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![]() Maurus was born of a noble Roman family, and while he was yet a child was offered to God by his father Eutychius, in the order and under the personal teaching of St. Benedict. In a short while he made such progress in the life of grace that he became a wonder to his master, who often held him up to his other disciples as a pattern of regular observance and all virtues. While he was yet very young, Pope St. Gregory telleth a wonderful instance of his obedience. Placid the monk having fallen into a lake where he was being swept away by the current, the holy Patriarch called Maurus and bade him run to the rescue, which he did, walking on the water till he reached Placid, whom he took by the hair of the head and dragged to the shore. He was sent by St. Benedict into France, where he founded the celebrated monastery which he governed for forty years. He was a zealous and successful propagator of monastic discipline. He passed to heaven, famous for holiness and miracles, when he more than seventy years of age, in the year of Salvation 565.
![]() Paul the first hermit, and model of all others, was a native of the lower Thebaid in Egypt. At the age of fifteen years he lost both his parents. In order to escape from the persecution of Decius and Valerian, and to serve God in quietness, he betook himself to a cave in the desert. Here there was a palm-tree, on the fruit of which he lived, and of whose leaves he made his raiment until he attained the age of 113 years. At that time Anthony, being now himself aged 90 years, received a command from God to go and see him. They met without knowing one another's names, and saluted one another, after which they fell straightway into a long discourse concerning the kingdom of God. Now it so happened that a raven had of a long time brought Paul every day half a loaf, but on this day while they spake together he brought a whole one. When the raven had flown away, Well, quoth Paul, the Lord hath sent us our dinner. Truly he is gracious; truly he is merciful. It is now sixty years that I have had half a loaf of bread every day, but now that thou art come, Christ giveth his soldiers double rations. Then they asked a blessing, and ate together, sitting by a spring. When they were refreshed, they returned thanks, as is the custom, and afterwards spent the whole night praising God. At break of day Paul felt the approach of death, and desired Anthony to bring the cloak which Athanasius had given him, to use for his winding-sheet. While Anthony was on his way back from this journey, he saw in a vision the soul of Paul ascending to heaven, surrounded by choirs of angels, and accompanied by the Prophets and Apostles. When Anthony reached the cell of Paul, he found the dead body of the Saint in a kneeling posture, with the head thrown up and the hands stretched out towards heaven. He immediately began to chant the psalms and hymns ordained by Christian tradition, while he wrapped the the body in the cloak of Athanasius. He had no spade to dig a grave, but two lions came racing from the desert, as though to attent the burying, and scratched a hole big enough to hold a man's body, with their paws, shewing meanwhile such signs of grief as their nature alloweth. When they were gone away, Anthony put the holy body in this hole, covered it with earth, and arranged it like a Christian's grave. He took away for himself Paul's tunic, which he had woven out of the palm-leaves somewhat after the manner of basket-work, and this tunic Anthony was in the habit of wearing on the great days of Easter and Pentecost as long as he lived. ![]() Felix was a priest of Nola, who on account of his fiery zeal against idolatry, suffered much persecution from the heathens, and was cast into prison. From thence an angel delivered him by night, and bade him go to Maximian, Bishop of Nola. This Bishop, enfeebled by old age, had at length despaired of power to withstand the torments of the persecutors, and had hidden himself in a wood. Thither came Felix, by the will of God, and found the holy bishop lying half-dead upon the ground. He succoured him, and carried him upon his shoulders to the house of an holy widow. On another occasion, Felix, having again provoked the anger of the devil-worshippers, became an object of their pursuit, from which he hid himself in a narrow place between two walls. Hardly had he entered, when some spiders wove their webs across the entrance, which the enemy perceiving, concluded that no man had entered, and passed by. After leaving this hiding-place, Felix lay for three months in the house of an holy woman. After the Lord gave peace to his Church, the Saint returned to Nola, where he turned many to Christ by his life, his preaching, and his miracles. He steadily refused to accept the Bishoprick, fell asleep in the Lord, and was buried at Nola in the place called The Pines. ![]() Hilary was born of a noble family in Aquitaine, and is distinguished as a divine and an orator. He was married in his earlier life, but even then lived the life of a monk: and on account of his remarkable holiness, was ultimately made Bishop of Poitiers, in which office he did his duty so as to gain the universal praise of the faithful. At that time the Emperor Constantius was persecuting the Catholics by threats, by the plundering of their goods, by exile, and at length, by every species of cruelty, in order to force them to yield to the Arian heresy. Against the Arians Hilary set himself up as a brazen wall, and turned upon himself the fierceness of their anger. They assailed him by many artifices, and at last Saturninus, Bishop