2013
Vatican Radio REPORT - At the end of Sunday’s Mass, Pope Francis recited the Regina Caeli prayer with the tens of thousands of pilgrims gathered in Saint Peter’s Square for the celebration.
In his remarks prior to the Regina Caeli, the Holy Father spoke about the “spiritual presence of the Virgin Mary, alive in our midst.” On a day dedicated to Confraternities and Popular Piety, he noted that love for Mary is one of the characteristics of popular piety that “must be strengthened and well-ordered.” He invited those present to reflect on “Mary the pilgrim, who follows Jesus the Son, and goes before all of us in the journey of faith.”
Pope Francis also had greetings for those Christians who, following the Julian calendar, are celebrating Easter on Sunday. “I wish to send to these brothers and sisters a special greeting,” he said, “uniting myself to them with all my heart in proclaiming the joyful news: Christ is risen!” He prayed especially for those celebrating Easter amongst “trials and sufferings,” praying that the Holy Spirit would give them “counsel and consolations” and guide them “in the ways of peace and reconciliation.”
The Pope also spoke about the beatification on Saturday of Francisca de Paula De Jesus, called “Nha Chica.” He said, “I unite myself to the joy of the Church in Brazil for this luminous disciple of the Lord.”
Pope Francis greeted all those present, especially members of the Confraternities, along with parish groups and families. He noted especially the “Meter” association on the occasion of the Day for Children who are Victims of Violence. He assured those who have suffered or who are suffering abuse of his prayers, and forcefully called on everyone to protect and defend all human persons, but especially children, who are among the most vulnerable.
In a final greeting, Pope Francis offered encouragement to those suffering from pulmonary hypertension and to their families.
Below, please find the complete text of Pope Francis’ remarks before Sunday’s Regina Caeli:
In this moment of profound communion in Christ, we feel the spiritual presence of the Virgin Mary alive in our midst – a maternal presence, a familiar presence, especially for you are take part in the Confraternities. The love for the Madonna is one of the characteristics of popular piety, which needs to be strengthened and well oriented. For this reason, I invite you to meditate on the last chapter of the Constitution of the Second Vatican Council on the Church, Lumen gentium, which speaks precisely of Mary in the mystery of Christ and of the Church. There it is said that Mary "advanced in her pilgrimage of faith" (n. 58). Dear friends, in the Year of Faith I leave you this icon of Mary the pilgrim, who follows Jesus the Son, and goes before all of us in the journey of faith.
Today the Eastern Churches that follow the Julian Calendar celebrate the feast of Easter. I wish to send to these brothers and sisters a special greeting, uniting myself to them with all my heart in proclaiming the joyful news: Christ is risen! Gathered in prayer around Mary, we ask God for the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, that He might counsel and comfort all Christians, especially those who celebrate Easter amongst trials and sufferings, and might guide them in the ways of reconciliation and peace.
Yesterday, in Brazil, Francisca de Paula De Jesus, called "Nha Chica," was beatified. Her simple life was totally dedicated to God and to charity – so much so that she was called “mother of the poor.” I unite myself to the joy of the Church in Brazil for this luminous disciple of the Lord.
I greet with affection all the Confraternities present, who came from so many countries. Thank you for your testimony of faith! And I greet also the parish groups and families, as well as the grand parade of marching bands and various associations of Schützen [riflemen] from Germany.
A special greeting goes today to the “METER” Association on the day for children who are victims of violence. And this gives me the opportunity to turn my thoughts to those who have suffered and are suffering because of abuse. I would like to assure them that are present in my prayers, but I would also say emphatically that we must all commit ourselves with clarity and courage to every human person, especially children, who are among the most vulnerable, that they might always be defended and protected.
I also encourage those with pulmonary hypertension and their families.
SHARED FROM RADIO VATICANA
In his remarks prior to the Regina Caeli, the Holy Father spoke about the “spiritual presence of the Virgin Mary, alive in our midst.” On a day dedicated to Confraternities and Popular Piety, he noted that love for Mary is one of the characteristics of popular piety that “must be strengthened and well-ordered.” He invited those present to reflect on “Mary the pilgrim, who follows Jesus the Son, and goes before all of us in the journey of faith.”
