Saint of the day and Feast days - Part 2

[James - a humble servant]

Sts. Nereus and Achilleus 
(1st century)

Devotion to these two saints goes back to the fourth century, though almost nothing is known of their lives. They were praetorian soldiers of the Roman army, became Christians and were removed to the island of Terracina, where they were martyred. Their bodies were buried in a family vault, later known as the cemetery of Domitilla. Excavations by De Rossi in 1896 resulted in the discovery of their empty tomb in the underground church built by Pope Siricius in 390.
Two hundred years after their death, Pope Gregory the Great delivered his 28th homily on the occasion of their feast. “These saints, before whom we are assembled, despised the world and trampled it under their feet when peace, riches and health gave it charms.”

QUOTE:
Pope Damasus wrote an epitaph for Nereus and Achilleus in the fourth century. The text is known from travelers who read it while the slab was still entire, but the broken fragments found by De Rossi are sufficient to identify it: “The martyrs Nereus and Achilleus had enrolled themselves in the army and exercised the cruel office of carrying out the orders of the tyrant, being ever ready, through the constraint of fear, to obey his will. O miracle of faith! Suddenly they cease from their fury, they become converted, they fly from the camp of their wicked leader; they throw away their shields, their armor and their blood-stained javelins. Confessing the faith of Christ, they rejoice to bear testimony to its triumph. Learn now from the words of Damasus what great things the glory of Christ can accomplish.”

[James - a humble servant]

~ Dominican Saint of the Day ~

Blessed Jane of Portugal
(Nun & Virgin)

Blessed Jane, the only daughter of Alphonso V of
Portugal, was born in Lisbon in 1452. She desired to
embrace religious life and despite the violent opposition
of her brother and father, she entered the
Dominican monastery of Aveiro in 1472. Dedicated
to prayer and penance she lived for the conversion
of sinners and the liberation of the Christian captives
in Africa. She lived a life of humility and simplicity
and died on May 12, 1490.

[James - a humble servant]

Our Lady of Fatima

Between May 13 and October 13, 1917, three Portuguese children received apparitions of Our Lady at Cova da Iria, near Fatima, a city 110 miles north of Lisbon. (See February 20 entry for Blesseds Jacinta and Francisco Marto). Mary asked the children to pray the rosary for world peace, for the end of World War I, for sinners and for the conversion of Russia. The third visionary, Lucia dos Santos, became a Carmelite nun and died in 2005 at the age of 97.
Mary gave the children three secrets. Since Francisco died in 1919 and Jacinta the following year, Lucia revealed the first secret in 1927, concerning devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The second secret was a vision of hell.

Pope John Paul II directed the Holy See's Secretary of State to reveal the third secret in 2000; it spoke of a "bishop in white" who was shot by a group of soldiers who fired bullets and arrows into him. Many people linked this to the assassination attempt against Blessed John Paul II in St. Peter's Square on May 13, 1981.

The feast of Our Lady of Fatima was approved by the local bishop in 1930; it was added to the Church's worldwide calendar in 2002.


QUOTE:
“Throughout history there have been supernatural apparitions and signs which go to the heart of human events and which, to the surprise of believers and non-believers alike, play their part in the unfolding of history. These manifestations can never contradict the content of faith and must, therefore, have their focus in the core of Christ's proclamation: the Father's love which leads men and women to conversion and bestows the grace required to abandon oneself to him with filial devotion. This too is the message of Fatima which, with its urgent call to conversion and penance, draws us to the heart of the Gospel” (The Message of Fatima, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, June 26, 2000).

[James - a humble servant]

FEAST OF Bl.  IMELDA, O.P.
(Patroness of First Holy Communicants)

Imelda was born in 1322, the only child of a Count. Her parents were devout Catholics and were known for their charity and generosity to the underprivileged of Bologna. As a very young girl, Imelda had a burning desire to receive Christ in the Most Holy Eucharist. On her fifth birthday, she requested this privilege; however the custom at the time was that children did not receive their First Holy Communion until age 12. Imelda was sorely disappointed but knew the time would come soon enough. She would sometimes exclaim: "Tell me, can anyone receive Jesus into his heart and not die?"


As time went by, her desire for the Blessed Sacrament grew, and she loved Christ more than ever. To show this love, she joined a cloistered Dominican community at age nine in Valdipietra, near Bologna, which was unusual to do for a girl at her age. There it would be easier to wait for her First Communion, in deep prayer and conversation with God.

