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.
SAINT OF THE DAY SATURDAY, 16 MAY 2026 SAINT SIMON STOCK (1165 -1265) Saint Simon Stock was born to a very illustrious family in Kent County, England (c. 1165), of which his father was governor. His mother was devoted to the Virgin Mary, and Simon was not yet one year old when he was heard clearly articulating the Angelic salutation several times. When he was twelve, Simon began to live as a hermit in the hollow of a trunk of an oak, where he got the nickname “stock” or “trunk”. Within this wilderness retreat, his continual prayers ascended to heaven and he spent twenty years in the most complete solitude, feeding his soul with the celestial delights of contemplation. Having voluntarily chosen to deprive himself of human conversation, he was favoured with that of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the angels who urged him to persevere in his life of sacrifice and love. The Queen of Heaven told him that some hermits from Palestine would soon land in England, adding that he should join those men whom she considered as her servants. Indeed, Lord John Vesoy and Lord Richard Gray of Codnor returned from the Holy Land, bringing with them several hermits from Mount Carmel. Simon Stock joined them in 1212 and was elected Vicar General of the Carmelite Order in 1215. He begged the Virgin Mary by fervent prayers and tears to defend this Order, which was devoted to her, and she appeared in a dream to Pope Honorius III, so the pope finally confirmed the Rule of Carmelites in 1226. Another time the Mother of God appeared to Simon, surrounded by a dazzling light and accompanied by a large number of blessed spirits, with the scapular of the order in her hand. This scapular she gave him with the words: “Hoc erit tibi et cunctis Carmelitis privilegium, in hoc habitu moriens salvabitur” – This shall be the privilege for you and for all the Carmelites, that anyone wearing this habit shall be saved. Through Saint Simon Stock the devotion of the scapular spread throughout the world, not only among the people, but also among kings and princes who found themselves very honoured to wear the sign of the servants of the Blessed Virgin. Stock breathed his last in the city of Bordeaux while visiting monasteries, in the 20th year of his office as Vicar General. The Church added his last words to the Angelic salutation: “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.” MARY'S PROMISE TO THOSE WHO WEAR THE SCAPULAR Our Lady gave St. Simon a scapular for the Carmelites with the following promise, saying : Receive, My beloved son, this habit of thy order: this shall be to thee and to all Carmelites a privilege, that whosoever dies clothed in this shall never suffer eternal fire …. It shall be a sign of salvation, a protection in danger, and a pledge of peace. PATRON: Bordeaux, France PRAYER: Heavenly Father, you called Saint Simon Stock to serve you in the brotherhood of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Through his prayers, help us – like him – to live in your presence, and to work for the salvation of the human family. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
I notice when Our Lady appears in different places to groups of people , people experience different things. Some people can see nothing at all. Some can see a kind of vague white shape/. Some people can see but not hear. A few go into direct one to one direct conversations. Why the big difference? Why does the veil part so widely in some cases but not in others? Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. What parts the veil for seeing and hearing is prayer. We saw this at Fatima, before he could see Our Lady he had to pray the rosary. We see this so well with St Simon Stock who was a person of prayer and so the veil parted. It does not have to part, but in this case it did.
Saint Ubaldo Baldassini of Gubbio (c. 1084 - 16 May 1160) May 16 is the feast day of Saint Ubaldo of Gubbio, observed on the anniversary of his death in 1160. Born in Gubbio into a noble family, he was orphaned young and educated by the local bishop, whose example drew him to the priesthood. He entered the canons regular and was elected Bishop of Gubbio in 1128 or 1129, a post he accepted only under obedience after twice refusing. He reformed the chapter and the diocese thoroughly, built a hospital, and became known for exceptional gentleness toward those who wronged him. When Emperor Frederick Barbarossa approached Gubbio with his army in 1155, Ubaldo went out personally to negotiate, and the city was spared. He is patron of Gubbio and is invoked against diabolical obsession. His incorrupt body has lain since 1194 in the Basilica of Sant'Ubaldo on Monte Ingino above the city, to which the famous Corsa dei Ceri procession climbs each year on the eve of his feast. The miracles for his canonization were examined through the classical canonical procedure under Pope Celestine III, who canonized him in 1192, six centuries before the Consulta Medica. The clinical particulars of the examined cases are not in accessible public sources. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubaldo_Baldassini Saint Ubaldo, gentle shepherd and protector of your city, pray for us.