Pope Francis also had greetings for those Christians who, following the Julian calendar, are celebrating Easter on Sunday. “I wish to send to these brothers and sisters a special greeting,” he said, “uniting myself to them with all my heart in proclaiming the joyful news: Christ is risen!” He prayed especially for those celebrating Easter amongst “trials and sufferings,” praying that the Holy Spirit would give them “counsel and consolations” and guide them “in the ways of peace and reconciliation.”
The Pope also spoke about the beatification on Saturday of Francisca de Paula De Jesus, called “Nha Chica.” He said, “I unite myself to the joy of the Church in Brazil for this luminous disciple of the Lord.”
Pope Francis greeted all those present, especially members of the Confraternities, along with parish groups and families. He noted especially the “Meter” association on the occasion of the Day for Children who are Victims of Violence. He assured those who have suffered or who are suffering abuse of his prayers, and forcefully called on everyone to protect and defend all human persons, but especially children, who are among the most vulnerable.
In a final greeting, Pope Francis offered encouragement to those suffering from pulmonary hypertension and to their families.
Below, please find the complete text of Pope Francis’ remarks before Sunday’s Regina Caeli:
In this moment of profound communion in Christ, we feel the spiritual presence of the Virgin Mary alive in our midst – a maternal presence, a familiar presence, especially for you are take part in the Confraternities. The love for the Madonna is one of the characteristics of popular piety, which needs to be strengthened and well oriented. For this reason, I invite you to meditate on the last chapter of the Constitution of the Second Vatican Council on the Church, Lumen gentium, which speaks precisely of Mary in the mystery of Christ and of the Church. There it is said that Mary "advanced in her pilgrimage of faith" (n. 58). Dear friends, in the Year of Faith I leave you this icon of Mary the pilgrim, who follows Jesus the Son, and goes before all of us in the journey of faith.
Today the Eastern Churches that follow the Julian Calendar celebrate the feast of Easter. I wish to send to these brothers and sisters a special greeting, uniting myself to them with all my heart in proclaiming the joyful news: Christ is risen! Gathered in prayer around Mary, we ask God for the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, that He might counsel and comfort all Christians, especially those who celebrate Easter amongst trials and sufferings, and might guide them in the ways of reconciliation and peace.
Yesterday, in Brazil, Francisca de Paula De Jesus, called "Nha Chica," was beatified. Her simple life was totally dedicated to God and to charity – so much so that she was called “mother of the poor.” I unite myself to the joy of the Church in Brazil for this luminous disciple of the Lord.
I greet with affection all the Confraternities present, who came from so many countries. Thank you for your testimony of faith! And I greet also the parish groups and families, as well as the grand parade of marching bands and various associations of Schützen [riflemen] from Germany.
A special greeting goes today to the “METER” Association on the day for children who are victims of violence. And this gives me the opportunity to turn my thoughts to those who have suffered and are suffering because of abuse. I would like to assure them that are present in my prayers, but I would also say emphatically that we must all commit ourselves with clarity and courage to every human person, especially children, who are among the most vulnerable, that they might always be defended and protected.
I also encourage those with pulmonary hypertension and their families.
SHARED FROM RADIO VATICANA
POPE FRANCIS - "EVANGELICAL SPIRIT" - SUNDAY MASS HOMILY - TEXT - VIDEO
Vatican Radio REPORT: Below please find the complete text of Pope Francis’ Homily for the Sixth Sunday of Easter, at Mass dedicated, during this Year of Faith, for Confraternities and Popular Piety: Homily of the Holy Father
Sixth Sunday of Easter
Confraternities
(Saint Peter’s Square, 5 May 2013)
Dear Brothers and Sisters, you were very courageous to come with this rain. . . . May the Lord bless you very much!
As part of the journey of the Year of Faith, I am happy to celebrate this Eucharist dedicated in a special way to confraternities: a traditional reality in the Church, which in recent times has experienced renewal and rediscovery. I greet all of you with affection, particularly the confraternities which have come here from all over the world! Thank you for your presence and your witness!
