St. Alban, First Martyr of England, a.d. 303. and St. Paulinus, Bishop and Confessor
by VP
Posted on Sunday June 22, 2025 at 12:00AM in Saints
"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.
The saint, impatient to obtain the crown of martyrdom, by his prayers dried up the river, so as to afford a passage for himself and a great multitude who went out to witness his execution. At this miracle, the executioner was converted, and throwing away his sword, fell at the saint's feet, begging to die with him, or rather in his place. Another executioner was called in, who struck off the head of the martyr; but his own eyes fell to the ground at the same time. The first executioner who had declared himself a Christian was also beheaded. They suffered on the 22nd of June, according to most authors in the year 303, and at the place where the town of St. Albans now stands.
Pray for your country, that God may bless it with the love of justice and truth. Pray for all who suffer for the faith, and beseech God to give you the courage and constancy of his primitive servants.
"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
The Holy Eucharist
by VP
Posted on Sunday June 22, 2025 at 12:00AM in Sunday Sermons
"Jesus said to them: I am the bread of life; he that cometh to me shall not hunger, and he that believeth in me shall never thirst."-St. John vi. 35.
MY DEAR BRETHREN: There are many profound thinkers interested in surveying the domain of consciousness, and in making explorations to discover the process by which ideas are formed and retained in the human mind. Within the brain, where the powers of thought reside, there is a sort of dark continent that has not yet been illuminated by the sunlight, or even by the electric light of modern science. It is more than probable that the masters of scholastic philosophy in the thirteenth century knew as much concerning the laws that govern the process of mental growth as the most pretentious modern scholars. In a mysterious way the sight, the hearing, and the other corporeal senses co-operate with the faculties of the mind to produce ideas. Without being able to analyze the process closely, we are nevertheless certain of the results produced. The material world enters into communication with our immaterial spirit, and does so through the agency of the senses. The most difficult problem of mental philosophy is to explain how these sensible impressions are transmuted into thought, and to show how we obtain assurance that the inner world of thought is a correct photograph, and exact representation, of the world around us.
During the time of our Lord's public life he performed many astounding miracles which proved His dominion over the forces of nature, which proved His power in the spirit world beyond the grave. He gave sight to the blind, health to the sick, life to the dead. He multiplied a few loaves of bread and some fishes so that the hunger of five thousand people was appeased. All these were miracles that fell under the senses. They are evidences of His power which come to our understanding through the ordinary channels of human thought and knowledge.
But in the great mystery we celebrate during this octave, my dear brethren, faith and not the senses tells us of the greatest of all His miracles: His presence in the Holy Eucharist. Our eyes see nothing that would of itself convince us of His presence. Our senses cannot perceive that our Lord is truly present under the appearances of bread and wine. It is only by the aid of faith that we can penetrate the veil that hides Him from our view. We believe solely on the testimony of our Lord; we call to mind the words He spoke at the Last Supper, and remember that He has declared those blessed who have not seen and yet have believed. So when we receive Holy Communion, when we assist at Benediction, when we make a visit to the Blessed Sacrament, we make an act of faith in the Real Presence.
The mysterious life that our Lord has chosen in the Blessed Sacrament is the greatest of all miracles, and when considered attentively fills the mind with wonder and amazement. By a constant and perpetually recurring miracle He abides with His creatures, He still dwells among us, and finds delight in distributing gifts and blessings to the children of men. It was not sufficient for the accomplishment of His plan that He should assume our human nature, that He endeared Himself to the poorest and most destitute of the people among whom He lived. He laid plans and appointed ambassadors to secure the peaceful conquest of all nations; he entered into an agreement beforehand with all who should receive His doctrine: He promised to reward every one who would live righteously, in conformity with the law that He established.
He is still living with us. He is as really present on our altars as He is in the home of His eternal Father. He is with us because of His personal love for each one of us. His presence among us is a great and unceasing wonder, but it is a wonder that can only be explained by His love. Wherever the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is celebrated, there is He present not only in His Divinity, but in His ever-adorable humanity as well. Thrones and temples have been built for Him in all nations, and from His presence the sorrowful find comfort, the weak find strength, the cowardly find courage, and all find the pledge of eternal life." Five Minutes Sermons by the Paulist Fathers, 2nd Sunday after Pentecost