of Arles, at the Council of Beziers, procured his banishment to Phrygia. During this exile he raised a dead man to life, and wrote a work in twelve books on the Trinity, against the Arians. In the fourth year of his exile took place the Council of Seleucia in Isauria, at which Hilary was obliged to be present, but afterwards withdrew to Constantinople. Here he realized more sharply the awful nature of this crisis in the history of Christianity, published three pamphlets in the form of letters to the Emperor, and demanded from that Prince leave to hold a public disputation in his presence. The Arian Bishops Ursacius and Valens, whom Hilary had already confuted in writing, were afraid to meet him in debate, and therefore induced Constantius, under pretence of pardon, to send him back to his Bishoprick. His mother, the Church of Gaul, to use the language of Jerome, received him with open arms on his return from the battle with the hereticks. He was followed to Poitiers by Martin, afterwards Bishop of Tours, whose after holiness was a fruit of his teaching. Henceforth he ruled the Church of Poitiers in great peace. By his exertions the Church of Gaul was led to denounce the Arian blasphemy. His wonderful learning is seen in his numerous works, of which Jerome writeth to Laeta that he deemeth them quite faultless. One can follow Hilary in his books, saith he, without tripping once. He passed from earth to heaven upon the thirteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord 369, in the reign of the Emperors Valentinian and Valens. He had already been called an illustrious Doctor of the Church, by many Fathers and Councils, and was so styled in the Liturgy in some dioceses, when at length, Pope Pius IX, at the prayer of the Synod of Bordeaux, and in accordance with a resolution of the Sacred Congregation of Rites, proclaimed and confirmed the title, and commanded that the Mass and Office of his Feast should be everywhere said as those of a Doctor. ![]() At that time: John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith: Behold the Lamb of God, behold him that taketh away the sin of the world. Sermon by St. Augustine the Bishop John knew Jesus even before he came to be baptized of him in Jordan, as we perceive by the words: I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? Behold, let us see how he came to know that Jesus was the Lord, even the Son of God. How do we prove that John knew Jesus to be the one who should baptize with the Holy Ghost? Before the Lord came to the river, when many betook themselves to John to be baptized of him, the Baptist said: I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose; he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire. This, then, he already knew also. But John also saith: I knew him not. Now, how are we to explain this without calling John a liar? And God forbid that we should ever even think anything of the kind. Was it not that when the Dove descended on Christ, John then for the first time knew him to have a certain peculiar attribute, namely, that, whosoever should baptize with the Baptism of Jesus, whether they were themselves just or unjust, the virtue of the Sacrament should proceed, not from them, but from him on whom abode the Dove; so that he is the real Baptizer in every Christian Baptism until the end of time. And it is in this sense that it is said of him: The Same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. Whether it be Peter, or Paul, or Judas, that performeth the ceremony, the real Baptizer and effectual worker is Christ. For if the holiness of the Baptism depended on the holiness of the particular offíciator, no two Baptisms would be exactly alike, and every one would be supposed to be more or less regenerated according as the minister who baptized him was more or less of Saint. Now, my brethren, understand me. The Saints themselves, those good men who appertain to the Dove, those good men whose portion is in Jerusalem, those good men in the Church, of whom the Apostle saith: The Lord knoweth them are his: those good men differ one from another by diversities of graces, and are not all of the same worthiness. Some are holier than others. Supposing then (for the sake of argument) that A is baptized by B, a righteous and holy man; and C is baptized by D who is a man less worthy in the sight of God, and hath attained only a lower degree in godliness, and is not so chaste, and whose life is not so good as B's; yet A and C receive just the same thing. And how is this, unless it be that it is Christ himself who is the effectual Baptizer? ![]() At that time: When Jesus was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the Child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his Mother knew not of it. Sermon by St. Bernard the Abbot And he was subject unto them. Who was subject? And to whom? God to man! God, I repeat, to whom the Angels are subject, whom the Principalities and Powers do obey, was subject to Mary; and not only to Mary, but to Joseph also for Mary's sake. Marvel, therefore, both at God and man, and choose that which giveth greater wonder, whether it be the most loving condescension of the Son, or the exceeding great dignity of his Mother. Both amaze us, both are marvellous. That God should obey a woman is lowliness without parallel, that woman should rule over God, an elevation beyond comparison. In praise of virgins it is sung of them alone, that they follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. Of what praise do ye judge that woman to be worthy who is thus placed before the Lamb of God. Learn, O man, to obey! Learn, O earth, to be