1. In the Gospel we heard a passage from the farewell discourses of Jesus, as related by the evangelist John in the context of the Last Supper. Jesus entrusts his last thoughts, as a spiritual testament, to the apostles before he leaves them. Today’s text makes it clear that Christian faith is completely centred on the relationship between the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Whoever loves the Lord Jesus welcomes him and his Father interiorly, and thanks to the Holy Spirit receives the Gospel in his or her heart and life. Here we are shown the centre from which everything must go forth and to which everything must lead: loving God and being Christ’s disciples by living the Gospel. When Benedict XVI spoke to you, he used this expression: evangelical spirit. Dear confraternities, the popular piety of which you are an important sign is a treasure possessed by the Church, which the bishops of Latin America defined, significantly, as a spirituality, a form of mysticism, which is “a place of encounter with Jesus Christ”. Draw always from Christ, the inexhaustible wellspring; strengthen your faith by attending to your spiritual formation, to personal and communitarian prayer, and to the liturgy. Down the centuries confraternities have been crucibles of holiness for countless people who have lived in utter simplicity an intense relationship with the Lord. Advance with determination along the path of holiness; do not rest content with a mediocre Christian life, but let your affiliation serve as a stimulus, above all for you yourselves, to an ever greater love of Jesus Christ.
2. The passage of the Acts of the Apostles which we heard also speaks to us about what is essential. In the early Church there was immediately a need to discern what was essential about being a Christian, about following Christ, and what is not. The apostles and the other elders held an important meeting in Jerusalem, a first “council”, on this theme, to discuss the problems which arose after the Gospel had been preached to the pagans, to non-Jews. It was a providential opportunity for better understanding what is essential, namely, belief in Jesus Christ who died and rose for our sins, and loving him as he loved us. But note how the difficulties were overcome: not from without, but from within the Church. And this brings up a second element which I want to remind you of, as Benedict XVI did, namely: ecclesial spirit. Popular piety is a road which leads to what is essential, if it is lived in the Church in profound communion with your pastors. Dear brothers and sisters, the Church loves you! Be an active presence in the community, as living cells, as living stones. The Latin American Bishops wrote that the popular piety which you reflect is “a legitimate way of living the faith, a way of feeling that we are part of the Church” (Aparecida Document, 264). And this is beautiful, eh? A legitimate way of living the faith, a way of feeling that you are a part of the Church. Love the Church! Let yourselves be guided by her! In your parishes, in your dioceses, be a true “lung” of faith and Christian life. A breath of fresh air. . . . In this Square I see a great variety, first of umbrellas, and then of colors and signs. This is also the case with the Church: a great wealth and variety of expressions in which everything leads back to unity, the variety leads back to unity and unity to the encounter with Christ.
3. I would like to add a third expression which must distinguish you: missionary spirit. You have a specific and important mission, that of keeping alive the relationship between the faith and the cultures of the peoples to whom you belong. You do this through popular piety. When, for example, you carry the crucifix in procession with such great veneration and love for the Lord, you are not performing a simple outward act; you are pointing to the centrality of the Lord’s paschal mystery, his passion, death and resurrection which have redeemed us, and you are reminding yourselves first, as well as the community, that we have to follow Christ along the concrete path of our daily lives so that he can transform us. Likewise, when you express profound devotion for the Virgin Mary, you are pointing to the highest realization of the Christian life, the one who by her faith and obedience to God’s will, and by her meditation on the words and deeds of Jesus, is the Lord’s perfect disciple (cf. Lumen Gentium, 53). You express this faith, born of hearing the word of God, in ways that engage the senses, the emotions and the symbols of the different cultures. . . . In doing so you help to transmit it to others, and especially the simple persons whom, in the Gospels, Jesus calls “the little ones”. In effect, “journeying together towards shrines, and participating in other demonstrations of popular piety, bringing along your children and engaging other people, is itself a work of evangelization” (Aparecida Document, 264). When you go to the shrines, when you bring the family, your children, you are doing the proper work of evangelization. You must go on doing so! May you also be true evangelizers! May your initiatives be “bridges”, means of bringing others to Christ, so as to journey together with him. And in this spirit may you always be attentive to charity. Each individual Christian and every community is missionary to the extent that they bring to others and live the Gospel, and testify to God’s love for all, especially those experiencing difficulties. Be missionaries of God’s love and tenderness! You are missionaries of the Mercy of God, which always pardons us, always awaits us. . . . He loves us so much!
