From todays Morning Office.. so beautiful! The door of Paradise was closed to all men because of the sin of Eve; it has been opened again by the Virgin Mary, alleluia.
FEAST / SAINT OF THE DAY THURSDAY, 14 MAY, 2026 SOLEMNITY OF THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD. SAINT MATTHIAS - APOSTLE Mathias was one of the first to follow our Savior; and he was an eye-witness of all His divine actions up to the very day of the Ascension. He was one of the seventy-two disciples; but our Lord had not conferred upon him the dignity of an apostle. And yet, he was to have this great glory, for it was of him that David spoke, when he prophesied that another should take the bishopric left vacant by the apostasy of Judas the traitor. In the interval between Jesus' Ascension and the descent of the Holy Ghost, the apostolic college had to complete the mystic number fixed by our Lord Himself, so that there might be the twelve on that solemn day, when the Church, filled with the Holy Ghost, was to manifest herself to the Synagogue. The lot fell on Mathias; he shared with his brother-apostles the persecution in Jerusalem, and, when the time came for the ambassadors of Christ to separate, he set out for the countries allotted to him. Tradition tells us that these were Cappadocia and the provinces bordering on the Caspian Sea. The virtues, labor, and sufferings of St. Mathias have not been handed down to us: this explains the lack of proper lessons on his life, such as we have for the feasts of the rest of the apostles. Clement of Alexandria records in his writings several sayings of our holy apostle. One of these is so very appropriate to the spirit of the present season, that we consider it a duty to quote it. 'It behooves us to combat the flesh, and make use of it, without pampering it by unlawful gratifications. As to the soul, we must develop her power by faith and knowledge'. How profound is the teaching contained in these few words! Sin has deranged the order which the Creator had established. It gave the outward man such a tendency to grovel in things which degrade him, that the only means left us for the restoration of the image and likeness of God unto which we were created, is the forcible subjection of the body to the spirit. But the spirit itself, that is, the soul, was also impaired by original sin, and her inclinations were made prone to evil; what is to be her protection? Faith and knowledge. Faith humbles her, and then exalts and rewards her; and the reward is knowledge. SYMBOLS: Halbert; lance; carpenter's square; sword held by its point; axe; saw; scroll; scimitar and book; stone; battle axe; two stones; long cross; hatchet. PATRON: Alcoholism; carpenters; reformed alcoholics; smallpox; tailors. COLLECT PRAYER: O God, who assigned Saint Matthias a place in the college of Apostles, grant us, through his intercession, that, rejoicing at how your love has been allotted to us, we may merit to be numbered among the elect. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
SAINTS OF THE DAY FRIDAY, 15 MAY, 2026 1) SAINT DYMPHNA 2) SAINT ISIDORE THE FARMER 1) SAINT DYMPHNA VIRGIN AND MARTYR (605—620 A.D.) Dymphna was born in Ireland sometime in the seventh century to a pagan father and devout Christian mother. When she was fourteen, she consecrated herself to Christ and took a vow of chastity. Soon afterward, her mother died and her father - who had loved his wife deeply - began to suffer a rapid deterioration of his mental stability. So unhinged was Dymphna's father, Damon, that the King's counselors suggested he remarry. Though he was still grieving for his wife, he agreed to remarry if a woman as beautiful as she could be found. Damon sent messengers throughout his town and other lands to find woman of noble birth who resembled his wife and would be willing to marry him, but when none could be found, his evil advisors whispered sinful suggestions to marry his own daughter. So twisted were Damon's thoughts that he recognized only his wife when he looked upon Dymphna, and so he consented to the arrangement. When she heard of her father's misguided plot, Dymphna fled her castle with her confessor, a priest named Gerebran, two trusted servants, and the king's fool. The group sailed toward what is now called Belgium, and hid in the town of Geel. Though it becomes uncertain what exactly happened next, the best-known version claims the group settled in Geel, where Dymphna built a hospital for the poor and sick, but in using her wealth, her father was able to discover her location. When Damon found his daughter was in Belgium, he traveled to Geel and captured them. He ordered the priest's head to be separated from his body and attempted to convince Dymphna to return to Ireland and marry him. When Dymphna refused, Damon became enraged and drew his sword. He struck Dymphna's head from her shoulders and left her there. When she died, Dymphna was only fifteen-years-old. After her father left Geel, the residents collected both Dymphna and Gerebran's remains and laid them to rest in a cave. In defense of her purity, Dymphna received the crown of martyrdom around the year 620 and became known as the "Lily of Éire. In 1349, a church honoring St. Dymphna was built in Geel, and by 1480, so many pilgrims were arriving in need of treatment for mental ills, that the church was expanded. The expanded sanctuary was eventually overflowing again, leaving the townspeople to accept them into their homes, which began a tradition of care for the mentally ill that continues to this day. Unfortunately, in the 15th century, the original St. Dymphna Church in Geel burned to the ground, and the magnificent Church of St. Dymphna was erected and consecrated in 1532, where it still stands above the location her body was originally buried. Many miracles have been proven to take place at her shrine in the church erected in her honor, and her remains were placed in a silver reliquary in the church. Some of her remains can also be found at the Shrine