Tuesday, February 28, 2017

FEB. 28th FERIAL DAY; SHROVE TUESDAY

February 28
FERIAL DAY

Mass of preceding Sunday

is celebrated
[Violet Vestments] 

SHROVE TUESDAY 

Shrovetide is the English equivalent of what is known in the greater part of Southern Europe as the "Carnival", a word which, in spite of wild suggestions to the contrary, is undoubtedly to be derived from the "taking away of flesh" (carne levare) which marked the beginning of Lent. The English term "shrovetide" (from "to shrive", or hear confessions) is sufficiently explained by a sentence in the Anglo-Saxon "Ecclesiastical Institutes" translated from Theodulphus by Abbot Aelfric about A.D. 1000: "In the week immediately before Lent everyone shall go to his confessor and confess his deeds and the confessor shall so shrive him as he then may hear by his deeds what he is to do [in the way of penance]". In this name shrovetide the religious idea is uppermost, and the same is true of the German Fastnacht (the eve of the fast). It is intelligible enough that before a long period of deprivations human nature should allow itself some exceptional licence in the way of frolic and good cheer. No appeal to vague and often inconsistent traces of earlier pagan customs seems needed to explain the general observance of a carnival celebration. The only clear fact which does not seem to be adequately accounted for is the widespread tendency to include the preceding Thursday (called in French Jeudi gras and in German fetter Donnerstag — just as Shrove Tuesday is respectively called Mardi gras and fetter Dienstag) with the Monday and Tuesday which follow Quinquagesima. The English custom of eating pancakes was undoubtedly suggested by the need of using up the eggs and fat which were, originally at least, prohibited articles of diet during the forty days of Lent. The same prohibition is, of course, mainly responsible for the association of eggs with the Easter festival at the other end of Lent. Although the observance of Shrovetide in England never ran to the wild excesses which often marked this period of licence in southern climes, still various sports and especially games of football were common in almost all parts of the country, and in the households of the great it was customary to celebrate the evening of Shrove Tuesday by the performance of plays and masques. One form of cruel sport peculiarly prevalent at this season was the throwing at cocks, neither does it seem to have been confined to England. The festive observance of Shrovetide had become far too much a part of the life of the people to be summarily discarded at the Reformation. In Dekker's "Seven Deadly Sins of London", 1606, we read: "they presently, like prentices upon Shrove-Tuesday, take the game into their own hands and do what they list"; and we learn from contemporary writers that the day was almost everywhere kept as a holiday, while many kinds of horseplay seem to have been tolerated or winked at in the universities and public schools.
The Church repeatedly made efforts to check the excesses of the carnival, especially in Italy. During the sixteenth century in particular a special form of the Forty Hours Prayer was instituted in many places on the Monday and Tuesday of Shrovetide, partly to draw the people away from these dangerous occasions of sin, partly to make expiation for the excesses committed. By a special constitution addressed by Benedict XIV to the archbishops and bishops of the Papal States, and headed "Super Bacchanalibus", a plenary indulgence was granted in 1747 to those who took part in the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament which was to be carried out daily for three days during the carnival season.



Image from https://kittyaloneandi.wordpress.com/

Saturday, February 18, 2017

Sanctae Mariae Sabbato; SAINT SIMEON, BISHOP AND MARTYR; SAINT BERNADETTE SOUBIROUS, VIRGIN




Sanctae Mariae Sabbato  
OUR LADY"S
SATURDAY


SAINT SIMEON
Bishop and Martyr

St. Bernadette Soubirous

Virgin

[In some places]



Introit

Hail, holy Mother, who in childbirth brought forth the King Who rules heaven and earth world without end.
Ps 44:2
My heart overflows with a goodly theme; as I sing my ode to the King.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Hail, holy Mother, who in childbirth brought forth the King Who rules heaven and earth world without end.
 


 COLLECT
Grant us, Your servants, O Lord God, we beseech You, to enjoy lasting health of mind and body; and by the intercession of glorious and blessed Mary, ever virgin, may we be delivered from present sorrow and partake to the full of eternal happiness.
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.


 Commemoration of SAINT SIMEON

St. Simeon was a close relative of the Blessed Virgin. The Apostles chose him to succeed the martyred St. James the Lesser as bishop of Jerusalem. In all probability Simeon directed the Christians in their retreat to Pella, when the Holy City was destroyed. During Trajan's persecution, Simeon was denounced to the governor Atticus as being not only a Christian, but also a descendant of David. The venerable bishop endured two days of torture before his crucifixion in the year 106.


Almighty God, look upon our weakness and the heavy burden we carry because of our own deeds. Let the prayers of Your blessed martyr bishop Simeon in Heaven be our protection. Through Our Lord . . .



Lesson
Lesson from the book of Ecclesiasticus
Ecclus 24:14-16
Before all ages, in the beginning, He created me, and through all ages I shall not cease to be. In the holy Tent I ministered before Him, and in Sion I fixed my abode. Thus in the chosen city He has given me rest, in Jerusalem is my domain. I have struck root among the glorious people, in the portion of my God, His heritage, and my abode is in the full assembly of Saints.


