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Lent Taking its name from the Middle-English “Lenten”, or “spring”, the origins of Lent itself are particularly obscure. It seems possible that in some parts of the early Church there was a commemoration of Christ’s forty day fast in the wilderness and which followed immediately on from the celebration of the Baptism of Christ. The forty days attached to Easter began to appear in Rome and elsewhere shortly after the Council of Nicea in 325 and although the records of the Council make no mention of the establishment of such a fast it is possible that it was ordered by the assembled bishops. In the New Testament there is no mention of a determined period of fasting amongst the early Christian Community, although, in the Acts of the Apostles, in the account of the shipwreck of St. Paul, it states that, "A great deal of time had been lost, and navigation was already hazardous, since it was now well after the time for the Fast" (27: 9). In the immediate post-apostolic age there is a general sense of some sort of fast being observed in the period before Easter. The early Christian writer and apologist, Tertullian (c. 160 - c. 225) mentions a period of fasting to commemorate the period when the spouse, Jesus Christ, was taken away. Another early writer, Irenaeus, (c. 130 - c. 200) [right] in a letter to Victor, the Bishop of Rome from about 190 until 200, speaks of the fast before Easter and of the different methods of its observance in different places stating that the difference of observance was not a new thing but that it had arisen "even long before, in a past generation". It is clear from Tertullian that from very early times the Lenten fast, whatever its duration may have been, was considered obligatory and passages to the same effect are found in the later literature of the Church. The Council of Gangra, in the middle of the fourth century, anathemizes those who neglected to keep the fasts "observed by the Church". St. Jerome (c. 341 - 420) lays down strict obligations in the keeping of the Lenten fast. During the first three centuries of the history of the Church, most Christians prepared for Easter by only fasting for two or three days. In some places this "paschal fast" was extended to cover the entire week before Easter, the period now known as Holy Week. In Rome, this pascal fast may have lasted for as long as three weeks, but by the fourth century ad developed into the forty day Lent as it is observed today. The Roman Lent, in its three week form, was linked to the pastoral and liturgical preparation of catechumens for baptism at the Easter Vigil and until recently this baptismal motif was thought to explain the origins of Lent, a practice restored by the Second Vatican Council. Father, through our observance of Lent, help us to understand the meaning of your Son’s death and resurrection, and teach us to reflect it in our lives. See also: |
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2nd April - Optional commemoration of St. Francis of Paola, Hermit Born - 27 March 1416, Paola, Calabria, Kingdom of Naples Died - 2 April 1507 (aged 91), Plessis-lez-Tours, Touraine, Kingdom of France Venerated in - Roman Catholic Church Beatified - 1 November 1518 Canonized - 1 May 1519 by Pope Leo X Feast - 2 April Patronage - patron saint of Calabria; Amato; La Chorrera, Panama; boatmen, mariners, and naval officers Born in 1416 at Paola in Calabria, he was the founder of the Franciscan Minim Friars. He lived in a neighbouring Franciscan friary before going on pilgrimage to Assisi and Rome and becoming a hermit near his home town. When he was about twenty, he was joined by two companions for whom a chapel and three cells were built. These and the others who came to join him became the Minim Friars, so called because of their humility. The order was approved by the Holy See in 1474. They underlined the Franciscan ideal; their charity and extreme austerity attracted many. Francis himself became famous for his gift of prophecy and miracles even during his life. His final years were spent in France where the mentally ill king Louis XI had specially requested his presence Francis was sent by the Pope to prepare the king for his death and was also instrumental in restoring peace between France and Brittany and between France and Spain while also finding time to become tutor to the future king Charles VIII. He died in Tours in 1507 and was canonized in 1519. See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_of_Paola https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06231a.htm https://catholicsaints.info/saint-francis-of-paola/ https://www.bartleby.com/210/4/021.html https://saintscatholic.blogspot.com/2012/03/st-francis-of-paola.html |
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3rd April ~ Optional memorial of St. Richard of Chichester, Bishop. Born: 1197. Died: 1253. Canonised: 1262. Also known as Richard de Wych he was born in 1197 at Droitwich, the son of a yeoman farmer. Studious from an early age he studied at Oxford, Paris and Bologna returning to Oxford in 1235 to become the Chancellor of the University. He was ordained in 1242 being elected bishop in 1244. A dispute over the appointment with King Henry III and part of the Chapter led to the Pope, Innocent IV, appointing him bishop of Lyons in 1245. Eventually he returned to Chichester where he was reckoned to be a model diocesan bishop, charitable and accessible, both stern and merciful to sinners and extraordinarily generous to those stricken by famine. He was also a legislator ruling that the sacraments were to be administered without payment, the Mass be celebrated in dignified conditions and the clergy observe celibacy, be resident in their parish and wear clerical dress. The laity were obliged to attend Mass on Sundays and holy days, to know the Hail Mary, the Lord’s Prayer and the Creed. He died in 1253 and was canonised in 1262. In 1276 his body was translated to a shrine behind the high altar at Chichester cathedral where it became a centre of pilgrimage. There it remained until 1538 when the shrine was despoiled and the body buried secretly. Almighty and ever living God, you bestowed on Bishop Saint Richard of Chichester a love of learning, a zeal for souls and a devotion to the poor; in your loving kindness, we pray, grant us the assistance of his intercession that we may be led to a deeper knowledge and love of your Only Begotten Son so that we may follow him more closely. |
