening to him.
It was reported that he rebuked King Richard I of England by advising him to marry off his three evil daughters, being – his Pride, Greed and Lechery! The King replied that he would marry them appropriately to the Templars, the Cistercians and to the Bishops and Abbots of the Church!
In 1199, Fulk was invited to preach the 4th Crusade by Pope Innocent III. His preaching influenced both Simon de Montfort, 5th Earl of Leicester, the French Lord Alix de Montmorency, the wealthy noble woman and others.
Fulk’s assiduous enthusiasm in carrying out this mission led to much success and large donations flowed in. Inevitably, some murmured and denounced the manner in which these donations were used.
Fulk then went on to found the Abbey of Saint-Antoine-des-Champs in the Faubourg in Paris, charged with taking in women of ill repute. He soon died of his great fatigue in 1201. Blessed Fulk was interred in his own Parish Church where he had spent the majority of his life, at ther Church of Saint-Baudile in Neuilly-sur-Marne.
Quinquagesima Sunday: This Season is seventeen (17) days long and includes the three Sundays before Ash Wednesday. The length of the Season never changes but the start date is dependent on the movable date of Easter, which can fall between 22 March-25 April. For many early Christians Quinquagesima marked the time after which meat was forbidden. In many places, this Sunday and the next two days, were used to prepare for Lent by a good Confession; hence in England, we find the names Shrove Sunday and Shrovetide. Shrove is a form of the English word “shrive,” which means – to obtain absolution for one’s sins by way of Confession and doing penance.. As the days before Lent were frequently spent in merry-making, Pope Benedict XIV by the Constitution “Inter Cetera” (1 January 1748) introduced a Forty Hours’ Devotion to keep the faithful from dangerous amusements and to make some reparation for sins committed. Quinquagesima also means, the time between Easter and Pentecost, or from the Saturday after Easter to the Sunday after Pentecost; it is then called Quinquagesima Paschae paschalis, or laetitae.
Blessed Charles the Good (c1083-1127) Martyr, Duke, Apostle, protector and defender of the poor, selling his and his kingdom’s riches to help those in need, wherever he could, a fair and just Ruler who made laws to accommodate the poor rather than the rich (the eventual cause of his Martyrdom), Knight who assisted in Secomd Crusade. Blessed Charles cultus was officially confirmed by his Beatification in 1883 by Pope Leo XIII. His Life and Death: https://anastpaul.com/2023/03/02/saint-of-the-day-2-march-blessed-charles-the-good-c1083-1127-martyr/
St Cynibild of Laestingaeu St Felix of Treves St Fergna the White Blessed Fulk of Neuilly (Died 1201) Priest
Martyrs of Campania – Approximately 400 northern Italian Christians Martyred for their faith by pagan Lombards. Their story was recorded by Pope Saint Gregory the Great, who reports that they people spent their final days supporting each other with prayer. c 579 in Camnpania, Italy.
Martyrs of Porto Romano – 4 Saints – Group of Christians Martyred in the persecution of Diocletian. The only other information that survives are the names of four of them – Heraclius, Januaria, Paul and Secondilla. c305 at Porto Romano at the mouth of the River Tiber, Rome.
The beloved Foster-Father and Guardian of Jesus and Protector of the Holy Family, is celebrated for this whole month and his Feast Day falls in the middle of it – 19 March – this year moved to the 20th as the 19th is Laetare Sunday, the Fourth Sunday of Lent.
“Quamquam Pluries” On the Devotion to St Joseph Pope Leo XIII
“On 10 March, [11 MARCH THIS YEAR], we begin the Novena to St Joseph, entrusting so many of our woes and cares to his holy and fatherly care and intercession. His Patronages are numerous, as we know, one of them will fit our needs perfectly and if not, then we should all ask him to intercede on our behalf for our families and for a Happy and Holy Death. On the 20th [FEAST normally 19th] we pray the Consecration to St Joseph.”
