Cristy Li

Painting of St. Anthony Abbot with Pope Saint Cornelius, St. Cyprian and a Page — By: Paolo Veronese at Pinacoteca di Brera Museum, Italy Milan –Image Courtesy: MyStudios.com

(Franciscan Media) There was no Pope for 14 months following the martyrdom of Pope Saint Fabian (Feast Day: 19 January) because of the intensity of the persecution of the Church. During the interim, the Church was governed by a College of Priests. — Saint Cyprian (Feast Day: 11 September) a friend of Pope Saint Cornelius writes that Cornelius was elected Pope: “By the the judgment of God and of Christ, by the testimony of most of the Clergy by the vote of the people, with the consent of aged Priests and of good men.”

The greatest problem of St. Cornelius two-year term as Pope, had to do with the Sacrament of Penance and centered on the readmission of Christians who had denied their faith during the persecution. Two extremes were finally both condemned. — St. Cyprian Bishop of Carthage appealed to Pope Cornelius to confirm his stand, that the relapsed could be reconciled only by the decision of the Bishop.

In Rome however, Pope Cornelius met with the opposite view. After his elect a Priest named Novatian had himself consecrated a rival Bishop of Rome–one of the first anti-popes. Novatian argued that the Church no power to reconcile not only the apostates but also those guilty of murder, adultery, fornication or second marriage. Pope Cornelius however had support of most of the Church, especially of St. Cyprian Bishop of Carthage in condemning Novatianism (though the sect persisted for several centuries) Pope Cornelius held a synod at Rome in 251 and Ordered the ‘relapsed’ Christians to be restored to the Church with the usual “medicines of repentance.”

The friendship of Pope Cornelius and St. Cyprian Bishop of Carthage, was strained for a time when one of St. Cyprian’s rivals made some allegations about him but the problem was resolved.

A document from Pope Cornelius showed the size of the Church in Rome during his Papacy: 46 Priest; 7 Deacons; 7 Subdeacons. It is estimated the number of Christians totaled about 50,000

Pope Cornelius was exiled by the Emperor Gallus and died a martyrs death as a result of hardships he endured while in exile in September 253 during the persecutions of the Emperor Valerian.

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Related: For Today’s Holy Scripture Readings on the Memorial of Pope St. Cornelius & St. Cyprian, Visit: -USCCB

Our Lady of Sorrows
Image Courtesy: Archbishop Jose Gomez

(CNA) The Feast of ‘Our Lady of Sorrows’ commemorates the 7 great sorrows which Mary lived, in relation to her Son as they are recorded in the Gospels or through tradition:

• At the Prophecy of Simeon: (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also) that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed. —Luke 2:35
  
• At the flight into Egypt: “Rise, take the Child and His Mother and flee to Egypt and remain there till I tell you.” —Matthew 2:13
• Having lost the Holy Child at Jerusalem: “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously.” —Luke 2:48
• Meeting Jesus on His way to Calvary.
• Standing at the foot of the Cross: “Standing by the Cross of Jesus were his mother and mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene.” —John 19:25
• Jesus being taken from the Cross;
• At the burial of Christ

Prior to the Second Vatican Council, there were two Feasts devoted to the ‘Sorrows of Mary’ — The first was instituted in Cologne in 1413 as an expiation for the sins of the iconoclast Hussites;

The second is attributed to the Servite Order whose principle devotion are the ‘Seven Sorrows’ it was instituted in 1668 though the devotion had been in existence since 1239–Five years after the founding of the order.

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Related: For Today’s Holy Scripture Readings for the Memorial of ‘Our Lady of Sorrows’ Visit: -USCCB

Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Image Courtesy: Archbishop Jose Gomez

(EWTN) The ‘Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross’ sprang into existence at Rome towards the end of the 7th century — Allusion is made to it during the pontificate of Pope Saint Sergius I (687-701) however as  Dom Baumer observes, the very terms of the text (Lib. Pontif I, 374-378) show that the Feast already existed.

It is then inexact as has often been pointed out, to attribute the introduction of it to Pope Saint Serguis I

The Gallican Churches (Rite) which at this point referred to but do not yet know of this Feast on (14 September) have another on the 03 May of the same signification. It appears to have been introduced there in the 7th century for ancient Gallican documents such as the Lectionary of Luxeuil do not mention it. — St. Gregory of Tours also seems to ignore it. According to Mgr. Duchesne, the date seems to have been borrowed from the legend of the Finding of the Holy Cross (Lib Pontif I p.cviii) Later when the Gallican and Roman Liturgies were combined, a distinct character was given to each Feast so as to avoid sacrificing either.

