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"He was of the blood royal of France, educated in great piety, and while as yet a child, accustomed to give alms to the poor, This charity grew up with him; so that being now a youth. He several times stripped himself to cover the naked, and sent from his table the choicest dishes to feed the hungry. Being come to maturity, he made the study of heaven his chief business; and having received holy orders, so to prevent his succession to the crown, he retired into a desert, where he lived in prayer and penance. After some time, being found by St. John of Matha, he with him laid the foundation of the Order of Trinitarians, for the redemption of captives, which by his zeal and good example was very much advanced. In this method of holiness and charity, he lived to the year 1212, when he gave up his soul to God.

If children are under your care, accustom them to good; that the seed sown in their tender years may bring forth good fruit, for your comfort and their salvation. Children brought up too nicely, make nice men; and in this have a double difficulty in coming up to the mortification required by the Gospel. If your lot be in the higher ranks, learn how to employ your money and time. This saint now enjoys the reward of what he employed so well. If you abuse all to serve your vanity and corruption, is there not in this an intolerable misuse of blessings? And what recompense can you then expect, but to be cast forth into the exterior darkness? It is a reproach to Christianity, that among such numbers, who are blessed with plenty, there are so few who make a christian use of it, by referring it to the Giver.

  Pray for all in captivity and prison. You have no compassion, if you refuse them this charity; but do more, if you can. Pray for all who are slaves to sin. Help them by your advice and good example: you save your own soul by delivering theirs. But if by your discourse or ill example, you draw any into snares, or chains, you act the part of an infidel, and can have no hopes of salvation." The Catholic Year by Fr. John Gother

"Felix, happy lover of charity, teach us the worth, and also the nature, of this queen of virtues. It was she that attracted thee into solitude in pursuit of her divine Object; and when thou hadst learnt to find God in himself, she showed him to thee and taught thee to love Him in thy brethren. Is not this the secret which makes love become strong as death, and daring enough, as in the case of thy sons, to defy hell itself? May this love inspire us with every sort of devotedness; may it ever remain the excellent portion of thy holy Order, leading it to adapt itself to every new requirement, in a society where the worst kind of slavery, under a thousand forms, reigns supreme." By Dom Prosper Guéranger

"ST. EDMUND was born of pious parents at Abingdon in Berkshire. Of his devout mother he learnt from a child, to fast on all Fridays on bread and water. He grew up under her care in all Christian virtues: and was so dutiful to her, as never by word or look to contradicted her inclinations. He performed the first part of his studies at Oxford, in which he gave early indications of great genius. Retirement and prayer were his delight, and he sought no companions, but those of the like inclinations. From Oxford he was sent to study at Paris, whence he was recalled by the sickness of his mother, who gave him her blessing on her deathbed, and recommended to him the care of his brother and two sisters. Edmund neglected nothing that might benefit his own soul: he shunned the vanities of youth, dreaded pleasures, waged a perpetual war with idleness, frequented churches, and wholly addicted himself to prayer, fasting, and study. His chief care was to preserve his purity without spot or stain; which by the counsel of a holy priest he dedicated by vow to God, under the patronage of the most Blessed Virgin Mary. Her intercession, he declared at his death that he had experienced to be so powerful, that he had never called on her without finding assistance in his temptations, comfort in his afflictions, and relief in his necessities.