From: rich <
richarra@gmail.com>
May 5th =E2=80=93 St. Maurontius of Douai, OSB
=C2 (also known as Maurantius, Mauron, Mauront)
Born in 634; died May 5, c. 701. Saint Maurontius was the
heir-apparent to SS. Adalbald and Rictrudis. He was baptized by Saint
Riquier and reared at the court of Clovis II and Saint Bathildis. Upon
the death of his father, he succeeded him as lord of Douai (Tournai)
and inherited other estates. He was on the point of marrying, in fact
the marriage contract had been signed, when he heard a discourse by
the retired Bishop Saint Amandus on the dangers of the world.
Maurontius immediately quit the world and joined the Benedictines at Marchiennes, a monastery that had been founded by his mother. Within a
short time he received the clerical tonsure from Amandus, and some
years later he was ordained a deacon (apparently he was never ordained
to the priesthood) and prior of Hamage Abbey.
Eventually, he became the abbot-founder (and patron) of
Breuil-sur-lys, built on his estate near Douai in the diocese of Th=C3=A9rouanne. There he cared for Saint Amatus, who had been banished by
King Theodoric III. Maurontius respected and learned so much from
Amatus that he resigned his abbacy in his favor and lived under his
obedience. When the holy bishop died in 690, Maurontius resumed the
leadership of the monastery and directed the monks at the double
monastery of Marchiennes at the same time, while his sister Saint
Clotsend was abbess of the nuns.
Maurontius was buried at Breuil, but during the Nordic invasions at
the end of the 9th century, King Charles the Simple had the relics of Maurontius and Amatus moved to the church of Saint Amatus at Douai. Maurontius's body is kept in a rich shrine in this church, in which is
a chapel dedicated to him and his parents, where there is a statue of
him between those of his parents. The abbey of Saint Guislin in
Hainault possesses his skull in a shrine of silver gilt. The cathedral
of Arras, and some churches, show particles of his relics
(Benedictines, Husenbeth).
In art Saint Maurontius is a nobleman holding an abbey
(Breuil-sur-lys) in his hand with a fleur-de-lys on his shield
(Roeder). In his chapel, his statue shows him holding in his right
hand a scepter, and in his left a building with a tower or belfry
(Husenbeth).
Saint Quote:
When you feel the assaults of passion and anger, then is the time to
be silent as Jesus was silent in the midst of His ignominies and
sufferings.
--St. Paul of the Cross
Bible Quote:
The just shall stand with great constancy against those that have
afflicted them, and taken away their labors. These seeing it, shall be
troubled with terrible fear, and shall be amazed at the suddenness of
their unexpected salvation, saying within themselves, repenting, and
groaning for anguish of spirit. These are they whom we had some time
in derision, and for a parable of reproach. We fools esteemed their
life madness, and their end without honor. Behold how they are
numbered among the children of God, and their lot is among the saints
=C2 (Wisdom 5:1-5)
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Prayer Before a Crucifix
O good Jesus, hide me within Thy wounds.
Behold, O good and sweetest Jesus,
=C2 before Thy Face I humbly kneel,
=C2 and with the greatest fervour of my soul I pray
and beseech Thee to fix deep in my heart lively sentiments
of faith, hope, and charity, with true contrition for my sins and
a most firm purpose of amendment, whilst I contemplate with
great sorrow and affection Thy five wounds and ponder them
over in my mind, having before my eyes the words which long
ago David the prophet spoke in Thy own person concerning
Thee, O good Jesus: "They have pierced My hands and My
feet, they have numbered all My bones."
Grant, O Lord Jesus Christ, that we who devoutly cherish
Thy wounds, having them impressed on our hearts,
may honour them by our actions and our life.
Glory be to the Father, etc., five times.
--- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
* Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)