On May 12, 1333, the day of the vigil of the Ascension, she finally got her wish. As she knelt in prayer the "Light of the Host" was witnessed above her head by the Sacristan, who then fetched the Priest so he could see. After seeing this miracle, the priest felt compelled admit her to receiving the Eucharist. Immediately after receiving it, Imelda fell to the floor and died in complete ecstasy. Her remains are kept in Bologna at the Church of San Sigismondo, beneath the wax effigy of her likeness. There still remains some controversy as to whether Blessed Imelda can be classified as incorrupt. Many argue that contrary to popular belief, she is not truly incorrupt. Many other sources, including the Church of San Sigismondo, steadfastly claim that she is incorrupt.

[James - a humble servant]

~Blessed Giles of Portugal
(Friar & Priest)

Blessed Giles was born at Vouzella, near
Coimbra, Portugal, about 1184. Although destined
for a church career by his father, Giles was more
attracted by medicine, which he studied and taught
at Paris. According to tradition he was converted
from a dissolute life through the intervention of the
Blessed Virgin. He entered the newly founded
Order of Preachers at Valencia around 1224 and
became a celebrated preacher and able superior.
Noted for his humble service to his brethren, he died
at Santarem on May 14, 1265.

and

~Blessed Andrew Abellon
(Friar & Priest)

Blessed Andrew was born in 1375 at Saint
Maximin, France and received the habit at the priory
of St. Mary Magdalene. He was outstanding for his
teaching, for his preaching throughout Provence,
and for his zeal in restoring regular observance. In
addition he exercised his talents as an artist in many
of the Dominican churches of southern France. He
died at Aix-en-Provence on May 15, 1450.

[James - a humble servant]

St. Margaret of Cortona 
(1247-1297)

Margaret was born of farming parents in Laviano, Tuscany. Her mother died when Margaret was seven; life with her stepmother was so difficult that Margaret moved out. For nine years she lived with Arsenio, though they were not married, and she bore him a son. In those years, she had doubts about her situation. Somewhat like St. Augustine she prayed for purity—but not just yet.
One day she was waiting for Arsenio and was instead met by his dog. The animal led Margaret into the forest where she found Arsenio murdered. This crime shocked Margaret into a life of penance. She and her son returned to Laviano, where she was not well received by her stepmother. They then went to Cortona, where her son eventually became a friar.

In 1277, three years after her conversion, Margaret became a Franciscan tertiary. Under the direction of her confessor, who sometimes had to order her to moderate her self-denial, she pursued a life of prayer and penance at Cortona. There she established a hospital and founded a congregation of tertiary sisters. The poor and humble Margaret was, like Francis, devoted to the Eucharist and to the passion of Jesus. These devotions fueled her great charity and drew sinners to her for advice and inspiration. She was canonized in 1728.

QUOTE:
"Let us raise ourselves from our fall and not give up hope as long as we free ourselves from sin. Jesus Christ came into this world to save sinners. ‘O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!’ (Psalm 95:6). The Word calls us to repentance, crying out: ‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens and I will give you rest’ (Matthew 11:28). There is, then, a way to salvation if we are willing to follow it" (Letter of Saint Basil the Great).

[James - a humble servant]

St. John I 
(d. 526)

Pope John I inherited the Arian heresy, which denied the divinity of Christ. Italy had been ruled for 30 years by an emperor who espoused the heresy, though he treated the empire’s Catholics with toleration. His policy changed at about the time the young John was elected pope.
When the eastern emperor began imposing severe measures on the Arians of his area, the western emperor forced John to head a delegation to the East to soften the measures against the heretics. Little is known of the manner or outcome of the negotiations—designed to secure continued toleration of Catholics in the West.

When John returned to Rome, he found that the emperor had begun to suspect his friendship with his eastern rival.

On his way home, John was imprisoned when he reached Ravenna because the emperor suspected a conspiracy against his throne. Shortly after his imprisonment, John died, apparently from the treatment he had received.

QUOTE:
“Martyrdom makes disciples like their Master, who willingly accepted death for the salvation of the world, and through it they are made like him by the shedding of blood. Therefore, the Church considers it the highest gift and supreme test of love. And while it is given to few, all however must be prepared to confess Christ before humanity and to follow him along the way of the cross amid the persecutions which the Church never lacks” (Vatican II, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, 42, Austin Flannery translation).