FEAST OF THE DAY SUNDAY, 17 MAY 2026 SOLEMNITY OF THE ASCENSION The death of a member of his family or of a loved friend, must be the saddest event imaginable in the life of an atheist. He is one who really is convinced that there is no God, no future life and therefore that the relative or friend is to turn into dust in the grave, never to be met with again. The thought that every day that passes is bringing him too nearer to that same sad fate, death, which will be the end of all his ambitions, all his enjoyments, the end of everything he thought he was or had, must be something hard to live with. Thank God, we have the good fortune to know, and reason and faith convince us of this truth, that death is not the end of man. It is rather the real beginning. Today's feast—the Ascension of our Lord in his human nature—to his Father's and our Father's home, is the confirmation and the guarantee of this doctrine of our faith. We shall all rise from the grave with new, glorified bodies and ascend to heaven, as Christ did. There we'll begin our true life of eternal happiness. While it is true that even for good Christians the death of a beloved one is a cause of sorrow and tears, this is natural as we still are of the earth earthly. Yet the certitude that our beloved one has gone to his true life and will be there to meet us when our turn comes, is always at the back of our minds to console and comfort us. What all human beings want is to live on forever with our dear ones. Death breaks that continuity but only for a little while. That break is necessary for the new life to begin. It is only in heaven that this natural desire of an unending life with all those we love can be realized and death on earth is the door to that eternal life. Look up to heaven today. See Christ ascending to his Father and our Father. Say : Thank you, God, for creating me, and for giving me, through the Incarnation of your beloved Son, the possibility and the assurance that if I do my part here, when death comes it will not be an enemy but a friend, to speed me on my way to the true, supernatural life which you have, in your love, planned and prepared for me. It was written, and foretold, that Christ should suffer and so enter into his glory. The servant is not above the Master. I too must suffer. I too must accept the hardships and the trials of this life, if I want, and I do, to enter into the life of glory. Christ, who was sinless, suffered hardship and pain. I have earned many, if not all of my hardships, by my own sins. I should be glad of the opportunity to make some atonement for my past offenses, by willingly accepting the crosses he sends me. These crosses are signs of God's interest in my true welfare. Through him he is giving me a chance to prepare myself for the day of reckoning, for the moment of my death which will decide my eternal future. For every prayer I say for success in life, I should say three for a successful death, a death free from sin and at peace with God. COLLECT PRAYER: Gladden us with holy joys, Almighty God, and make us rejoice with devout thanksgiving, for the Ascension of Christ your Son is our exaltation, and, where the Head has gone before in glory, the Body is called to follow in hope. 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.
SAINT OF THE DAY MONDAY, 18 MAY, 2026 SAINT VENANTIUS MARTYR Venantius, who was born at Camerino, was but fifteen years of age when he was accused of being a Christian, and arraigned before Antiochus, the Governor of the City, under the reign of the Emperor Decius. He presented himself to the Governor at the City Gate, where, after being long and uselessly coaxed and threatened, he was scourged, and condemned to be chained. But he was miraculously unfettered by an Angel, and was then burned with torches, and was hung, with his head downwards, over a fire, that he might be suffocated by the smoke. One of the officials, by name Anastasius, having noticed the courage wherewith he suffered his torments, and having also seen an Angel walking, in a white robe, above the smoke, and again liberating Venantius,--he believed in Christ, and, together with his family, was baptized by the priest Porphyrius, with whom he afterwards merited to receive the palm of martyrdom. Venantius was again brought before the Governor; and being solicited, though to no purpose, to give up his Faith, he was thrown into prison. A herald, named Attalus, was sent thither, to tell him that he also had once been a Christian, but had renounced the profession on discovering that it was false, and that Christians were duped into giving up the good things of the present by the vain hope of what was to follow in the next life. But the high-minded soldier of Christ, knowing well the snares of our crafty enemy the devil, utterly spurned his minister from his presence. Whereupon, he was again led before the Governor, and all his teeth were beaten out, and his jaws broken; after which, he was thrown into a dung pit. But, being delivered by an Angel, thence also, he again stood before the judge, who, whilst Venantius was addressing him, fell from the judgment-seat, and died exclaiming: "The God of Venantius is the true One! destroy our gods!" When this was made known to the Governor, he immediately ordered Venantius to be exposed to the lions: but those animals, forgetting their own savage nature, threw themselves at