Evangelical spirit, ecclesial spirit, missionary spirit. Three words – don’t forget them: Evangelical spirit, ecclesial spirit, missionary spirit. Let us ask the Lord always to direct our minds and hearts to him, as living stones of the Church, so that all that we do, our whole Christian life, may be a luminous witness to his mercy and love. In this way we will make our way towards the goal of our earthly pilgrimage, towards that most beautiful sanctuary, the heavenly Jerusalem. There, there is no longer any temple: God himself and the Lamb are its temple; and the light of the sun and the moon give way to the glory of the Most High. Amen.
SHARED FROM RADIO VATICANA
CHURCH BOMBING IN TANZANIA KILLS WOMEN AND INJURES 44 IN AFRICA
IND.CATH NEWS REPORT
|
HELPING THOSE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS IN AUSTRALIA
ARCHDIOCESE OF MELBOURNE RELEASE
Kairos Volume 24, Issue 7
Words Renae Gentile
Picture Elizabeth Moran
IN 2011, Kairos Catholic Journal reprinted a story from the Columbans’ Missionary Society about St Christopher’s School, Airport West, and its support of its sister school Manuel Duato, a school for underprivileged and special needs students in Lima, Peru.
The story covered the purchase of an all-needs bus for the Lima school, to enable students who normally travelled for many hours to get to school with ease.
St Christopher’s is proud of its community spirit and sense of Catholic social justice. In a recent campaign to raise awareness and focus on the four fundamentals of Catholic social teaching, our focus at St Christopher’s has been to turn that teaching into action.
The school has focused on human dignity (respect for all life), subsidiarity (beginning the changes from home, starting small, and local, in our school yard), solidarity (sticking together and working together as one) and charity (loving one another: helping people up, not helping them out). The school sees it as important that the link with the Manuel Duato community in Lima be understood as more than an organisation to which we donate.
Building a sister school relationship, and nurturing that relationship, has been the aim of Project Manuel Duato since its inception. Learning about the plight of students and teachers at the special needs school in an area of Lima that suffers extreme poverty has been eye-opening.
Recently, one of our parents came up with an idea that helped us to work on solidarity. T-shirts were ordered by our community in our school house colours with the slogan ‘Team Duato: Two Schools, One Family’.
Students from St Christopher’s wore the t-shirts on a recent twilight sports day, and will do so at various times throughout the year. The sense of community and unity that these t-shirts brought to the school was priceless.
An added bonus was that all proceeds from the sale of the t-shirts went to Manuel Duato.
With two staff from St Christopher’s planning to visit Peru again in September this year (our last visit was in 2010), our school will continue to commit to the four principles of Catholic social teaching in an effort to bring about true social justice. We want our students to go out into the world asking, ‘what can I do for it?’ rather than ‘what can the world do for me?’
To support this wonderful Peruvian school for special needs (predominantly Down syndrome) and underprivileged kids, please contact: teachers Renae Gentile rgentile@stcapw.catholic.edu.au or Elizabeth Moran eliz@stcapw.catholic.edu.au.
St Christopher’s looks to special needs
Kairos Volume 24, Issue 7Words Renae Gentile
Picture Elizabeth Moran
IN 2011, Kairos Catholic Journal reprinted a story from the Columbans’ Missionary Society about St Christopher’s School, Airport West, and its support of its sister school Manuel Duato, a school for underprivileged and special needs students in Lima, Peru.
The story covered the purchase of an all-needs bus for the Lima school, to enable students who normally travelled for many hours to get to school with ease.
St Christopher’s is proud of its community spirit and sense of Catholic social justice. In a recent campaign to raise awareness and focus on the four fundamentals of Catholic social teaching, our focus at St Christopher’s has been to turn that teaching into action.
The school has focused on human dignity (respect for all life), subsidiarity (beginning the changes from home, starting small, and local, in our school yard), solidarity (sticking together and working together as one) and charity (loving one another: helping people up, not helping them out). The school sees it as important that the link with the Manuel Duato community in Lima be understood as more than an organisation to which we donate.
Building a sister school relationship, and nurturing that relationship, has been the aim of Project Manuel Duato since its inception. Learning about the plight of students and teachers at the special needs school in an area of Lima that suffers extreme poverty has been eye-opening.
Recently, one of our parents came up with an idea that helped us to work on solidarity. T-shirts were ordered by our community in our school house colours with the slogan ‘Team Duato: Two Schools, One Family’.