to Saint Dymphna in the United States. The priest who had helped Dymphna was also sainted, and his remains were moved to Xanten, Germany. Traditionally, Saint Dymphna is often portrayed with a crown on her head, dressed in royal robes, and holding a sword. In modern art, Saint Dymphna is shown holding the sword, which symbolizes her martyrdom, quite awkwardly. She is also often shown holding a lamp, while some holy cards feature her wearing green and white, holding a book and white lilies. PATRON SAINT: Epilepsy, Mental Illness, Incest Victims, Runaways PRAYER TO SAINT DYMPHNA: O God, we humbly beseech you through your servant Saint Dymphna, who sealed with her blood the love she bore you, to grant relief to those who suffer from mental afflictions and nervous disorders, especially... (Name the afflicted person) Saint Dymphna, helper of the mentally afflicted, pray for us. Saint Dymphna, comforter of the despondent, pray for us. Saint Dymphna, renowned for many miracles, please hear my plea. Amen. One Glory Be... 2) SAINT ISIDORE THE FARMER FARMER (1070 AD– May 15, 1130) Isidore was born in 1070 in Madrid, Spain. His family was poor, and he labored as a farmer on the land owned by a rich man named John de Vergas. Isidore had deep religious instincts. He rose early in the morning to go to church and spent many a holiday devoutly visiting the churches of Madrid and surrounding areas. All day long, as he walked behind the plow, he communed with God. His faith was attended by visible signs and wonders. It is reported, for example, that angels were seen assisting him as he plowed. He was such a good worker that John de Vergas allowed him to worship daily in the chapel on his property. His devotion, became a problem, for his fellow workers, sometimes complained that he often showed up late because of lingering in church too long and neglecting his duties as he made prayer a higher priority. Isidore eventually married a woman named Mary, and together they had a son. However their son died while still very young, and through this they realized that it was the will of God for them not to have children, so they lived together chastely the rest of their lives, doing good works. He was known for his love of the poor, and there are accounts of Isidore's supplying them miraculously with food. His table was always open to the indigent, while he lived on the scraps left over. He had a great concern for the proper treatment of animals. Although he remained poor, he gave whatever he could spare to the poor. As he walked to the mill one winter day he was so moved by the sorrowful noise of some hungry birds, he stopped and gave half of the corn in his sack to the hungry birds. By the time he got to the mill, his sack had miraculously filled up again. He died May 15, 1130, of natural causes and was declared a saint in 1622, with Saints Ignatius of Loyola, Francis Xavier, Teresa of Avila, and Philip Neri. Together, the group is known in Spain as “the five saints.” He founded no order; he accomplished no great deeds (apart from tilling the land). Many miracles and cures have been reported at his grave, in which his body remains incorruptible. His wife, too, was canonized—Saint Mary de la Cabeza. PATRON: Farmers, Rural Laborers, Against the death of children, Agricultural workers, farm workers, field hands, husbandmen, ranchers, Day laborers and the United States National Rural Life Conference. PRAYER: Grant, O Lord, that through the intercession of Blessed Isidore, the husbandman, we may follow his example of patience and humility, and so walk faithfully in his footsteps. In the evening of life, pray that we may be able to present to You an abundant harvest of merit and good works. Have mercy on us, O Lord, Who lives and reigns world without end. Amen.
Saint Isidore is madly popular in Spain. The most famous story about him is that when he was praying an angel did the ploughing for him so he did not get in trouble. His wife is also a saint, Maria De La Cabeza so they must be amongst the first husband and wife pair to be canonised. Isidore lived near Madrid and they have a special side chapel in his honour; I notice there is always a little crowd there gawking. They have a big wooden casket which I think once held his body. Lovely to think of a simple farming couple achieving such sanctity.
A Blessed for today Blessed Elzbieta Roza Czacka (22 October 1876 - 15 May 1961) May 15 is the death anniversary of Blessed Elzbieta Roza Czacka, who died at Laski near Warsaw in 1961. Her liturgical feast falls on May 19. Born into Polish nobility in Bila Tserkva, she lost her sight completely by her early twenties. Rather than withdrawing from public life she trained in methods for educating the blind, travelled to the leading institutions of Europe, and in 1910 founded the Society for the Care of the Blind in Warsaw. In 1918 she established the Franciscan Sisters Servants of the Cross and the Laski Centre for the Blind, which became one of the most significant institutions for the visually impaired in Central Europe. She survived Nazi occupation and Soviet pressure alike, dying at eighty-four after years of illness following a stroke in 1948. She is patron of the blind and visually impaired. ◾The miracle for her beatification concerned Karolina Gawrych, then seven years old, who on 29 August 2010 suffered severe cranial and brain injuries when a swing collapsed and the overhead beam fell on her head. Physicians assessed her condition as potentially fatal, with persistent vegetative state or permanent loss of sight and hearing as the best likely outcomes. The Franciscan Sisters at Laski and the family prayed for Czacka's intercession. On 13 September 2010 the child began to stir; within two months she walked out of hospital fully recovered, without any sequelae. The Consulta Medica found the recovery medically inexplicable. Pope Francis approved the miracle on 27 October 2020 and beatified Czacka on 12 September 2021 in Warsaw. Blessed Elzbieta, pray for us.