[James - a humble servant]

St. Theophilus of Corte
(1676 - 1740)

If we expect saints to do marvelous things continually and to leave us many memorable quotes, we are bound to be disappointed with St. Theophilus. The mystery of God's grace in a person's life, however, has a beauty all its own.
Theophilus was born in Corsica of rich and noble parents. As a young man he entered the Franciscans and soon showed his love for solitude and prayer. After admirably completing his studies, he was ordained and assigned to a retreat house near Subiaco. Inspired by the austere life of the Franciscans there, he founded other such houses in Corsica and Tuscany. Over the years, he became famous for his preaching as well as his missionary efforts.

Though he was always somewhat sickly, Theophilus generously served the needs of God's people in the confessional, in the sickroom and at the graveside. Worn out by his labors, he died on June 17, 1740. He was canonized in 1930.


COMMENT:
There is a certain dynamism in all the saints that prompts them to find ever more selfless ways of responding to God's grace. As time went on, Theophilus gave more and more singlehearted service to God and to God's sons and daughters. Honoring the saints will make no sense unless we are thus drawn to live as generously as they did. Their holiness can never substitute for our own.

QUOTE:
Francis of Assisi used to say, "Let us begin, brothers, to serve the Lord God, for up to now we have made little or no progress" (1 Celano, #193).

[James - a humble servant]

May 19 – 
Dominican Saint of the Day

Bl. Francis Coll Guitart -(Mem) 
Friar & Priest 
  
  Blessed Francis Coll was born at Gombreny in 
the Catalan Pyrenees in 1812 and, after studying at 
the diocesan seminary at Vich, entered the Order at 
the priory of Gerona in 1830.  In 1835 the anticlerical 
government closed the house of studies at Gerona 
and dispersed the Dominican students.  From that 
day until his death he maintained a heroic fidelity to 
his Dominican vocation without the support offered 
by Dominican community life.  Eventually he was 
ordained at the diocesan seminary at Vich in 1836.  
After several years of parish ministry he pursued 
itinerant preaching along with his friend St. An?
thony Claret.  He founded the Dominican Sisters of 
the Annunciation to teach the children of the poor in 
the villages where he preached.  In December 1869, 
Blessed Francis suffered a stroke, which left him 
completely blind.  He died in Vich on April 2, 1875.

[Poche]

Happy feast of St Bernardine of Sienna
the promoter of the Holy Name
   

[odhiambo]

May 19 – 
Dominican Saint of the Day

Bl. Francis Coll Guitart -(Mem) 
Friar & Priest 
  
  Blessed Francis Coll was born at Gombreny in 
the Catalan Pyrenees in 1812 and, after studying at 
the diocesan seminary at Vich, entered the Order at 
the priory of Gerona in 1830.  In 1835 the anticlerical 
government closed the house of studies at Gerona 
and dispersed the Dominican students.  From that 
day until his death he maintained a heroic fidelity to 
his Dominican vocation without the support offered 
by Dominican community life.  Eventually he was 
ordained at the diocesan seminary at Vich in 1836.  
After several years of parish ministry he pursued 
itinerant preaching along with his friend St. An?
thony Claret.  He founded the Dominican Sisters of 
the Annunciation to teach the children of the poor in 
the villages where he preached.  In December 1869, 
Blessed Francis suffered a stroke, which left him 
completely blind.  He died in Vich on April 2, 1875.

He was canonized 11 October 2009 by Pope Benedict XVI.
St Francis Coll y Guitart, pray for us!

[Shin]

'The outside doth show that which there is within. By the exterior may the interior be known. To this same purpose: I would say, that the woman who doth wear meretricious garments, I know not how she may be within, but from the outside I seem to detect evil signs.

To me it seemeth that thou art a _______ , I will not say it, but thou dost understand me well. Hast thou the hardihood to wear them, thou little fool? Hast thou no self-respect?

But O thou, Mother or Father, how cometh it that thou dost permit her or make her to wear them? Knowest thou not that this is not the dress of women, but of harlots? I would say to thee, O maid, or woman, who dost wear such garments, that thou dost appear to be a harlot: I say not that thou art a harlot, but I say that such thou dost seem to be in thy dishonest bearing.'

St. Bernardine of Siena

[Shin]

'Hark ye! If I were Sienese, as in good sooth I am, and if I had sons, as I have not, I would do with them as I shall tell you. When they had reached the age of three years, I would immediately send them out of Italy. And why out of Italy? Why? Because this Italy is so corrupt that scarcely, if they abode here, might they escape contamination.'

St. Bernardine of Siena

[Poche]

Today is the feast of St Eugene de Mazenod, the founder of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate.

[Poche]

Happy feast of St Rita of Cascia, the saint of the impossible
 

[odhiambo]

Saint Rita,
Pray for us!