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St. William

"HAVING lost his father and mother in his infancy, he was brought up by his friends in great sentiments of piety. At fifteen years of age, out of an earnest desire of leading a penitential life, he left Piedmont, his native country, and made an austere pilgrimage to Compostella in Spain, to the famous church of St. James the Apostle. He performed this pilgrimage, clothed with only one garment, wearing a double iron girdle, and walking barefoot; and suffered severe cold and heat, hunger and thirst, with great danger of his life. Returning into Italy, he proposed to make another pilgrimage to the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem; but was hindered by various impediments permitted to fall in his way by divine Providence, who called him to higher and more holy exercises of piety. He spent two years in a desert mountain, and lived in perpetual contemplation, and rigorous austerities Having here restored sight to a blind man, the fame of this miracle rendered it impossible for him to remain in obscurity; and accordingly he changed his habitation, and built a monastery on the summit of a mountain, called Monte Vergine. Here he collected some religious men to live with him, and instructed them in the gospel rules and counsels, and also in ascetic practices. Thus was laid the foundation of the religious congregation of Monte Vergine. Other monasteries of the same religious institute were afterwards erected. The sanc tity of the holy man became every day more brilliant, and attracted more and more persons to him. He foretold the day of his death to the king of Naples and others, and slept in the Lord on the 25th of June, 1142.

Order and good discipline are necessary, not only for religious houses, but likewise for all other families. Where these are neglected, there unavoidably follows a proportioned decay of Christianity. So that, without rash judgment, it may be concluded that those families which are not orderly, are not virtuous, or at least will not long be so. If you have the care of a family, consider your charge, and forget not that the eternal welfare of those under your care much depends on your example and management." The Catholic Year by Fr. John Gother

"He was sanctified in his mother's womb. A good instruction for mothers, to pray for their children before they are born. Very much depends on their natural constitution and temper; the difference of inclinations is very observable. Why then should not they pray for such as may lead to virtue and happiness?

St. John was the forerunner of Christ, and proclaimed Him to the world, preparing His way before Him, by preaching penance and conversion from sin. Pray that you may hear his voice, and enter into those holy dispositions which he requires. Prepare your soul, as he directs, that Christ may follow, and take up his abode in your heart.

We have it from the mouth of Christ himself, that amongst all born of women there is none greater than St. John Baptist. And yet we find nothing in him which the world esteems great; his whole life being a contempt of the world, and an entire renunciation of all that which is reputed valuable in it. For, his habitation being a desert, his clothing being of camel's hair, and his food locusts and wild honey, it is evident that neither riches, nor honour, nor pleasures, nor the satisfaction of any sense, nor any sort of vanity, had place in him. Making no further use of the world than necessity required, he renounced all that which could contribute to these common objects of human greatness. His greatness therefore, was in the contempt of all these things; and this was necessary in him, who was to be the precursor of the Messias; that so not only in words, but by example too, he might teach the world to prepare the ways of the Lord, and make good what he said of himself: I am a voice. For thus was he a voice, whilst all that he did carried with it the same instruction with what he said.

St. Ethelreda

"ANOTHER FAMILY OF SAINTS.-The pious Anna, king of the East Angles, was the father of St. Ethelreda, and her mother was St. Heruwyda; her sisters were St. Sexburga, St. Withburga, and St. Ethelburga, who died as a nun in France. Ethelreda was born at Ermyng, in the county of Suffolk, and was brought up in the fear of God. After having passed three years in married life, though in a state of continence, she retired to the island of Ely, in order to devote herself to practices of piety. Afterwards yielding to the entreaties of Egfrid, king of the Northumbrians, she consented to assume the dignity of queen, but only on condition of still keeping holy continence.

Notwithstanding all the good she effected by the influence of her example in the world, she preferred seeking anew the calm of retirement, and withdrew to the nunnery of Coldingham, and subsequently to the isle of Ely, where she founded a nunnery herself, and there died in 679. Her body having been exhumed eleven years after, was found exempt from corruption, and many miracles were wrought by mere contact therewith.