his feet. The Saint, meanwhile, instructed the people in the Christian Faith, and was therefore removed and again thrown into prison. On the following day, Porphyrius told the Governor, that he had had a vision during the night, and that he saw that those who were bathed with water, by Venantius, were brilliant with a splendid light, but that the Governor was covered with a thick darkness. This so irritated the Governor, that he immediately ordered Porphyrius to be beheaded, and Venantius to be dragged, until evening, along places covered with thorns and thistles. He was left there half dead; but he again presented himself, in the morning, to the Governor, who at once condemned him to be cast headlong from a rock. Again, however, he was miraculously preserved in his fall, and was once more dragged, for a mile, over rough places. Seeing that the soldiers were tormented with thirst, Venantius made the sign of the Cross, and water flowed from a rock, which was in a neighboring dell; on which rock, Venantius left the impress of his knees, as may be still seen in the Church which is dedicated to him. Many were moved, by that miracle, to believe in Christ, and were all beheaded, together with Venantius, on that very spot, by the Governor's orders. So awful were the lightnings and earthquakes which followed the execution, that the Governor took to flight. But he was not able to escape divine justice; and, a few days after, met with a most humiliating death. Meanwhile, the Christians gave honorable burial to the bodies of all these Martyrs, and they are now reposing in the Church, which is dedicated to Venantius in the town of Camerino. PATRON: Camerino, Italy. PRAYER: Dear youthful Martyr, loved of the Angels, and aided by them in thy combat! pray for us. Like thyself, we too are soldiers of the Risen Jesus, and must give testimony, before the world, to the Divinity and the Rights of our King. The world has not always in its hands those material instruments of torture, such as it made thee feel; but it is always fearful in its power of seducing souls. It would rob us, also, of that New Life, which Jesus has imparted to us and to all them that are His members; holy Martyr, protect us under these attacks! Thou hadst partaken, during the days of thy last Easter, of the divine Flesh of the Paschal Lamb, and thy courage in Martyrdom redounded to the glory of this heavenly nourishment. We, also, have been guests at the same holy Table; we, also, have partaken of the Paschal Banquet. Like thee, we have known our Lord in the breaking of BREAD (St. Luke, xxiv. 35): obtain for us the appreciation of the divine mystery, of which we received the first-fruits at Bethlehem, and which has been gradually developed, within our souls, as well as before our eyes, by the merits of the Passion and Resurrection of our Emmanuel. We are now, at this very time, preparing to receive the plenitude of the divine gift of the Incarnation. Pray for us, O Holy Martyr, that our hearts may more than ever fervently welcome, and faithfully preserve, the rich treasures, which are about to be offered us, by the sublime mysteries of the Ascension and Pentecost. Amen.
It is incredible the torments that the authorities dreamed us to torture the martyrs. It is as though they had turned into human demons. The only thing that stops them from turning against us in the same way in our own day is that the Spirit of the Age has no blown in that direction as yet. But it will, oh it will!
... another Saint with connection to this day: Saint John Paul II (18 May 1920 - 2 April 2005) May 18 is the birthday of Saint John Paul II, born Karol Józef Wojtyla in Wadowice, Poland, in 1920. His liturgical feast falls on October 22, the date of his papal inauguration in 1978. Elected pope in October 1978 at fifty-eight, he was the first non-Italian pope in 455 years. During a pontificate of twenty-six years he canonized more saints than all his predecessors combined, completed the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and drove the first major revision of the Code of Canon Law since 1917. He survived an assassination attempt in 1981 and spent his final years visibly diminished by Parkinson's disease, which he bore publicly as a witness to the dignity of suffering. He is patron of World Youth Day and of the John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family. ◾The miracle for his beatification concerned Sister Marie Simon-Pierre Normand, a French nurse and member of the Little Sisters of the Catholic Maternities, who had been diagnosed with Parkinson's (a mirror of JP2's) disease in 2001. By June 2005, two months after John Paul's death, her condition had advanced to the point that she could no longer write legibly or drive, and her left arm was largely immobile. On the evening of 2 June 2005, after her community's prayer for John Paul's intercession, she wrote his name in her notebook and went to bed. She woke between 2 and 3 June completely free of all symptoms, without medication. Her neurologist found no trace of the disease. After public criticism that it wasn't Parkinson's at all, the case has been again assessed and the original decision confirmed. Pope Benedict XVI signed the decree recognising the miracle on 14 January 2011. John Paul II was beatified on 1 May 2011 and canonized by Pope Francis on 27 April 2014. Saint John Paul II, pray for us.
