DOUBLE / WHITE
Patron saint of Sweden, Bridget (1302-73) married a young prince and lived happily with him for 28 years, bearing him eight children. St. Catherine of Sweden was their daughter. After her husband died, Bridget founded the Order of the Most Holy Savior, erecting at Vadstena a double monastery for monks and nuns. Following the guidance of the Holy Spirit, she later went to Rome, where she worked for the return of the Popes from Avignon. This Scandinavian mystic is famous for her Revelations concerning the sufferings of our Redeemer.
Mass of a HOLY WOMAN, except
COLLECT
O Lord our God, Your only-begotten Son revealed the secrets of heaven to blessed Bridget. May the prayers of this saint bring Your servants the joy of one day beholding the revelation of Your eternal glory. Through our Lord . . .
Commemoration of SAINTS SERGIUS, BACCHUS & COMPANIONS
Martyrs, d. in the Diocletian persecution in Coele-Syria about 303. Their martyrdom is well authenticated by the earliest martyrologies and by the early veneration paid them, as well as by such historians as Theodoret. They were officers of troops on the frontier, Sergius being primicerius, and Bacchus secundarius. According to the legend, there were high in esteem of the Caesar Maximianus on account of their bravery, but this favour was turned into hate when they acknowledged their Christian faith. When examined under torture they were beaten so severely with thongs that Bacchus died under the blows. Sergius, though, had much more suffering to endure; among other tortures, as the legend relates, he had to run eighteen miles in shoes which were covered on the soles with sharp-pointed nails that pierced through the foot. He was finally beheaded. The burial-place of Sergius and Bacchus was pointed out in the city of Resaph; in honour of Sergius the Emperor Justinian also built churches in honour of Sergius at Constantinople and Acre; the one at Constantinople, now a mosque, is a great work of Byzantine art. In the East, Sergius and Bacchus were universally honoured. Since the seventh century they have a celebrated church in Rome. Christian art represents the two saints as soldiers in military garb with branches of palm in their hands. Their feast is observed on 7 October. The Church calendar gives the two saints Marcellus and Apuleius on the same day as Sergius and Bacchus. They are said to have been converted to Christianity by the miracles of St. Peter. According to the "Martyrologium Romanum" they suffered martyrdom soon after the deaths of Sts. Peter and Paul and were buried near Rome. Their existing Acts are not genuine and agree to a great extent with those of Sts. Nereus and Achilleus. The veneration of the two saints is very old. A mass is assigned to them in the "Sacramentarium" of Pope Gelasius.
O God, who dost permit us to celebrate the heavenly birthday of Thy holy Martyrs, Sergius, Bacchus and companions, grant that we may rejoice in their fellowship in everlasting bliss.
Commemoration of SAINT KEYNA
St "Keyna the Virgin," a Welsh princess, called thereto by her heavenly Spouse, lived a long life of prayer and penance in the solitude of the mountains of Somerset and Wales. During life as well as after her death, she worked miracles. She fell asleep in Christ near the close of the fifth century.
Hear us, O God, our Savior, and as we rejoice in the feast of blessed Keyna, Thy Virgin, so may we may learn a filial devotion to Thee. Through our Lord . . .
EPISTLE I Tim. 5:3-10
Brethren: Honour widows that are widows indeed. But if any widow have children or grandchildren, let her learn first to govern her own house and to make a return of duty to her parents; for this is acceptable before God. But she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, let her trust in God and continue in supplications and prayers night and day. For she that liveth in pleasures is dead while she is living. And this give in charge, that they may be blameless. But if any man have not care of his own and especially of those of his house, he hath denied the faith and is worse than an infidel. Let a widow be chosen of no less than threescore years of age, who hath been the wife of one husband. Having testimony for her good works, if she have brought up children, if she have received to harbour, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have ministered to them that suffer tribulation, if she have diligently followed every good work.
Gradual
Ps 44:3, 5.
Grace is poured out upon your lips; thus God has blessed you forever.
V. In the cause of truth and mercy and for the sake of justice: may your right hand show you wondrous deeds. Alleluia, alleluia.
Ps 44.5.
V. In your splendor and your beauty ride on triumphant, and reign. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
Continuation ☩ of the Holy Gospel according to Matthew
R. Glory be to Thee, O Lord.
Matt 13:44-52
At that time, Jesus spoke this parable to His disciples: The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden is a field; he who finds it hides it, and in his joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. When he finds a single pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net cast into the sea that gathered in fish of every kind. When it was filled, they hauled it out, and sitting down on the beach, they gathered the good fish into vessels, but threw away the bad. So will it be at the end of the world. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from among the just, and will cast them into the furnace of fire, where there will be the weeping, and the gnashing of teeth. Have you understood all these things? They said to Him, Yes. And He said to them, So then, every Scribe instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings forth from his storeroom things new and old.
SECRET
Accept this gift, O Lord, from a people dedicated to You. We offer it in honor of Your Saints for the help we have received from them when we were in trouble. Through our Lord . . .
Commemoration of SAINTS SERGIUS, BACCHUS & COMPANIONS
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.
Commemoration of SAINT KEYNA POSTCOMMUNION
May this sacrifice of Thy dedicated people be accepted by Thee, O Lord, in honor of Thy Saints, to whose merits we attribute the help afforded us in tribulation. Through our Lord . . .
O Lord, You have feasted Your family with the Food of Heaven. May we always be refreshed through the intercession of Your Saint whose feast we celebrate this day. Through our Lord . . .
Commemoration of SAINTS SERGIUS, BACCHUS & COMPANIONS
Grant us, we beseech Thee, O Lord, through the intercession of Thy holy Martyrs, Sergius, Bacchus and companions, that what we take with the mouth, we may receive with a pure heart.
Commemoration of SAINT KEYNA
Thou hast filled Thy household, O Lord, with holy gifts, do Thou cherish us always, through the intercession of her whose festival we are keeping. Through our Lord . . .
800 years ago Christians were being captured by the Moslems and sold into slavery by the thousands, and nobody knew what to do about it. Then, in the year 1198, a man had an idea. St. John de Matha founded the Trinitarians to go to the slave markets to buy (ransom) the Christian Slaves and set them free.
To carry out this plan, the Trinitarians needed large amounts of money. They placed their fundraising efforts under the patronage of Mary. According to very ancient documents the feast of the Virgin was celebrated solemnly by Trinitarians. Every week since the year 1262, by a special indult, the Trinitarian communities prayed the office of the Virgin. The Trinitarians were moved to show this special devotion to the Virgin because of her relationship with the three persons of the Trinity, because of the great love with which the Virgin collaborated in the redemption of the world and because often, when carrying redemptions of captives, they experienced special help from the Virgin of Remedy. They were so successful that, over the centuries, the Trinitarians were able to free thousands and thousands of people and return them safely home.
All of this contributed to the fact that the Trinitarians became known for their veneration of the Virgin under the title of "Remedy" or "Good Remedy" and that confraternities, altars and images were set up in her honor. By singular graces, the Virgin manifested how pleased she was by this invocation.
Devotion to Mary under this title is widely known in Europe and Latin America. Our Lady of Good Remedy is often depicted as the Virgin Mary handing a bag of money to St. John of Matha.
When in need - for whatever reason, but especially where you have had difficulty obtaining help - invoke the aid of Our Lady of Good Remedy and you will surely experience the power of her intercession.
The feast of Our Lady of Good Remedy is celebrated on October 8.
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