MORAL REFLECTION. -Happy those families where "the children's children are the crown of the old, and the glory of children are their fathers!"-(Prov. xvii. 6.)" The Pictorial Half Hours with the Saints by Fr. Lecanu

St. Alban

"So great was the glory of this first martyr of our country, that his name was famous over the whole Church. He was as yet a pagan, when the edicts of the Roman emperors against the Christians began to be put into execution in Britain. A certain priest sought by flight to escape the persecutors, and Alban afforded him a shelter in his house. He was much edified by the holy deportment of the stranger, and admired his faith and piety, and in particular his assiduity in prayer. Alban listened to his instructions, and in a short time became a Christian. Information was soon given to the Roman governor that the priest lay hid at the house of St. Alban. Soldiers were sent to search for him; but St. Alban changed clothes with his guest, that he might more easily escape, and he himself put on the garment worn by the priest. In this dress he presented himself boldly to the soldiers, and was by them led to the judge. He was highly provoked to find the cheat which the saint had put upon him, and ordered him to sacrifice to the pagan gods. Upon his heroic refusal, the judge commanded him to be scourged; and seeing him bear with unshaken constancy, and even with joy, the most cruel torments, he at last condemned him to be beheaded.

St. Paulinus:

"ADVANTAGES DERIVABLE FROM ADVERSITY. - Paulinus was born at Bordeaux in 353. He reckoned among his ancestors a long line of senators, and his father was prefect of Gaul. He had as preceptor the celebrated Ausonius, and at the age of twenty-five became prefect of the town of Rome. Theresa, belonging to one of the most noble families in Spain, brought him a large accession of wealth in marriage. He was at the height of worldly dignities when sudden changes happening in the empire snatched from him all his honours and a goodly portion of his wealth. Paulinus and Theresa thereupon, apprehending the nothingness of the things of the world, sold the remainder of their possessions in favour of the poor; Theresa dedicated her life to their service, and Paulinus embraced the religious state. His great virtue soon rendered his name famous, and caused him to be raised to the bishopric of Nola. This town, which was devastated by the Goths a year afterwards, stood in need of such a bishop, to prevent its entire destruction. He became the providence of the poor and the unfortunate. Although poor himself, he always found means to give in abundance. St. Paulinus died in 431.

MORAL REFLECTION.-We read in the book of Proverbs: "Whom the Lord loveth He chastiseth, even as a father the son in whom he delighteth."-(Prov. iii. 12.)" Pictorial Half Hour with the Saints by Fr. Lecanu

"THIS saint was born of noble and pious parents. From the instructions and example of his devout mother, the deepest sentiments of religion and the fear of God were impressed upon his soul from his childhood, In the seventh year of his age, he began to conceive greater sentiments of piety, and recited every day the office of our Blessed Lady, the seven penitential psalms, and other prayers, which he never omitted even in sickness. He had a great esteem for the angelic virtue of chastity; and cultivated this by assiduous prayer, universal mortification, and careful avoidance of all dangerous occasions. But humility was in him the guardian of purity. When he was nine years old he made a vow of perpetual virginity before an altar of the Blessed Virgin at Florence. He had so tender a devotion to the B. Eucharist, that when hearing Mass, after the consecration, he often melted into tears, in profound sentiments of love and adoration. He frequently approached to the Holy Communion, and this great Sacrament became his greatest joy and consolation.

St Aloysius at length determined to enter into the Society of Jesus, in order to devote himself to the instructing and conducting souls to God. He renounced his right of succession to his father's title of Marquis, in favour of his younger brother; and entered his noviceship at Rome, in his eighteenth year. Here he strove to surpass all his companions in every religious duty. He was exact in the observance of every rule; possessed a thorough contempt of the world, and a most ardent love of God. Such was the general mortification of his senses, that he seemed wholly inattentive to exterior things. He never listened to reports or discourse about worldly matters; spoke very little, and never about himself. His whole life seemed a continual prayer. To appear poor, little, and contemptible was his delight, and he rejoiced to see the last and worst portion of any thing fall to his share.