"Mirroring Illness" Pattern Established Cases John Paul II (Parkinson's) → Sister Marie Simon-Pierre (Parkinson's) — beatification miracle John XXIII (gastric cancer/hemorrhage) → Sister Caterina Capitani (gastric lesions/fistula) — beatification miracle Alphonsa (foot deformity/burns) → Jinil Joseph (clubfoot) — canonization miracle Peregrine (cancer/leg ulcer) → Multiple cancer patients — patron saint of cancer Bernadette (TB of bone) → Sister Marie Marguerite Justin (TB lungs) — Lourdes evaluation Blaise (throat martyrdom) → Multiple throat obstruction cases
SAINT OF THE DAY TUESDAY, 19 MAY, 2026 SAINT CELESTINE V POPE (1210 - 1296) Peter was born in 1210 at Isneria, Abruzzi, Italy as Pietro del Morrone. He was eleventh of twelve children. His father died when Peter was quite young. When his mother would ask, “Which one of you is going to become a saint?” Peter would answer “Me, Mama! I'll become a saint!”. At 20 Peter became a hermit, praying, working, and reading the Bible. He followed the Benedictine Rule, and so many other hermits came to him for guidance, that he founded the Holy Spirit Community of Maiella (Celestines). Following a two year conclave during which the cardinals could not decide on a pope, Peter came to them with the message that God was not pleased with the long delay; the cardinals chose Peter as the 192nd Pope. The primary objective of Celestine's pontificate was to reform clergy, many of whom were using spiritual power to obtain wordly power. Celestine sought a way to bring the faithful to the original Gospel spirit, and he settled on “Pardon” – he called for a year of forgiveness of sins, and return to evangelical austerity and fidelity. He reigned a mere five months, and the members of the Vatican Curia took advantage of him. This led to much mismanagement, and great uproar in the Vatican. Knowing he was responsible, Celestine asked forgiveness for his mistakes, and abdicated on 13 December 1294, the only pope to do so. His successor, Boniface VIII, kept Celestine hidden for the last ten months of his life in a small room in a Roman palace. Celestine may have appreciated it – he never lost his love of the hermit‘s life, and spent his last days in prayer. PATRON: Aquila, Italy; bookbinders PRAYER: Almighty ever-living God, who chose blessed Celestine V to preside over your whole people and benefit them by word and example, keep safe, we pray, by his intercession, the shepherds of your Church along with the flocks entrusted to their care, and direct them in the way of eternal salvation. 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.
I wonder if the point at which Pope St John Paul 2 got Parkinson's and began to decline was not the very point at which the evil ones within the Church began their Ascension to Power? Pope Benedict of course was wonderful but by the time he took the throne of Peter things had gotten so bad he was pretty well drowned in the evil tide. So it is joyful but sad to remember his life. A time of great joy but great sadness. A time just before the Church entered the Dark Mists which presently enfold her.
another Saint for today Saint Crispin of Viterbo (13 November 1668 - 19 May 1750) May 19 is the feast day of Saint Crispin of Viterbo, observed on the anniversary of his death in Rome in 1750. He chose to linger one extra day so as not to disturb, as he put it, the feast of Saint Felix of Cantalice. Born Pietro Fioretti in Viterbo, he entered the Capuchin Friars Minor as a lay brother at twenty-five and spent his long religious life as gardener, cook, and almsman across various friaries in Lazio and briefly in Spain. He called himself "the little beast of burden of the Capuchins." Pope Clement XI and senior prelates sought him out; the townspeople of Orvieto contested his reassignment when superiors tried to replace him as almsman, unwilling to lose him. He was known for spiritual wisdom, cheerful simplicity, and healings during an epidemic at Tolfa. His body, found incorrupt at exhumation in 1959, rests under a side altar in Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini in Rome. ◾The miracle confirmed for his canonization was the healing of Rinaldo Crescia on 21 May 1950. The Consulta Medica confirmed the cure as medically inexplicable on 22 February 1978. The Congregation for the Causes of Saints ratified the finding on 21 March 1979 and presented it to Pope John Paul II, who recognised it as a miracle. Crispin was canonized on 20 June 1982 in the first canonization of John Paul II's pontificate. Saint Crispin, pray for us.
What a beautiful saint to learn about. In the worlds eye He and also the Church looks like a failure. Yet the Church in Her wisdom saw sanctity. There’s something very human and consoling to me about St. Celestine. It appears that a man can be holy and struggle at same time. You can fail at something or a role in life but not be a failure as a person. And having humility, knowing your limits and being willing to discern when you cant do something are holy qualities. It looks like he prioritized his soul rather than any earthly praise. In my struggles , he comes as a sign of hope to me
