SAINT LWANGA AND COMPANIONS
Martyrs
SAINT CLOTILDE
Widow, Queen of France
Within the Octave
One of 22 Ugandan martyrs, Charles Lwanga is the patron of youth and Catholic action in most of tropical Africa. He protected his fellow pages, aged 13 to 30, from the homosexual demands of the Bagandan ruler, Mwanga, and encouraged and instructed them in the Catholic faith during their imprisonment for refusing the ruler’s demands.
Charles first learned of Christ’s teachings from two retainers in the court of Chief Mawulugungu. While a catechumen, he entered the royal household as assistant to Joseph Mukaso, head of the court pages.
On the night of Mukaso’s martyrdom for encouraging the African youths to resist Mwanga, Charles requested and received baptism. Imprisoned with his friends, Charles’s courage and belief in God inspired them to remain chaste and faithful.
For his own unwillingness to submit to the immoral acts and his efforts to safeguard the faith of his friends, Charles was burned to death at Namugongo on June 3, 1886, by Mwanga’s order.
INTROIT (Eccles. 44. 15. 14)
Charles first learned of Christ’s teachings from two retainers in the court of Chief Mawulugungu. While a catechumen, he entered the royal household as assistant to Joseph Mukaso, head of the court pages.
On the night of Mukaso’s martyrdom for encouraging the African youths to resist Mwanga, Charles requested and received baptism. Imprisoned with his friends, Charles’s courage and belief in God inspired them to remain chaste and faithful.
For his own unwillingness to submit to the immoral acts and his efforts to safeguard the faith of his friends, Charles was burned to death at Namugongo on June 3, 1886, by Mwanga’s order.
INTROIT (Eccles. 44. 15. 14)
Let the people show forth the wisdom of the Saints, and the Church declare theirpraise and their name liveth unto generation and generation. (Ps. 32. 1.) Rejoice in the Lord, O ye just, praise becometh the upright. Glory be to the Father . . .--Let the . . .
COLLECT
O God, who dost permit us to celebrate the heavenly birthday of Thy holy Martyrs, Saint Lwanga and Companions, grant that we may rejoice in their fellowship in everlasting bliss. Through our Lord . . .
LESSON (Wisdom 5, 16-20.)
But the just shall live for evermore and their reward is with the Lord, and the care of them with te Most High. Therefore shall they receive a kingdom of glory, and a crown of beauty at the hand of the Lord: for with his right hand he will cover them, and with his holy arm he will defend them.
18 And his zeal will take armour, and he will arm the creature for the revenge of his enemies.
19 He will put on justice as a breastplate, and will take true judgment instead of a helmet.
20 He will take equity for an invincible shield.
GRADUAL (Ps. 123. 7. 8)
Our soul hath been delivered as a sparrow out of the snare of the fowlers. The snare is broken, and we are delivered, our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
Alleluia, alleluia. (Ps. 67. 4)
Let the just feast, and rejoice before God, and be delighted with gladness. Alleluia.
GOSPEL (St. Luke 6: 17-23)
17 At that time, Jesus coming down with them, he stood in a plain place, and the company of his disciples, and a very great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and the sea coast both of Tyre and Sidon,
18 Who were come to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases. And they that were troubled with unclean spirits, were cured.
19 And all the multitude sought to touch him, for virtue went out from him, and healed all.
20 And he, lifting up his eyes on his disciples, said: Blessed are ye poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
21 Blessed are ye that hunger now: for you shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for you shall laugh.
22 Blessed shall you be when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.
23 Be glad in that day and rejoice; for behold, your reward is great in heaven. For according to these things did their fathers to the prophets.
OFFERTORY (Ps. 149. 5-6)
The saints shall rejoice in glory, they shall be joyful in their beds, the high praises of God shall be in their mouth, alleluia.
SECRET
We offer to Thee, O Lord, the gifts of our devotion, may they be pleasing to Thee, honorable to Thy saints, and through Thy mercy salutary to us. Through our Lord . . .
COMMUNION ANTIPHON (Luke 12. 4)
And I say to you, My friends, Be not afraid of them who persecute you.
POSTCOMMUNION
Grant us, we beseech Thee, O Lord, through the intercession of Thy holy Martyrs Charles Lwanga and Companions, that what we take with the mouth, we may receive with a pure heart. Through our Lord . . .
SAINT CLOTILDE
Queen
[Historical]
Also known as
- Clotilda
Profile
Daughter of King Chilperic of Burgundy. Married young to King Clovis of the Salian Franks.Queen. Mother of three sons. Led her husband to Christianity in 496. Widow. FollowingClovis‘s death in 511, her sons fought for years over the kingdom. To escape the constant murder and intrigue, she retired to Tours, France where she spent her remaining 34 years caring for the poor and sick.
Born
Died
- against death of children
- adopted children
- brides
- disappointing children
- exiles
- parenthood
- parents of large families
- people in exile
- queens
- widows
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