Patronages in Alphabetical Order:
of Accountants • Bursars • Cabinetmakers • Carpenters • Catholic Church • Cemetery Workers • Children • Civil Engineers • against Communism • Confectioners • Craftsmen • against Doubt and Hesitation • the Dying • Emigrants • Exiles • Expectant Mothers • Families • Fathers • Furniture Makers • Grave diggers • Happy Death • Holy Death • House Hunters • House Sellers • Immigrants • Joiners • Labourers • all the Legal Profession • Married Couples • Oblates of Saint Joseph • Orphans • Pioneers • Social Justice • Teachers • Travellers • the Unborn • Wheelwrights • Workers • Americas • Austria • Belgium • Bohemia • Canada • China • Croatian people • Korea • Mexico • New France • New World • Peru • Philippines • Vatican City • VietNam • Canadian Armed Forces • Papal States • 46 Diocese • 26 Cities,States and Regions.
Thought for the Day – 1 March – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
“Short Meditations for March, St Joseph” From “The Devout Year” By Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
Ist Day – The Foreshadowing of St Joseph
+I. As the Church of Christ is prefigured in the rites and ceremonies of the Old Law, so too, the chief personages who centre around Our Lord in the Redemption of the world, are foreshadowed in the Old Testament . We trace the outlines of Our Lady’s graces in Esther, Jahel, Bethsabee, Judith. So too, St Joseph’s place in the new dispensation is anticipated in the place of the Patriarch Joseph at the Court of Pharaoh. Thus it is that, God in His Love for His chosen ones, paves the way for them centuries before. From the beginning, He has prepared their work and the throne they are to earn in Heaven by their labours and sufferings for Him.
+2. In the life of the Patriarch Joseph, there was throughout, a correspondence to the life of the foster -father of Jesus Christ. The troubles and persecutions of his early life, his long time of servitude and obscurity, his wondrous purity, his time of patient expectation, his glorious exaltation, his omnipotence with the King, his power to save all who came to him – all these were repeated, or rather, were fulfilled, in St Joseph. Reflect on each of these and consider how St Joseph is a model to us.
+3. We read of the Patriarch that the King of Egypt made him the lord of his house. So God made St Joseph the lord of that earthly Tabernacle of Flesh in which He dwelt on earth. Joseph ruled Our Lord in His Sacred Humanity. He made him the lord too , of another house in which He sojourned, of the Sacred House which Wisdom built for Himself, in the form of His holy Mother. If St Joseph was thus, the lord of Jesus and Mary, what may we not expect from Him!?
Quote/s of the Day – 1 March – Saturday of the Blessed Virgin – Salve Sancta Parens
“Hail, full of grace!”
Luke 1:28
“Holy Light on earth’s horizon, Star of hope to those who fall, Light amid a world of shadows, Dawn of God’s Design for all.”
Hail to Thee, Forever Virgin, Mother of God, By St Methodius of Olympus (Died c311)
Hail to thee forever-Virgin Mother of God, our unceasing joy! for unto thee do I again return. . . . Hail, thou fount of the Son’s love for man. . . . Wherefore, we pray thee, the most excellent among women, who boast in the confidence of thy maternal honours that thou wouldst, unceasingly, keep us in remembrance. O holy Mother of God, remember us, I say, who make our boast in thee and who, in august hymns celebrate thy memory which will ever live and never fade away. Amen
(From “Oration on Simeon and Anna”)
“You must know that when you ‘hail’ Mary, she immediately greets you! Do not think that she is one of those rude women of whom there are so many, on the contrary, she is utterly courteous and pleasant. If you greet her, she will answer you right away and converse with you!”
One Minute Reflection – 1 March – “The Month of Saint Joseph” – St David (c 542-c 601) Bishop, Confessor – Saturdaty of the Blessed Virgin (Salve Sancta Parens) – Ecclesiasticus 24:14-16; – Luke 11:27-28 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Blessed is the womb which bore Thee ” – Luke 11:27
REFLECTION – “Hail, O favoured one, the Lord is with thee” (Lk 1:28). Could anything transcend the joy which is thine, O Virgin Mary? Could anything surpass this grace?… Truly, thou art “blessed among women” (Lk 1:42), for thou hast changed the condemnation of Eve into a blessing. Because of thee and through thee, Adam, who was hitherto cast down and condemned, received a blessing.
Truly, “thou art blessed among women” for through thee, the blessing of the Father came to mankind and reprieved them from the age-old sentence. Truly, “thou art blessed among women” because through thee, thy ancestors found salvation. Thou were to give birth to the Saviour, Who would win for them, God’s salvation.