subject! Learn, O dust, to submit! The Evangelist speaking of thy Creator saith: And he was subject unto them. And there is no doubt that this sheweth us that God was subject to Mary and Joseph. Shame on you, ye proud entities of dust and ashes! God abaseth himself, and dost thou, O creature sprung from the earth, exalt thyself? God maketh himself subject to man, and dost thou, who art always so eager to lord it over men, set up thyself to lord it over thy Creator? For as often soever as I desire pre-eminency over men, so often do I strive to excel God. For of him it was said: And he was subject unto them. If thou disdainest, O man, to follow the example of man, at least thou canst follow thy Creator without dishonour. If thou canst not, perchance, follow him whithersoever he goeth, deign at least to follow him in this thing wherein he hath emptied himself, and made himself of no reputation, for the sake of such as thou. If thou canst not enter upon the lofty paths of virginity, at least follow God by the most safe road of humility. If any turn aside from this straight way, though they be virgins, they do not follow the Lamb, if the truth be told, whithersoever he goeth. The humble man, though stained with sin, followeth the Lamb; the virgin, though proud, also followeth; but neither of these twain followeth whithersoever he goeth. The former cannot attain unto the purity of the Lamb, for he is without spot; the latter deigneth not to descend to his meekness, who was dumb, not before the shearer, but before the murderer. Yet the sinner who followeth in humility hath chosen a more saving way than the proud man who followeth in virginity; for the humble one maketh satisfaction, and is cleansed of his impurity, but the proud one's chastity is stained by his pride. ![]() HE was placed in the chair of St. Peter after the martyrdom of St. Telesphorus, in the year 139. Eusebius informs us, 1 that he sat four years. The church then enjoyed some sort of calm, under the mild reign of the emperor Antoninus Pius; though several martyrs suffered in his time by the fury of the populace, or the cruelty of certain magistrates. The emperor himself never consented to such proceedings; and when informed of them by the governors of Asia, Athens, Thessalonica, and Larissea, he wrote to them in favour of the Christians, as is recorded by St. Justin and Eusebius. But the devil had recourse to other arts to disturb the peace of God’s church. Cerdo, a wolf in sheep’s clothing, in the year 140, came from Syria to Rome, and began to teach the false principles which Marcion adopted afterwards with more success. He impiously affirmed that there were two Gods; the one rigorous and severe, the author of the Old Testament; the other merciful and good, the author of the New, and the father of Christ, sent by him to redeem man from the tyranny of the former; and that Christ was not really born of the Virgin Mary, or true man, but such in shadow only and appearance. Our holy pope, by his pastoral vigilance, detected that monster, and cut him off from the communion of the church. The heresiarch, imposing upon him by a false repentance, was again received; but the zealous pastor having discovered that he secretly preached his old opinions, excommunicated him a second time. Another minister of Satan was Valentine, who being a Platonic philosopher, puffed up with the vain opinion of his learning, and full of resentment for another’s being preferred to him in an election to a certain bishopric in Egypt, as Tertullian relates, 4 revived the errors of Simon Magus, and added to them many other absurd fictions, as of thirty Æônes or ages, a kind of inferior deities, with whimsical histories of their several pedigrees. Having broached these opinions at Alexandria, he left Egypt for Rome. At first he dissembled his heresies, but by degrees his extravagant doctrines came to light. Hyginus, being the mildest of men, endeavoured to reclaim him without proceeding to extremities; so that Valentine was not excommunicated before the first year of St. Pius, his immediate successor. St. Hyginus did not sit quite four years, dying in 142. We do not find that he ended his life by martyrdom, yet he is styled a martyr in some ancient calendars, as well as in the present Roman Martyrology; undoubtedly on account of the various persecutions which he suffered, and to which his high station in the church exposed him in those perilous times. ![]() SYRIAN SENSE A remarkable summary on the political level of how and why the world has gone so wrong today is presented on YouTube by “Syrian Girl Partisan”. She is a young Syrian patriot giving eight reasons why the New World Order hates Syria and is doing all it can to overthrow the present Syrian government and replace it with NWO puppets. But Catholics must not allow Western propaganda and lies to poison their minds, nor must they say that politics have nothing to do with religion. The NWO is driven by the mad dream of eliminating altogether the Social Kingship of Christ the King, together with God’s natural world order. Here are the Syrian Girl’s reasons:-- 1 Syria’s Central Bank is state-owned and state-controlled so as to serve the national economy and the Syrian people, instead of enriching the international banksters of the Western nations and Israel, who force upon almost all nations of the world usurious loans generating artificial debt crises by which these nations are in effect enslaved. 2 Syria has no international Monetary Fund debt. The IMF acts as the debt collection police of the international banksters. Any wise nation stays out of the IMF’s clutches, which is what Syria has succeeded in doing, but the banksters are not happy at all with such wisdom. 