"He was bishop of Rome; and for refusing to restore an heretical bishop who had been deposed by his predecessor, was persecuted by the Empress Theodora. He was stripped of his pontifical ornaments, and clothed with the habit of a monk. After this it was proclaimed that the pope was deposed, and become a monk. He was then led into banishment to Patara in Lycia. The emperor Justinian appeared startled at the atrocity of the proceedings against the holy pope, and gave orders that St. Silverius should be restored to his see. His enemies, however, contrived to seize him, and conveyed him into a small inhospitable island, where he died in a short time of hard usage; and it appears most probable that he was murdered at the instigation of his persecutors. His death happened in 538.

Pray for all that are oppressed for justice. They want help from above who are under these trials: beg it in their behalf. And for yourself, resolve to make the eternal truth and justice your constant rule, in letting these be the measure of whatever you do. It is not always agreeable to your convenience and interest to do so: but a Christian has no remedy. He must lay down the cause of temporal advantage, when God forbids such proceedings. Therefore, let neither the desire of quiet, gain, or preferment, persuade you to any weak compliance, nor temporal concerns prevail on you to transgress against your eternal interest. Be constant to your duty; and let God and His law be your guide. Pray for all those, who, being sensible of their duty, have not courage to perform it. It is but too common for Christians to hazard the displeasure of God, to gain the favour of men, and to enrich and raise themselves by ways contrary to justice and truth. Let all these partake of your prayers. They are certainly miserable, and deserve your compassion: let therefore your charity be extended to them." The Catholic Year by Fr. John Gother

Prayer for Persecuted Priests:

All Powerful and Eternal God, through the merits of Your Son Jesus, and Through Your love for Him, I implore You, have pity on the priests of the Holy Church. In spite of their sublime dignity, they are fearful and weak, like all created beings. In your infinite mercy, inflame their hearts with the fire of Divine Love. For the sake of Jesus, Your Son, bestow grace on the priests and uphold them. Do not let them fall into temptation and tarnish their noble vocation.
O Jesus, we implore you. Look with pity on the priests of the Holy Church: those who are serving You faithfully and proclaiming Your glory; those who are persecuted for tending your flock; those who are abandoned, weary and sorrowful: those who are lukewarm, confused and who have denied their faith; those who are sick, dying, or in Purgatory. Lord Jesus, we entreat You. Listen to our supplication, have pity and console them.
O Jesus, we entrust to You the priests of the whole world: the priests who baptized me, absolved my sins, offered Holy Mass and consecrated the Eucharist to nourish my soul. We entrust to You the priests that instructed me when I was ignorant, gave me strength in my weakness, showed me the Way and the Truth and comforted me in my sorrow and affliction. For all the blessings they obtained for me, I implore You to support them in Your Loving Kindness.
O Jesus, shelter our priests in Your Sacred Heart. Let them take refuge in Your mercy and love, in this life, and to the hour of death. Amen.

By his Eminence the late Ignatius Cardinal Kung, Bishop of Shanghai. Published 7/16/1953 during the early years of persecution of the Roman Catholic Church in China by its communist government. He was imprisoned from 1955 to 1988

Prayer to St. Juliana Falconieri: O Faithful spouse of Jesus Christ and most humble servant of the Virgin Mary, Mother of sorrows, glorious St. Juliana; at the end of a life entirely spent in the exercise of heroic virtues thou didst undergo one last trial, in that thou couldst not be united in holy Viaticum to thy Beloved by reason of bodily infirmity. But this trial was so acceptable to thy heavenly spouse, Jesus that He deigned Himself to the reward it with an extraordinary miracle; for at thy request Jesus in the Blessed  Sacrament was placed on thy virginal breast, and  He instantly entered within, leaving outwardly im pressed the image of Him self crucified, while with  a sweet smile thou didst breathe forth thy soul in  his holy embrace. O great saint and my special patroness obtain from God, I beseech thee, that like thee I may live a good life and die a holy death; and that being so prepared for the last passage, fortified with the holy sacraments, and invigorated by divine grace, I may finish my days in holiness and be preserved from eternal death.

Blessed Sacrament Book by Fr. Lasance