The 03 May was called the Feast of the Invention of the Holy Cross and its commemorated in a special manner–St. Helena (Feast Day: 18 August) discovery of the Sacred Wood of the Cross.

The 14 September ‘Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross’ commemorates above all the circumstances in which Heracilus, recovered from the Persians the True Holy Cross, which they carried off in 614 according to Franciscan Media — According to the story, the Emperor intended to carry the Cross back to Jerusalem himself but was unable to move forward until he took off his imperial garb and became a barefoot pilgrim.

Related: Today’s Holy Scripture Readings for the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Visit:  -USCCB

St. John Chrysostom  -Image Courtesy: Pinterest

(CNA) Born in Asia-Minor (modern day Turkey) Antioch, St. John Chrysostom  was perhaps one of the greatest preachers in the history of the Church, thus the name that earned him the title ‘Chrysostom’ (Golden Mouthed) and the most prominent Greek Father of the Church.

John grew up in Antioch (ancient Greek–Roman city) receiving an excellent classical Greek education–upon meeting the Holy Bishop Meletus, John decided to devote his time to the study of Sacred Scripture and religious works. Following his Baptism and three years of study, John set out for the desert to live the ascetic life of a Hermit in solitude. — John’s extreme mortification left him in fragile health, necessitating his return to Antioch.

After two years of recovery, John would devote himself to studying for the Priesthood, he was Ordained in 386, serving in the Cathedral of Antioch for 12 yrs, earning him widespread fame for his preaching which is said, “the content of his sermons, his exegesis of Scripture were never without a point according to Franciscan Media which sometimes the point stung the high and mighty–some of Fr. John’s sermons were said to have lasted up to 2 hours.

In 398 Fr. John was appointed ‘Patriarch of Constantinople’ and quickly became very popular with the people, through his example of preaching and courage in front of the imperial authority, whose corruption and decadence he never shirked from publicly criticizing. — This attitude naturally made Fr. John enemies of the Empress, Eudoxia as well as Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria, who had Fr. John condemned on false allegations in 403

Fr. John was subsequently exiled to Armenia where he continued to be a great presence in the Church of the East, through his many letters–From there, Fr. John was exiled from Armenia to an isolated place along the Black Sea, where he would die during the journey in 407 of natural causes.

In 438 the Emperor Theodosius II of Constantinople had Fr. John’s body returned and he did penance for the sins of his mother Eudoxia (Aelia Eudocia) who died in 460

Fr. John Chrysostom’s many writings, especially his Homilies and commentaries on the Gospels remain in existence and have exerted great influence throughout the centuries.

Related: St. John Chrysostom Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew

St. John Chrysostom Homilies on the Gospel of John

St. John Chrysostom on the Day he was Ordained a Priest

Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Image Courtesy: Archbishop Jose Gomez

(Franciscan Media) Today’s Feast is a counterpart to the Feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus (Feast Day: 03 January) both have the possibility of reconciling people too easily divided.

The ‘Feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary’ began in Spain 1513 and by 1671 was extended to all of Spain and the Kingdom of Naples.

In 1683 King John Sobieski III of Poland (1629-1696) brought an Army to the outskirts of Vienna to stop the advance of Muslim armies, loyal to Mohamed in Constantinople — After King Sobieski entrusted himself to Our ‘Blessed Virgin Mary Mother of God’ he and his Soldiers thoroughly defeated the Muslims (an invaluable lesson that Americans should heed today –I digress)

Pope Innocent IV extended this Feast to the entire Church as a perpetual memorial of the great blessing won by Christians at Vienna.

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Related: For Today’s Most Holy Scripture Readings for the Memorial of the Most Holy Name of Mary, Visit: -USCCB

Saint Peter Claver (1581-1654)
Image: Catholic Online

(CNA) Born in Spain into a farming family, Peter would go on to study at the Univ of Barcelona and would join the Jesuits at the age of 20 — Later while studying Philosophy, Peter developed a friendship with an older Jesuit Lay Brother (who would later together with Peter be Canonized) Saint Alphonsus Rodriguez (Feast Day: 30 October)

Although St. Alphonsus spent his days doing menial work as a door-keeper, he had immense insight into spiritual matters and encouraged young Peter to become a Missionary in the Spanish colonies.

In 1610 now a Priest–Fr. Claver, arrived in Cartagena a port city (present day Colombia) despite Pope Paul III repeated condemnations of slavery during the previous century, European Colonists continued importing African Slaves that if they survived the journey would expect to be worked to death on plantations and in mines.