Students from St Christopher’s wore the t-shirts on a recent twilight sports day, and will do so at various times throughout the year. The sense of community and unity that these t-shirts brought to the school was priceless.
An added bonus was that all proceeds from the sale of the t-shirts went to Manuel Duato.
With two staff from St Christopher’s planning to visit Peru again in September this year (our last visit was in 2010), our school will continue to commit to the four principles of Catholic social teaching in an effort to bring about true social justice. We want our students to go out into the world asking, ‘what can I do for it?’ rather than ‘what can the world do for me?’
To support this wonderful Peruvian school for special needs (predominantly Down syndrome) and underprivileged kids, please contact: teachers Renae Gentile rgentile@stcapw.catholic.edu.au or Elizabeth Moran eliz@stcapw.catholic.edu.au.
BAN ON CATHOLIC SUCCESSION IN ENGLAND POSSIBLY ENDING
CATHOLIC HERALD REPORT
By STAFF REPORTER on Tuesday, 23 April 2013
Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge exchange rings during their marriage ceremony (CNS photo/Dominic Lipinski, pool via Reuters)
SUNDAY MASS ONLINE : MAY 5, 2013 - 6TH OF EASTER SEASON
May 05, 2013 - 6th Sun Easter
Acts 15: 1 - 2, 22 - 29
1But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brethren, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved."2And when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question.22Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsab'bas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren,23with the following letter: "The brethren, both the apostles and the elders, to the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cili'cia, greeting.24Since we have heard that some persons from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions,25it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,26men who have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ.27We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth.28For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:29that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from unchastity. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell."
Psalms 67: 2 - 3, 5 - 6, 8
2that thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving power among all nations.3Let the peoples praise thee, O God; let all the peoples praise thee!5Let the peoples praise thee, O God; let all the peoples praise thee!6The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, has blessed us.
2that thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving power among all nations.3Let the peoples praise thee, O God; let all the peoples praise thee!5Let the peoples praise thee, O God; let all the peoples praise thee!6The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, has blessed us.
| Revelation 21: 10 - 14, 22 - 23 | |
| 10 | And in the Spirit he carried me away to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, |
| 11 | having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. |
| 12 | It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed; |
| 13 | on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. |
| 14 | And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. |
| 22 | And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. |
| 23 | And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. John 14: 23 - 29 23Jesus answered him, "If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.24He who does not love me does not keep my words; and the word which you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me.25"These things I have spoken to you, while I am still with you.26But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.28You heard me say to you, `I go away, and I will come to you.' If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I go to the Father; for the Father is greater than I.29And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place, you may believe. |
TODAY'S SAINT : MAY 5 : ST. HILARY OF ARLES
St. Hilary of Arles
BISHOP
Feast: May 5
Information:
|
This saint was nobly born about the year 401, and was related to St. Honoratus of Arles, and of the same country in Gaul, which was probably Lorraine, or some other part of Austrasia. He was brought up in a manner suitable to his birth, in the study of the liberal arts, and of every branch of polite learning. especially of eloquence and philosophy. But how little value we ought to set on all things that appear great in the eyes of the world, he himself has taught us. "We are all equal," says he, "in Jesus Christ; and the highest degree of our nobility is to be of the number of the true servants of God. Neither science, nor birth, according to this world, can exalt us, but in proportion to our contempt of them." Before God had put these sentiments into his heart, he seems to have been not altogether insensible to the advantages of this world, in which he was raised to the highest dignities. His kinsman, St. Honoratus, who had forsaken his country to seek Christ in the solitude of the isle of Lerins, where he had founded a great monastery, was the instrument made use of by the Almighty to open his eyes. This holy man had always loved Hilary, and thought he could not give him more solid proof of his friendship than by endeavoring to gain him entirely to God. He therefore left his retirement for a few days to seek him out, and endeavored to move him by the same powerful, weighty reflections, which had made the deepest impression on his own mind, and induced him to break the chains of the world. "What floods of tears," says St. Hilary, "did this true friend shed to soften the hardness of my heart! How often did he embrace me with the most tender and compassionate affection, to obtain of me that I would take into serious consideration the salvation of my soul! Yet, by an unhappy victory, I still remained conqueror." Honoratus, finding his endeavors to wean him from the charms of a deceitful world ineffectual, had recourse to prayer, his ordinary refuge. "Well," said he to Hilary, "I will obtain of God, what you will not now grant me." Upon which they took leave of each other. Hilary, reflecting on what Honoratus had said to him, was not long before he began to feel a violent conflict within himself. "On one side," says he, "me-thought I saw the Lord calling me; on the other the world offering me its seducing charms and pleasures. How often did I embrace and reject, will and not will the same thing! But in the end Jesus Christ triumphed in me. And three days after Honoratus had left me, the mercy of God, solicited by his prayers, subdued my rebellious soul." He then went in person to seek St. Honoratus, and appeared before him as humble and tractable as the saint had left him haughty and indocile.