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4th April - Optional commemoration of St. Isidore, Bishop and Doctor. Born - c. 560, Cartagena, Spain Died - 4 April 636 (aged 75–76), Seville, Visigothic Kingdom Venerated in - Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church Canonized - Pre-Congregation Feast - 4 April Attributes - Bees; bishop holding a pen while surrounded by a swarm of bees; bishop standing near a beehive; old bishop with a prince at his feet; pen; priest or bishop with pen and book; with Saint Leander, Saint Fulgentius, and Saint Florentina; with his Etymologiae Patronage - Students, the Internet, computer users, computer technicians, programmers (all electronic patronages are unofficial) Isidore was born in c. 560 to a noble family from Catagena and was educated mainly by his elder brother Leander, a monk, although he did not become one himself. From this education he acquired and communicated an encyclopaedic knowledge in his books. This was to become most influential in medieval clerical and monastic education. His importance as an archbishop was also considerable. During his thirty-six year episcopate, he had succeeded his brother, he completed his predecessor’s work in converting the Visigoths from Arianism and in organising the church in Spain through synods and councils the most notable being in Seville in 619 and Toledo in 633 over both of which he presided in person. One of their achievements was the decree that every diocese should have a cathedral school – centuries before Charlemagne proposed a similar idea. Besides being a successful and influential educator, Isidore completed the Mozarabic missal and breviary and was notable for his abundant charity to the poor. He died in 636 but was not canonised until 1598 and was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1722. His is the proposed patron of the internet. See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isidore_of_Seville https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Author:Isidore_of_Seville https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08186a.htm https://catholicsaints.info/saint-isidore-of-seville/ https://www.bartleby.com/210/4/041.html https://saintscatholic.blogspot.com/2012/04/st-isidore-of-seville.html |
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5th April - Optional commemoration of St. Vincent Ferrer, Priest Born - 23 January 1350, Valencia, Kingdom of Valencia Died - 5 April 1419 (aged 69), Vannes, Duchy of Brittany Venerated in - Catholic Church, Anglican Communion, Aglipayan Church Canonized - 3 June 1455, Santa Maria sopra Minerva, Papal States by Pope Callixtus III Major shrine - Cathedral of Vannes, Vannes, Morbihan, France, Bogo City, Cebu, Philippines, Calape, Bohol, Banay-banay, Lipa City, Philippines, in Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) Diocesan Shrine in Old Town San Remigio, Antique, Philippines, Diocesan of San Vicente Ferrer, Brgy. Mamatid, Cabuyao, Philippines and IFI Cathedral in Odiongan, Romblon, Philippines. Feast - 5 April Attributes - Dominican habit, Tongue of flame, Pulpit, Trumpet, Wings, Bible Patronage - Archdiocese of Valencia, Valencia, Catalonia, France, Spain, Cabuyao Laguna, Philippines, Builders, Prisoners, Construction workers, Plumbers, Fishermen, Spanish orphanages The son of an Englishman resident in Spain, Vincent was born in 1350 at Valencia. In 1367 he became a Dominican where he quickly established himself as a philosopher and preacher, who had notable successes in arousing his listeners to repentance in in converting Jews including thr Rabbi Paul who went on to become the bishop of Cartagena. The Avigonese pope of the Great Schism, Pedro de Luna, also known as Benedict XIII, invited Vincent to Avignon where he unsuccessfully attempted to achieve a reconciliation with the Pope in Rome, Urban VI. Vincent left to devote his life to preaching and had extraordinary success in parts of France, Spain and Italy and one source has him visiting England and Scotland. In 1414 the Council of Constance attempted to end the Great Schism which had proliferated since 1409 with three claimants to the papal throne. Vincent again tried unsuccessfully to persuade Benedict XIII to abdicate although he did persuade Ferdinand, King of Aragon to withdraw his support for Benedict. As a result, Benedict's creditability collapsed, and the Great Schism was healed. Vincent spent the last three years of his life preaching in Normandy and Brittany. Worn out by his labours he died at Vannes in 1419 and was canonized by Pope Callistus II in 1455. See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_Ferrer https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15437a.htm https://catholicsaints.info/saint-vincent-ferrer/ https://www.bartleby.com/210/4/051.html https://saintscatholic.blogspot.com/2012/04/st-vincent-ferrer.html https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-vincent-ferrer |