ST SYLVESTER GOZZOLINI, ABBOT

ST SYLVESTER GOZZOLINI, ABBOT – MEMORIAL: NOVEMBER 26

Sylvester, born of a noble family at Osimo, in Picenum, was remarkable, even as a boy, for his keen intelligence and upright conduct. Being duly instructed in sacred learning and made a Canon, he benefited his people by his example and his sermons. At the funeral of a relative, who was also a nobleman and a very handsome person, on seeing the disfigured corpse in the open tomb, he said: “What this man was, I am now; what he is now, I shall be.”

WITH THE DESIRE FOR GREATER PERFECTION, HE SPENT HIMSELF IN VIGILS, PRAYER AND FASTING 

He soon retired to a lonely place with the desire for greater perfection, and there spent himself in vigils, prayer and fasting. To hide himself better from men, he kept changing his dwelling place. At length, he arrived at Monte Fano, at that time a solitary place, built a church in honour of St Benedict and laid the foundations of the Congregation of Sylvestrines. There he strengthened the monks with his wonderful holiness. He shone with the spirit of prophecy, and possessed power over the demons and other gifts, which he always tried to hide with deep humility. He fell asleep in the Lord in the year of salvation 1267.

PRAYER:

Most merciful God, who, when the holy Abbot Sylvester was devoutly meditating upon the vanity of this world beside an open grave, graciously willed to call him into the desert and enrich him with unusual merits, we humbly pray that, following his example, despising the things of earth, we may thoroughly enjoy your everlasting presence. Through our Lord…

– From: An Approved English Translation of the Breviarium Romanum, Burns & Oates, London, 1964

 

ST LOUIS IX, KING AND CONFESSOR

ST LOUIS IX, KING AND CONFESSOR – MEMORIAL: AUGUST 25

Louis IX, King of France, was reared by his mother Blanche in the high ideals of sanctity. For the sake of recovering Jerusalem, he crossed the sea with a very large army and put the Saracens to flight in his first battle. But, since a great number of his soldiers perished from the plague, he was himself conquered and captured. A treaty was made and he was set at liberty.

HE RANSOMED NUMEROUS CHRISTIAN SLAVES

In the East, he ransomed many Christians who were slaves of the barbarians and also converted many of the infidels to the faith of Christ. After returning to France, he built many monasteries, and hospitals for the poor. He relieved the needy by his beneficence and frequently visited the sick, even waiting on them.

HE WAITED ON THE SICK

He wore plain garb and constantly afflicted his body with a hairshirt and much fasting. When he once more crossed over to wage war against the Saracens and had already pitched his camp in sight of them, he died of pestilence [in 1270] saying this prayer: “I will go into your house, I will worship at your holy temple and I will give glory to your name.

PRAYER:

O God, who transported your blessed Confessor, Louis, from an earthly throne to the glory of the heavenly kingdom, by his merits and intercession we beseech you to make us of the company of the King of kings, Jesus Christ your Son. Who with you…

– From: An Approved English Translation of the Breviarium Romanum, Burns & Oates, 1964

 

THEE WE ADORE, O HIDDEN SAVIOUR, THEE (HYMN)

Adoro the devote

Thee we adore, O hidden Saviour, thee.

Who in thy Sacrament art pleased to be;

Both flesh and spirit in thy presence fail,

Yet here thy Presence we devoutly hail.

O blest Memorial of our dying Lord,

Who living Bread to men doth here afford!

O may our souls for ever feed on thee,

And thou, O Christ, for ever precious be.

Fountain of goodness, Jesu, Lord and God,

Cleanse us, unclean, with thy most cleansing Blood;

Increase our faith and love, that we may know

The hope and peace which from thy Presence flow.

O Christ, whom now beneath a veil we see,

May what we thirst for soon our portion be,

To gaze on thee unveiled, and see thy face,

The vision of thy glory and thy grace.

– St Thomas Aquinas, 1227-74

Tr. Bishop J. R. Woodford

 

ABOUT ST SIMON STOCK

ST SIMON STOCK; MEMORIAL: MAY 16

St Simon Stock received the Brown Scapular in a vision from Our Lady. He lived in the 13th century and was from Kent, England. After a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, he joined the hermit order of the Carmelite friars. His role was important to the consolidation of the order, which at the middle of the 13th century was transformed from a hermit order to being one of mendicant friars, and Simon Stock was its prior general at London. He died at Bordeaux, France, in 1265, and his cult spread during the 14th century.