From this moment there appeared in Hilary that wonderful change which the Holy Ghost produces in a soul which he truly converts. His words, looks, and whole comportment breathed nothing but humility, patience, sweetness, mortification, and charity. Every one saw in him a man who began to labor in earnest to save his soul, and who had put his hand to the plough to look no more behind him, or to send a single thought alter v. hat he had left for Christ's sake. Aspiring to perfection, he sold all his several estates to his brother, and distributed all the money accruing from the sale among the poor, and the most indigent monasteries. Thus disengaged from the world, and naked, no less in the inward disposition of soul than in his exterior, he, like Abraham, took leave of his own country, and made the best of his way to Lerins; where from his first entrance he made it appear that he was worthy to live in the company of saints. He set out in the pursuit of monastic perfection with such zeal and fervor, as to become in a short time the pattern of those on whose instructions and example he came to form his own conduct. His application to prayer and mortification, and his watchfulness and care to avoid the smallest faults and imperfections, prepared him to receive the gift of tears. It is thought that his baptism was posterior to his retirement. St. Honoratus having been chosen archbishop of Arles, in 426, Hilary followed him to that city; but it was not long before his love of solitude occasioned his return to Lerins. All the holy inhabitants of that isle testified as great joy to receive him again, as he felt to see himself among them. But God, who had other designs upon him, did not permit him to enjoy long his beloved retirement. St. Honoratus begged his assistance, and the comfort of his company, and as he did not yield to entreaties, went himself to fetch him from Lerins. Soon after God called St. Honoratus to himself, his death happening in 428 or 429. Hilary, though sensibly afflicted for the loss of such a friend, rejoiced however to see himself at liberty, and set out directly for Lerins. But no sooner were the citizens apprized of his departure, than messengers posted after him with such expedition, that he was overtaken, brought back, and consecrated archbishop, though only twenty-nine years of age.
In this high station the virtues which he had acquired in solitude shone with lustre to mankind. The higher he was exalted by his dignity, the more did he humble himself beneath all others in his heart. He reduced himself in every thing to the strictest bounds of necessity: and he had only one coat for winter and summer. He applied himself diligently to meditation on the holy scriptures, and preaching the word of God, was assiduous in prayer, watching, and fasting. He had his hours also for manual labor, with a view of gaming something for the poor; choosing such work as he could join with reading or prayer. He travelled always on foot, and had attained to so perfect an evenness of temper, that his mind seemed never ruffled with the least emotion of anger. He had an admirable talent in preaching. When he spoke before the learned of the world, his elocution, his accent, his discourse, his action, were such as the greatest orators justly admired, but despaired ever to come up to. Yet when he instructed the illiterate, he changed his manner of address, and proportioned his instructions to the capacities of the most simple and ignorant, though always supporting the dignity of the divine word by a maimer and expression suitable to its majesty. He preached the truth in its purity, without flattering the great. He had often in private admonished a certain judge in the province of a criminal partiality in the administration of justice, but without effect. One day the magistrate came into the church, attended by his officers, while the saint was preaching. The holy bishop broke off his sermon on the spot, and gave his surprised audience for reason, that he who had so often neglected the advice he had given him for his salvation, was not worthy to partake of the nourishment of the divine word. the judge no sooner heard his reflection, but withdrew in confusion, and the saint resumed his discourse Observing one day that many went out of the church immediately after the reading of the gospel, just as he was going to preach, he prevailed with them to return, by saying: "You will not so easily get out of hell, if you are once unhappily fallen into its dungeons." He had such a love for the poor, that to have the more to bestow on them, he lived himself in the greatest poverty: he never kept a horse, and labored hard in digging and manuring the ground, though educated according to the dignity of his family. To redeem captives, he caused the church plate to be sold, not excepting the sacred vessels; making use of patens and chalices of glass ill the celebration of the divine mysteries. If his compassion for the corporal miseries of the faithful was so tender, we may judge how much more he was moved to pity at their spiritual necessities. He bore the weak with tenderness, but never indulged the passions or sloth of any. When he put any one in a course of penance he was himself bathed in tears; whereby he troth excited the penitent to the like, and with ardent sighs and prayer obtained for him of God the grace of compunction and pardon. He visited the bishops of his province, and endeavored to make them walk in the perfect spirit of Christ, the prince of pastors. He established many monasteries and took particular care to enforce a strict observance of monastic discipline among them. He had a close friendship with St. Germanus, whom he called his father, and respected as an apostle. He presided in the council of Ries in 439, in the first council of Orange in 441, in the council of Vaison in 442, and probably in 443, in the second council of Arles, in all which several canons of discipline were framed.