Truly, “thou art blessed among women” for without the seed of man thou bore the Fruit Who gives a blessing to the whole earth and frees it from being condemned to produce only thorns.
Truly, “thou art blessed among women” for although thou art a woman like any other woman, thou will, in actual fact, become the Mother of God. If the One to be born of thee is, in truth God Incarnate, thou rightly deserve to be called ‘she who gave birth to God’ inasmuch as thou truly do give birth to God.” – St Sophronius of Jerusalem (c560-638) Bishop, Father of the Church (Sermon for the Annunciation 2).
PRAYER – We beseech Thee, O Lord, look graciously upon the fervour of Thy people, who mortify themselves in the flesh through abstinence that they may be refreshed in spirit, by the fruit of these good works and the intercession of Thy blessed Confessor, David. 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 – 1 March – “The Month of Saint Joseph”
Indulgenced Prayer to St Joseph O St Joseph! Pray for Us Daily
O Joseph! virgin father of Jesus, pure Spouse of the Virgin Mother, pray for us daily to the Son of God, that, armed with the weapons of His grace, we may fight as we ought in life and be crowned by Him in death. Amen (Indulgence of 100 days, twice a day St Pius X 26 November 1906)
Saint of the Day – 1 March – Saint Swidbert (Died 713) Bishop, Missionary, Founder and Abbot of Kaiserswerth Monastery. Born in Northumbria, England and died on 1 March 713 in today’s Kaiserswerth near Düsseldorf in North Rhine-Westphalia. Patronages – of Germany, against sore throats, of Drevenack, Germany, of Friesland, Netherland, of Ripon, England. Also known as – … the Elder, Suitbert, Suidbert, Suitbertus, Swithbert, Apostle of Friesland, Apostle of the Bructeri. The Name from old High German means: “the strong shining one.”
The Roman Martyrology reads today: “At Kaiserswerth, the Bishop, St Swidbert, who, in the time of Pope Sergius, preached the Gospel to the inhabitants of Friesland, Holland and to other Germanic peoples.”
The tale of Swidbert’s birth which arose around 1500, tells how a star, sending out two rays, fell on his mother’s bed before his birth. Bishop St Aidan of Lindisfarne, interpreted her dream – the boy who was born would be called to work in two countries – Gaul and Germania. Some traditions call Swidbert the son of Count Sigebert of Nottingham but he was most likely a Monk in the Monastery in Ripon under St Wilfrid of York. When St Wilfrid travelled to Rome in 678, Swidbert accompanied him and remained behind in Friesland on their return journey, as a missionary.
Another tradition reports that Swidbert left Ripon in 678 after Wilfrid’s departure and went to St Egbert in Rathmelsighe – today’s Mellifont – from wher, in 690, he was sent to southern Friesland together with twelve companions – including St Willibrord – as a Missionaries. In 692/693 his companions elected him as the Bishop, whereafter Swidbert returned to his homeland and was Ordained as a Missionary Bishop by St Wilfrid of York.
After another stay in Friesland, however, he then turned – as our wonderful Church Historian, the Venerable St Bede tells us – to missionary work in the area settled by the Bructeri on the Ruhr and Lippe. Swidbert’s work was unsuccessful – also because the invading Saxons destroyed his facilities. He now moved his activities to Frankish territory and in 695 founded the Benedictine Monastery of Swidbertswerth which was later named after him and later still, called Kaiserswerth and which, he headed as Abbot, on the Rhine island which had been given to him by the Mayor of the Merovingians, Pippin the Middle and his wife, Plektrudis
After his death, Swidbert was soon venerated as a Saint. In 877, the Church of his Monastery was dedicated, not only to Peter, as it had been from the beginning ,ut also to Swidbert. In 904, Swidbert was named as its sole Patron. His bones lie in a precious Shrine made between 1193 and 1332, in the collegiate Church in Kaiserswerth, where they were transferred in 1264, together with those of Abbot Wileich . Other Relics are kept in the Church of Peter and Paul in Duisburg-Süd.
