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Martyr Polish Bishop of Cracow of the XI century. Image of the Anjou legendarium of the Kings of Hungary (XIV century)

"He was bishop of Cracovia in Poland, watchful in all his pastoral duties, and particularly remarkable for his extraordinary charity to the poor. He zealously reproved the vicious life of his king, who not bearing this effect of his charity, first endeavoured to ruin his reputation, by accusing him of injustice in a general assembly of the nation; and afterwards upon being disappointed in this, murdered him with his own hand at the altar, where the holy prelate fell a sacrifice to charity and truth.

Pray for all bishops in Christ's Church; that like this prelate, they may faithfully discharge all pastoral duties; that with christian zeal they may labour to suppress all scandals, and not be awed by any authority into a connivance at vice.

The wickedness of great ones carries with it the strongest infection; and though there be danger in standing against it, yet it is a danger which is most honourable. Having justice and duty on its side, it cannot be declined by pastors, but by their being false to their charge, and forfeiting the trust which they have undertaken. See how far this falls within your province. To condemn vice is not an usurpation in any Christian. With regard to inferiors or equals, you have generally courage enough to assert your own right: shew as much in the cause of Christ and His Gospel. If you are called bold and presumptuous, there is no blemish in such censures: it is better to be thus reputed by men, than to venture being condemned by Almighty God for cowardice and uncharitable silence. Pray for patience in all reproaches and false accusations. You may not meet with such as endanger your life; but you cannot escape those, which though in a lower degree, yet lessen that reputation, which you would willingly have with men. Learn rather to slight, than be disturbed at these. Be not solicitous to make unnecessary vindications; but with content offer so much of yourself a sacrifice to God. You have but a poor stock of humility and patience, if you cannot bear these trials without throwing all into disorder." The Catholic Year by Fr. John Gother

"This feast is in memory of that day when St. John the Apostle was cast into a cauldron of boiling oil, by order of the cruel Emperor Domitian. St. John, who was the only one of the apostles then living, was apprehended at Ephesus, and sent prisoner to Rome, in the year 95. He was ordered by the tyrant to be cast into a cauldron of boiling oil. The holy apostle, no doubt, rejoiced at this barbarous sentence, and exulted at the thought of soon rejoining his beloved Lord and Master. But God accepted his good will, and conferred on him the merit of martyrdom, but suspended the operation of the fire, so that the apostle was miraculously preserved, and came forth not only unhurt, but even more lively and vigorous. The emperor attributed his wonderful escape to magic; and contented himself with banishing the holy apostle into the small island of Patmos. The year following, Domitian was assassinated; and St. John returned to Ephesus. This glorious triumph of St. John happened outside of the gate of Rome which led to Latium, and was on that account called the Latin Gate.

Tridentine Latin Mass, Sacred Heart Cathedral, Raleigh NC

"On July 14, 1570, the Pope published the reformed missal by the Bull Quo primum, still printed at its beginning. The Bull commands that this missal alone be used wherever the Roman rite is followed. No one, of whatever rank he be, shall use any other. "All rites from other missals, however old, hitherto observed, being in future left out and entirely abandoned, Mass shall be sung or said according to the rite, manner and standard which is given in this missal; nor in celebrating Mass shall anyone dare to add or recite other ceremonies οι prayers than those that are contained herein." That made an end of the mediæval derived rites. But the Pope made one important exception. The Bull allowed any rite to be kept that could show a prescription of at least two centuries. This rule saved some modified uses. A few dioceses, as Lyons, kept and still keep their local forms; so also some religious orders, notably the Dominicans, Carmelites and Carthusians. What is much more important is that the exception saved what was left of really independent rites at Milan and Toledo" The Mass: A Study of the Roman Liturgy By Adrian Fortescue 1914

• Papal Bull: Horrendum illud scelus ( August 30, 1568) Saint Pius V
  

"That horrible crime, on account of which corrupt and obscene cities were destroyed by fire through divine condemnation, causes us most bitter sorrow and shocks our mind, impelling us to repress such a crime with the greatest possible zeal. Quite opportunely the Fifth Lateran Council [1512-1517] issued this decree: "Let any member of the clergy caught in that vice against nature, given that the wrath of God falls over the sons of perfidy, be removed from the clerical order or forced to do penance in a monastery" (chap. 4, X, V, 31).
So that the contagion of such a grave offense may not advance with greater audacity by taking advantage of impunity, which is the greatest incitement to sin, and so as to more severely punish the clerics who are guilty of this nefarious crime and who are not frightened by the death of their souls, we determine that they should be handed over to the severity of the secular authority, which enforces civil law.
Therefore, wishing to pursue with greater rigor than we have exerted since the beginning of our pontificate, we establish that any priest or member of the clergy, either secular or regular, who commits such an execrable crime, by force of the present law be deprived of every clerical privilege, of every post, dignity and ecclesiastical benefit, and having been degraded by an ecclesiastical judge, let him be immediately delivered to the secular authority to be put to death, as mandated by law as the fitting punishment for laymen who have sunk into this abyss."