His zeal exasperated several tepid persons; and some of these, by misconstruing his actions, gave the holy pope St. Leo a disadvantageous character of him. His zeal, indeed, had been on some occasions too hasty and precipitate: but this was owing in him to mistake, not to passion; for the circumstances of his actions, and of his eminent piety, oblige us to interpret his intention by the same spirit by which he governed himself in his whole conduct. This disagreement between St. Leo and St. Hilary proved a trial for the exercise of zeal in the former, and of patience in the latter, for his greater sanctification by humility, submission, and silence. Chelidonius, bishop of Besancon, had been deposed by St. Hilary Upon an allegation, that, before he was consecrated bishop, he had married a widow, and had condemned persons to death as magistrate; both which were looked upon as irregularities or disqualifications for holy orders. Chelidonius hereupon set out for Rome, to justify himself to the pope, St. Leo, who received his appeal from his metropolitan, and acquitted him of the irregularity with which he stood charged. St. Hilary, upon hearing that his suffragan was gone for Rome, followed him thither on foot, and in the midst of winter. The pope having assembled a council to judge this affair, St. Hilary took his seat among the other bishops that composed it: but from his not attempting to prove the irregularity which had been alleged against Chelidonius, the saint seemed to own that he had been imposed on as to the matter of fact. But he pretended, that the cause ought not to be judged otherwise than by commissaries deputed by the pope to take cognizance of it in the country that gave it birth, a point for which some Africans had contended. This plea was overruled, the contrary having been frequently practiced, when both parties could appear at Rome: though the manner of judging appeals is only a point of discipline, which may vary in different places. Another affair brought St. Hilary into a greater difficulty. Projectus, a bishop of his province, being sick, St. Hilary, upon information, hastened to his see, and ordained a new bishop: after which Projectus recovering, there were two bishops contending for the same see, and Hilary supported the last ordained; perhaps because the first might remain disabled for his functions. The author of St. Hilary's life does not clear up his conduct in this particular: but we cannot doubt of the sincerity of his intention. Moreover the discipline of the church in such matters was not at that time so clearly settled by the canons as it has been since. St. Hilary therefore imagined a metropolitan might have a discretionary power in such matters. However St. Leo rightly judged such an ordination irregular, liable to great inconveniences, and productive of schisms. Wherefore he forbade St. Hilary to ordain any bishops for the future. Our holy prelate cancelled his mistakes by his patience, and St. Leo, writing immediately after the saint's death, to his successor Ravennus, calls him,
That this saint never gave in to the Semi-Pelagian doctrine, though it hard not been then condemned by any decree of the pastors of the church, is clearly shown by Tillemont and Dom. Rivet. This is proved from several passages in his life by St. Honoratus; and in the Martyrologies of Rabanus and Notker it is mentioned that he vigorously exerted his zeal in bringing a light and in correcting the Pelagian heresy, which is taught in the conferences of Cassian. His exposition of the creed, commended by the ancients, is now lost: his homilies on all the feasts of the year were much esteemed, but are not known at present. The best edition of his works is given by John Salinas, regular canon of St. John Lateran, in Italy, in 1731.
|
SOURCE: http://www.ewtn.com/saintsHoly/saints/H/sthilaryofarles.asp#ixzz1u3LxGWUD
No comments:
Post a Comment