The precious Shrine in the Church in Kaiserswerth,
Swidbert’s Benedictine Monastery was apparently destroyed during the Saxon invasions at the end of the 8th Century, but was soon rebuilt. In the 12th Century, the Rhine Island previously named after Swidbert, was given its new name Kaiserswerth because of the importance of the imperial palace built in 1045. After secularisation, the Church became a Parish Church.
The Rear gable wall of the Swidbertus Shrine with Swidbert (centre), Plektrudis (Pippin’s wife)(left) and Pippin the Middle (right), 1264, in the Collegiate Church in Kaiserswerth
St David of Wales (c542-c601) Bishop, Prince, Monk, Confessor, Missionary, Founder of Monasteries. Uncle of King Arthur. David studied under Saint Paul Aurelian. Worked with Saint Columbanus, Saint Gildas the Wise and Saint Finnigan. He was officially Canonised in 1120 by Pope Callistus II. Beloved St David: https://anastpaul.com/2017/03/01/saint-of-the-day-1-march-st-david-of-wales/
St Abdalong of Marseilles St Adrian of Numidia St Agapios of Vatopedi St Agnes Cao Guiying
St Albinus of Vercelli St Amandus of Boixe St Antonina of Bithynia Bl Aurelia of Wirberg Bl Bonavita of Lugo St Bono of Cagliari Bl Christopher of Milan Bl Claudius Gabriel Faber St Domnina of Syria St Domnina of Syria St Donatus of Carthage St Eudocia of Heliopolis Bl George Biandrate Bl Giovanna Maria Bonomo Bl Gonzalo de Ubeda St Hermes of Numidia St Jared the Patriarch St Leo of Rouen
St Leolucas of Corleone OBas (c815-c915) Abbot of the Basilian Order, Mystic, Ascetic, Miracle-worker. He lived as a Monk for more than 80 years. The Roman Martyrology reads: “In the Monastery of Avena between the slopes of Mount Mercurio in Calabria, St Leone Luca, Abbot of Monte Mula, who shone in the hermitic life, as in the cenobitic life, following the rules of the oriental Monks.” His Biography: https://anastpaul.com/2023/03/01/saint-of-the-day-1-march-saint-leolucas-of-corleone-obas-c815-c915-abbot/
St Lupercus St Marnock St Monan Bl Pietro Ernandez Bl Roger Lefort St Rudesind St Simplicius of Bourges St Siviard St Swidbert (Died 713)Bishop St Venerius of Eichstätt
Martyrs of Africa – A group of 13 Christians executed together for their faith in Africa. The only details about them to survive are ten names – Abundantius, Adrastus, Agapius, Charisius, Donatilla, Donatus, Fortunus, Leo, Nicephorus and Polocronius. c290
Martyrs of Antwerp – A group of 14 Christians Martyred together, buried together and whose Relics were transferred and enshrined together. We know nothing else but their names – Benignus, Donatus, Felician, Fidelis, Filemon, Herculanus, Julius, Justus, Maximus, Pelagius, Pius, Primus, Procopius and Silvius. Died in the 2nd Century in Rome. They are buried in the St Callixtus Catacombs and their Relics were enshrined in the Jesuit Church in Antwerp on 28 February 1600.
Martyrs of the Salarian Way – A group of 260 Christians who, for their faith, were condemned to road work on the Salarian Way in Rome, Italy during the persecutions of Claudius II. When they were no longer needed for work, they were publicly murdered in the amphitheatre. Martyrs. c269 in Rome.
Martyrs Under Alexander – A large but unspecified number of Christians Martyred in the persecutions of Emperor Alexander Severus and the praefect Ulpian who saw any non-state religion to be a dangerous treason. c 19.
Thought for the Day – 28 February – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
Meditations on “The Great Truths” From “The Devout Year” By Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
28th Day – How to Begin Heaven on Earth
Thy Will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven . (St Matt vi:10)
+I. In this vale of tears, even the happiest life is misery compared to the life in Heaven. Even the perfect tranquillity and peace, enjoyed by the Saints of God on earth, is confusion and trouble compared to the peace of Heaven. Yet, we can begin even here, a life which contains the germ of Paradise. The essential element of Heaven, is union with God,and those, who are united to God by supernatural charity, have in them, the seed of Heaven’s happiness.