St. Monica by Giuseppe Riva

"ST. MONICA was mother of the great St. Augustin. Seeing him unhappily fallen into the heresy of the Manichees, she ceased not by continual prayers and tears to solicit heaven in behalf of her son, that he might return to the truth. For this end she followed him to Milan; where by the means of St. Ambrose he was delivered from his errors, and prepared for becoming a great light in Christ's Church. Give thanks for this mercy shown to both mother and son; and beseech God to inspire all parents with this charity in all the misconduct and errors of their children. To importune heaven by prayers, tears, and alms, is the most assured way of obliging the Father of mercy to their assistance, from whom alone their help must come. They may justly hope that the children of constant and fervent prayer will never perish. Therefore as those parents, who are unconcerned at the disorderly conduct of their children, show neither compassion, nor a due sense of eternity; so all those who follow St. Monica's steps, in sparing no pains, nor omitting any occasion likely to contribute to their children's good, have this certain comfort, that their labour will not be lost. If it has not the effect which they desire, still it will be the increase of their own crown.

One constant practice of St. Monica, was to assist daily at the altar of God; from whence she knew that that victim was dispensed, by which was cancelled the hand-writing against us. In this, and other holy exercises of piety and charity, she spent the years of her widowhood; and at length, on her return to Africa, she was seized with a violent fever, and departed to heaven in the year 389. Pray for all widows, that they may be constant in all the exercises of religion, and especially in that of assisting daily, if in their power, before the altar of God, at Mass. Whatever your condition be, follow the example of so great a saint: see that sloth and vain pretexts be not your hindrance, and heartily lament all past neglects. Be careful not to lose this day at least: beg grace to be delivered from all disorders, and extend your charity to all in vice or error." The Catholic Year by Fr. John Gother

Pray for a like courage under all trials; and remember that virtue is no security against persecution. Happy are you, if you have no other persecutions, but what virtue draws upon you. If you desire to be proof against the greatest storms, practice your courage in those lesser ones which daily happen. See that ordinary contradictions destroy not your inward peace, nor put you on making complaints, or unnecessary apologies in your own defence, much less on engaging in contentions on this account. It is much better to be unconcerned at these petty oppositions, than solicitous about them; for such solicitude is but the argument of your impatience and self-love. Thus prepare for greater trials, and call in God to your assistance." The Catholic Year by Rev. Fr. John Gother

Letter 19:

"6. Like these too, are the heretics, who, having fallen from true discernment, dare to invent to themselves atheism. "For the fool says in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, and become abominable in their doings." Of such as are fools in their thoughts, the actions are wicked, as He says, "can you, being evil, speak good things Matthew 12:34;" for they were evil, because they thought wickedness. Or how can those do just acts, whose minds are set upon fraud? Or how shall he love, who is prepared beforehand to hate? How shall he be merciful, who is bent upon the love of money? How shall he be chaste, who looks upon a woman to lust after her? "For from the heart proceed evil thoughts, fornications, adulteries, murders. "By them the fool is wrecked, as by the waves of the sea, being led away and enticed by his fleshly pleasures; for this stands written, "'All flesh of fools is greatly tempest-tossed." While he associates with folly, he is tossed by a tempest, and perishes, as Solomon says in the Proverbs, "The fool and he who lacks understanding shall perish together, and shall leave their wealth to strangers." Now they suffer such things, because there is not among them one sound of mind to guide them. For where there is sagacity, there the Word, who is the Pilot of souls, is with the vessel; "for he that has understanding shall possess guidance ;" but they who are without guidance fall like the leaves. Who has so completely fallen away as Hymenæus and Philetus, who held evil opinions respecting the resurrection, and concerning faith in it suffered shipwreck? And Judas being a traitor, fell away from the Pilot, and perished with the Jews. But the disciples since they were wise, and therefore remained with the Lord, although the sea was agitated, and the ship covered with the waves, for there was a storm, and the wind was contrary, yet fell not away. For they awoke the Word, Who was sailing with them , and immediately the sea became smooth at the command of its Lord, and they were saved. They became preachers and teachers at the same time; relating the miracles of our Saviour, and teaching us also to imitate their example. These things were written on our account and for our profit, so that through these signs we may acknowledge the Lord Who wrought them." Source: New Advent, Letter 19, St. Athanasius