• July 5th - Saint Anthony Mary Zaccaria

    From rich@1:396/4 to All on Thu Jul 4 09:32:41 2019
    From: rich <richarra@gmail.com>

    July 5th - Saint Anthony Mary Zaccaria
    (1502-1539)

    =C2 Saint Anthony Mary Zaccaria was founder of three religious societies dedicated to Saint Paul. Saint Anthony worked tirelessly for the
    conversion and repentance of sinners, spread devotion to the Blessed
    Sacrament, and encouraged frequent Eucharistic participation. His
    devotion to Our Blessed Mother and the teachings of Saint Paul guided
    his work and the religious communities he founded--communities still
    in existence today. In his short life, Saint Anthony Mary Zaccaria
    modeled true devotion and love of Jesus, especially the crucifixion.

    "Unfurl your flags for Jesus Crucified is about to send you to
    proclaim everywhere the vital energy of the Spirit."

    Born in Cremona (near Milan), Italy, Saint Anthony lost his father at
    the age of two and was raised by his pious mother. She was devoted to
    his upbringing, instructing him in the ways of faith from an early
    age. With her guidance, and the grace of the Holy Spirit, Anthony
    demonstrated great piety as a child. He took a private vow of chastity
    before his twelfth birthday, and frequently was observed giving away
    his possessions, food, and clothing to the poor and needy.

    His gifted mind allowed him to excel at scholastic endeavors, and he
    studied both philosophy and medicine, eventually practicing as a
    doctor for 3 years. During that time Anthony felt more and more called
    not to the healing of men's bodies, but of their souls, and eventua=
    lly
    pursued theological studies. Drawn to the priesthood, Anthony was
    ordained in 1528, at the age of 26, and served the
    community--particularly those in hospitals and in need--for two years.

    Saint Anthony moved to Milan, following the Countess Ludovica Torelli
    of Guastalla, one of his spiritual advisees. Once in Milan, Saint
    Anthony founded 3 religious orders: one for men, known as the Clerics
    Regular of Saint Paul (the Barnabites); a branch of uncloistered nuns,
    the Angelic Sisters of Saint Paul; and a lay congregation for married
    people, the Laity of Saint Paul, sometimes referred to in North
    America as the Oblates of Saint Paul. The 3 foundations met regularly
    and engaged together in various forms of apostolic action. Their aim
    was the reform of the decadent society of their day, beginning with
    the clergy and religious.

    He wrote to the members of his orders: "Do not think that my love for
    you or the good qualities you are endowed with, may have me desire
    that you be just little saints. No, I greatly desire that you become
    great saints, since you are well equipped to reach this goal... All
    that is required is that you really mean to develop and give back to
    Jesus Crucified, in a more refined form, the good qualities and graces
    He has given you."

    The main devotion and teachings of the orders founded by Saint Anthony
    were those of Saint Paul, with an emphasis on love for the Eucharist
    and the suffering of Christ crucified. Dedicated to reformation of the
    clergy, Saint Anthony earned himself enemies within the church, and
    was twice accused of heresy (both times acquitted). So humble, he
    refused to serve as superior of his orders, instead traveling,
    reforming convents and monasteries, and extending the membership of
    the laity.

    From another of Saint Anthony's letters: "You are my crown and my
    glory, so much so that some day I will make our holy Apostle Paul feel
    envious of me on account of you. In fact you are not inferior to his [spiritual] daughters in your great desire to suffer for Christ, in
    your total contempt of worldliness and self-denial, and in your
    striving to lead people to a spiritual renewal and to Jesus Crucified
    who is despised so much."

    Saint Anthony is also known for popularizing the exposition of the
    Blessed Sacrament, known as the Forty-hour devotion. He also is said
    to have originated the ringing of church bells at 3:00 p.m. on
    Fridays, in recognition of the hour of the crucifixion of Christ.

    Saint Anthony caught the plague in 1539, while on a mission to
    Guastalla, Italy. Despite his sickness, he continued to minister to
    the ill, as well as engage in the strict penances and mortification he
    had begun early in life. He died peacefully at age 37, and was buried
    in the convent of the Angelics of Saint Paul in Milan. His incorrupt
    body was translated to the Church of Saint Barnabas in Milan. He is
    survived by the legacy of the orders he founded, as well as several
    letters written in service of the Lord.
    by Jacob


    Saint Quote:
    Reading the lives of the Saints is a great means to preserve piety.
    --St. Philip Neri


    <><><><>
    Veni, Sancte Spiritus (Come, O Holy Spirit); a Sequence:
    excellent for recitation at Holy Mass:

    I.=C2 =C2 Come, O Holy Spirit, and send out a ray of your heavenly li=
    ght.
    II.=C2 =C2 Come, Father of the poor, come, giver of gifts, come, light=
    of our hearts.
    III.=C2 Come, kindly comforter, sweet guest of our soul and sweet freshn=
    ess.
    IV.=C2 =C2 Rest in hardship, moderation in the heat, relief in pain!
    V.=C2 =C2 O most blessed light, fill the innermost hearts of those wh=
    o
    believe in you.
    VI.=C2 =C2 Without your divine power there is nothing in man, nothing =
    that
    is harmless.
    VII.=C2 Wash what is unclean, water what is arid, heal what is wounded.
    VIII. Bend what is stiff, warm what is cold, guide what has gone astray.
    IX.=C2 =C2 Give to those who believe in you and trust in you your seve=
    n sacred gifts.
    X.=C2 =C2 Give the reward of virtue, give the end of salvation, give
    lasting happiness!

    The author of this sequence, which dates to the beginning of the
    thirteenth century, is probably Stephen Langton.

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