+2. This supernatural charity does not consist in feeling, or in the absence of suffering, or in brilliant success or in freedom from temptation. Our life maybe one continual cross, one long series of failures, as men count failure; we may live in poverty and want and die unheeded and uncared for; yet, such a life, maybe the beginning of Heaven upon earth.
+3. In what then, does supernatural charity consist? Simply in doing what we know to be God’s Will in the details of our daily life; in having the thought of Him before us as the guiding principle of our actions, of doing all for Him and not for self. One who consistently leads such a life as this, cannot fail to be happy, in spite of all external miseries, for he carries in himself, the principle which constitutes heavenly happiness. “Thy Will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven.” Pray for this unfailing compliance with the will of God in all that you do and think and are.
Quote/s of the Day – 28 February – Ferial Day – Sexagesima Week – 2 Corinthians 11:19-33; 12:1-9 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“And as for that in the good ground they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart and bring forth fruit with patience.”
Luke 8:15
“And Simon Peter answered Him: Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the Words of eternal life.”
John 6:69
“My sheep hear My Voice; I know them and they follow Me.””
John 10:27
“Not content with sending His servants, He came Himself, He marked out the way we should take, He came to make known His holy Word. … Brethren, it is absolutely impossible to love and please God, unless we are fed by this divine Word.”
St John Vianney (1786-1859)
“Cultivate your vineyard together with Jesus. To you the task of removing stones and pulling up brambles. To Jesus, that of sowing, planting, cultivating and watering. But even in your work, it is still He who acts. Because, without Christ, you could do nothing at all.”
One Minute Reflection – 28 February – “The Month of the Blessed Trinity” – Ferial Day – Sexagesima Week – 2 Corinthians 11:19-33; 12:1-9 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“He who hath ears to hear, let him hear. ” – Luke 8:8
REFLECTION – “I have not convinced my auditor today but maybe, I shall do so tomorrow, maybe in three or four days, or in a certain time. The fisherman, who has unsuccessfully cast his net the whole day long, may sometimes catch, in the evening, the very fish he was unable to catch during the day. just as he is about to leave. The agricultural worker does not stop cultivating his land, even if he has not had good harvests for several years and eventually, one single year, will often make abundantly good, all his previous losses.
God does not ask us to succeed but to work. Now, our work is not going to be less rewarded because we were not heeded … Christ knew well that Judas would not be converted and yet, He tried to convert him to the very end, by rebuking his sin with the most touching expressions: “Friend, why have you come?” (Mt 26:50). Now, if Christ, the Model of the shepherds, worked to the end, for the conversion of a hopeless case, what should we not do for those about whom we are commanded always to hope?” – St John Chrysostom (345-407) Bishop of Constantinople, Father & Doctor of the Church
PRAYER – O God, Thou Who see that we put no trust in anything we do, mercifully grant, by the protection of the Doctor of the Gentiles, we may be defended against all adversity. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Saint of the Day – 28 February – Saint Ruellinus (6th Century) the 2nd Bishop of Treguier, Brittany, France, now in today’s Diocese of Quimper and Leon, Monk and Priest. Probably born in Wales and died in his See. Also known as – Rivelin, Ruelin, Ruellin.
In the 6th Century, the Breton Monk Ruellinus, a disciple of Saint Tugdual, who had established a hermitage on an island off the coast of North Wales, before crossing the sea to Brittany with our Saint and other companions. He became the 1st Bishop of Tréguier.
When Tugdual was dying around the year 564, the Priests asked him to select a successor and he indicated Ruellinus to succeed his spiritual master as the Bishop of this See. It is believed he filled this Office from 564 to 598.
His election was contested by St Pergat, a Canon and the Archpriest of Lexobie but was confirmed by a Synod at Lexobie, where the most able and educated Ecclesiastics of the Diocese were summoned. Ruellinus appeared miraculously to the entire assembly thus ratifying their decision and causing St Pergat to retire from the fray in deep mortification, spending the remainder of his life in penance for his pride.
Ruellinus is mentioned in the 17th Century volume “Vie des saints de la Bretagne Armorique” and in the 19th Century text by M de Garaby, on the Saints of Brittany.
St Ruellinus is commemorated and celebrated in the proper of the Diocese of Quimper and Leon today, 28 February.
AnaStpaul 
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