Gradual
Rejoice, O Virgin Mary; alone you have put an end to all heresies.
V. You who believed the words of the Archangel Gabriel.
V. Still a virgin, you brought forth God and man; and after childbirth you remained an inviolate virgin.
V. O Mother of God, intercede for us.


GOSPEL
Continuation of the Holy Gospel according to Luke
R. Glory be to Thee, O Lord.
Luke 11:27-28
At that time, as Jesus was speaking to the multitudes, a certain woman from the crowd lifted up her voice and said to Him, Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts that nursed You. But He said, Rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it.
 


 SECRET








Through Your mercy, O Lord, and by the intercession of blessed Mary, ever virgin, the Mother of Your only-begotten Son, may this offering profit us for prosperity and peace, now and forevermore.
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.

 
 Commemoration of SAINT SIMEON
O Lord, graciously accept the gifts we offer You in honor of Your blessed martyr bishop Simeon and grant us Your unending assistance through these offerings. Through our Lord . . .


POSTCOMMUNION 
Having received the aids conducive to our salvation, O Lord, we beseech You, grant that we may everywhere be protected by the patronage of blessed Mary, ever virgin, in veneration of whom we have made these offerings to Your Majesty.
Through Jesus Christ, thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.


 Commemoration of SAINT SIMEON
We are refreshed by the reception of Your sacred Gift, O Lord. May the prayers of Your blessed martyr bishop Simeon make us feel the benefit of the sacred rite we have performed. Through our Lord . . .

St. Bernadette Soubirous

St. Bernadette Soubirous
English: Art of LourdesImage via Wikipedia
St. Bernadette Soubirous

Feastday: April 18 [Traditional Calendar]
Died: 1879

Famed visionary of Lourdes, baptized Mary Bernard. She was born in Lourdes, France, on January 7, 1844, the daughter of Francis and Louise Soubirous. Bernadette, a severe asthma sufferer, lived in abject poverty. On February 11, 1858, she was granted a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary in a cave on the banks of the Gave River near Lourdes. She was placed in consider able jeopardy when she reported the vision, and crowds gathered when she had futher visits from the Virgin, from February 18 of that year through March 4.The civil authorities tried to frighten Bernadette into recanting her accounts, but she remained faithful to the vision. On February 25, a spring emerged from the cave and the waters were discovered to be of a miraculous nature, capable of healing the sick and lame. On March 25, Bernadette announced that the vision stated that she was the Immaculate Conception, and that a church should be erected on the site. Many authorities tried to shut down the spring and delay the construction of the chapel, but the influence and fame of the visions reached Empress Eugenie of France, wife of Napoleon Ill, and construction went forward. Crowds gathered, free of harassment from the anticlerical and antireligious officials. In 1866, Bernadette was sent to the Sisters of Notre Dame in Nevers. There she became a member of the community, and faced some rather harsh treatment from the mistress of novices. This oppression ended when it was discovered that she suffered from a painful, incurable illness. She died in Nevers on April 16,1879, still giving the same account of her visions. Lourdes became one of the major pilgrimage destinations in the world, and the spring has produced 27,000 gallons of water each week since emerging during Bernadette's visions. She was not involved in the building of the shrine, as she remained hidden at Nevers. Bernadette was beatified in 1925 and canonized in 1933 by Pope Pius XI. 

From http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=1757
English: a picture of saint Bernadette's faceImage via Wikipedia 
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Thursday, February 16, 2017

Feb 16 FERIAL DAY; SAINT ONESIMUS, MARTYR (95 A.D.)


February 16
FERIAL DAY
Mass of preceding Sunday
is celebrated


SAINT ONESIMUS
[Historical]


Onesimus lived in the first century. He was a slave who robbed his master and ran away to Rome. In Rome he went to see the great apostle, St. Paul, who was a prisoner for his faith. Paul received Onesimus with the kindness and love of a good father. Paul helped the young man realize he had done wrong to steal. But more than that, he led Onesimus to believe in and accept the Christian faith.

After Onesimus became a Christian, Paul sent him back to his master, Philemon, who was Paul's friend. But Paul did not send the slave back alone and defenseless. He "armed" Onesimus with a brief, powerful letter. Paul hoped his letter would set everything right for his new friend, Onesimus. Paul wrote to Philemon: "I plead with you for my own son, for Onesimus. I am sending him back to you. Welcome him as though he were my very heart."

That touching letter is in the New Testament of the Bible. Philemon accepted Paul's letter and Paul's advice. When Onesimus returned to his master, he was set free. Later, he went back to St. Paul and became his faithful helper.

St. Paul made Onesimus a priest and then a bishop. The former slave dedicated the rest of his life to preaching the Good News that had changed his life forever. It is believed that during the persecutions, Onesimus was brought in chains to Rome and stoned to death.



Icon of OnesimusImage via Wikipedia