Fr. Peter Claver was determined to sacrifice his own freedom, to bring material aid and eternal salvation to the African Slaves in keeping with his solemn vow to become ‘the Slave of the Blacks forever,’ the young Priest made and kept this resolution despite his own health issues (aggravated by the climate) and the language barrier between himself and the population he served.

Many Spanish Royal officials in Cartagena appreciated Fr. Claver’s work and made contribution for the Slaves ‘relief and education’ — the Slave traders on the other hand found Fr. Claver and his interpreters to be a nuisance. — Meanwhile some bigoted Spanish expats, who sought out Fr. Claver because of his Holy reputation, refused to enter the same Church or Confessional as the African Slaves.

In order for Fr. Claver to minister to African Slaves who spoke a different language, he would often employ ‘pictorial representations’ of Catholic truths and would effectively communicate by generosity, expressions of love, together with giving food and drink to the ailing Slaves and would visit with them during times of illness which often times proved fatal to them.

“We must speak to them with our hands,” Fr. Claver reasoned,
“before we try to speak with our lips.”

In keeping with his vow of ‘Slavery’ Fr. Peter Claver survived on minimal amounts of food and sleep–his life of humility and penance, led to miraculous occurrences, as when the sick were healed with the touch of his cloak or he appeared surrounded by a supernatural light during his hospital visits.

Fr. Peter Claver’s work came to an end with his death in September 1654 he had Baptized and had taught Christianity to more than 300,000 African Slaves during his four decades in Cartagena — The city Magistrates ordered that he should be buried at public expense with great ceremony.

In 1851 Fr. Peter Claver was Beatified by Pope Blessed Pius IX and Canonized together with his friend St. Alphonsus Rodriguez in 1887 who declared St. Peter Claver, the worldwide patron of missionary work among Black Slaves.

More here from EWTN 

Related: For Today’s Most Holy Scripture Readings for the Memorial of St. Peter Claver, Visit: -ISCCB

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Image Courtesy: Meadowsweet

(Franciscan Media) The Church has celebrated Mary’s Birth since the end of the 7th century according to EWTN brought there by Eastern Monks. Gradually and in varied ways, it spread to other parts of the West in the centuries that followed.

From the 13th century on, the celebration assumed notable importance becoming a Solemnity with a major Octave and preceded by a Vigil calling for a Fast–the Octave was reduced to a simple one during the reform of Pope Saint Pius X (1903-1914) and was abolished altogether under the reform of Pope Pius XII (1939-1958)

The present calendar characterizes the ‘Birth of Mary’ as a Feast, placing it on the same plane as the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Feast Day: 31 May) — For some centuries now, the birth has been assigned to the 08 September both in the East and West but in ancient times it was celebrated on different dates from place-to-place. However when the Feast of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception (Feast Day: 08 December) was extended to the whole Church, the Birth little-by-little became assigned everywhere to the 08 September, nine months after the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.

Scripture does not give an account of Mary’s Birth however the Protoevangelium of James fills in the gap. This work has no historical value but it does reflect the development of Christian faith. According to this account, Saint Anne and Saint Joachim are infertile but pray to God for a child and subsequently receive the promise of a child that will advance God’s plan of Salvation for the world. — Such a story (as many Biblical counterparts) stress the special presence of God in Mary’s life from the very beginning.

Saint Augustine connects the Blessed Virgin Mary’s Birth with Jesus’ saving work and describes it according to Catholic News Agency with cosmic and historic significance, an important prelude to the Birth of Jesus Christ.

“She is the flower of the field from whom bloomed
the precious lily of the valley.
Through her Birth the nature inherited
from our first parents is changed.”

The opening prayer at Mass speaks of the Birth of Mary’s Son as the dawn of our Salvation and asks for an increase of peace.

Related: For Today’s Most Holy Scripture Readings and More, Visit: -USCCB

(Angelus News) St. Cloud was born in 522 was the Grandson of King Clovis I, the first Catholic monarch of what is now present day France, after the death of their father, Cloud and his brother were raised by their Grandmother, St. Queen Clothilde.

King Cloud divided his kingdom into four sections one for each of his sons, following his death in 511, two of Prince Cloud’s uncles and two other boys in an attempt to leave only one living son, King of all the territories. Prince Cloud escaped and lived as a Monk for many years, giving away his wealth to the poor and renouncing his position and wealth entirely, he would become a Priest in 551

Fr. Cloud spent time as a Hermit in the forest studying Holy Scripture, he would found a community of Monks and passed away there at the age of thirty-eight on this date in 560 — Many cities and towns are named after St. Cloud, including St. Cloud, Minnesota.

St. Cloud, please pray that we’ll always be committed to Christ Jesus and the most Holy Scriptures no matter the consequences.