3 Syria has banned genetically modified seeds, or “Franken-food”, because Bashar Assad wants to protect his people’s health. “Franken-food” means food control which means population control. Obviously the NWO favours “Franken-food” (the USA imposed it on conquered Iraq.) 4 Syria’s population is well-informed about the NWO, whose domination of the world’s puppet politicians by its think-tanks and secret societies is openly discussed in Syria’s media and universities. Such openness is anathema to the NWO, which must cover its operations in darkness. 5 Syria has massive oil and gas reserves, and it is working to exploit them independently of the giant Western oil companies like Shell and Texaco. The NWO loves oil, but not oil independence. 6 Syria clearly and unequivocally opposes Zionism and Israel. In recent years even the base Western media have reacted to Israel’s virtual turning of Palestine into a mega-Goulag. Syria denounces Israel’s brutal apartheid. Obviously the Jewish lobbies all round the world will unite to use all their influence to put an end to such firm opposition to their fellow-Jews in Israel. 7 Syria is one of the last secular Muslim States in the Middle East, and refuses to recognize any superiority of that people which still claims to be the Chosen People of God (even 2,000 years after the Incarnate God, Jesus Christ, ceased to choose his People by race and began to choose it instead by faith -- Romans III, IV, etc.). The same lobbies will chastise any refusal of their religious as of their racial superiority. 8 Syria proudly maintains and protects its political and cultural national identity, whereas the NWO seeks to melt down all nations (except one) into a single conglomerate mass of sheeple for the approaching Antichrist. Watch the original nine-minute video of “Syrian Girl Partisan” on YouTube, or read the excellent Argentinian commentator’s summary on actualidad.rt.com/expertos/salbuchi. (These “Eleison Comments” draw heavily on Adrian Salbuchi’s text.) Whatever be other faults of the Muslim nations, who cannot notice how much more they are doing than the corrupt and decadent Western nations to resist the godless New World Order ? Kyrie eleison. © 2011-2014 Richard N. Williamson. All Rights Reserved.
A non-exclusive license to print out, forward by email, and/or post this article to the Internet is granted to users who wish to do so provided that no changes are made to the content so reproduced or distributed, to include the retention of this notice with any and all reproductions of content as authorized hereby. Aside from this limited, non-exclusive license, no portion of this article may be reproduced in any other form or by any other electronic or mechanical means without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review, or except in cases where rights to content reproduced herein are retained by its original author(s) or other rights holder(s), and further reproduction is subject to permission otherwise granted thereby. ![]() One of the seven chosen to distribute alms to Hellenistic widows and others in the Acts of the Apostles, Nicanor, whose name means victorious, has been traditionally accounted a Jew from Cyprus who lived in Jerusalem. Little is known of his life. Some say he died with Stephen, the first martyr, while others say that when the remaining deacons or almoners disbanded after the death of Stephen, Nicanor became a missionary to the Gentiles and travelled to Cyprus. The Annales of Cesar Baronius (1538-1607), now considered historically worthless, say Nicanor was martyred c. 76 on his native island under Vespasian. Other legends say he was martyred in Berj, a place unknown and presumed to be Botrys. Modern scholars believe Nicanor died in peace. ![]() Husband and wife; died at Antioch or, more probably, at Antinoe, in the reign of Diocletian, early in the fourth century, on 9 January, according to the Roman Martyrology. ST. JULIAN and St. Basilissa, though married, lived, by mutual consent, in perpetual chastity; they sanctified themselves by the most perfect exercises of an ascetic life, and employed their revenues in relieving the poor and the sick. For this purpose they converted their house into a kind of hospital, in which they sometimes entertained a thousand poor people. Basilissa attended those of her sex, in separate lodgings from the men; these were taken care of by Julian, who from his charity is named the Hospitalarian. Egypt, where they lived, had then begun to abound with examples of persons who, either in the cities or in the deserts, devoted themselves to the most perfect exercises of charity, penance, and mortification. Basilissa, after having stood seven persecutions, died in peace; Julian survived her many years and received the crown of a glorious martyrdom, together with Celsus, a youth, Antony, a priest, Anastasius, and Marcianilla, the mother of Celsus. Many churches and hospitals in the East, and especially in the West, bear the name of one or other of these martyrs. Four churches at Rome, and three out of five at Paris, which bear the name of St. Julian, were originally dedicated under the name of St. Julian, the Hospitalarian and martyr. In the time of St. Gregory the Great, the skull of St. Julian was brought out of the East into France, and given to Queen Brunehault; she gave it to the nunnery which she founded at Étampes; part of it is at present in the monastery of Morigny, near Étampes, and part in the church of the regular canonesses of St. Basilissa at Paris. |
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