SAINT PETER CLAVER (1654 A.D.); SAINT GORGONIUS (303 A.D.)

 

 

SAINT PETER CLAVER
Confessor
Commemoration
SAINT GORGONIUS
Martyr

 

3CL / WHITE
Cartagena, in Columbia, was the central slave mart of Spanish America. Transported on filthy ships like animals, the hapless Africans were forgotten men. A young Spanish Jesuit named Peter Claver appeared providentially in Cartagena in 1610, and until his death in 1654, he cared with the tenderness of Christ for the wracked bodies and tortured souls of the slaves. During his long apostolate he baptized some three hundred thousand Negro children of God. The Church has designated him the special patron of all Catholic missioners working among the Negroes.

INTROIT (Ps. 106: 9-10)

For he hath satisfied the empty soul, and hath filled the hungry soul with good things. Such asd sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, bound in want and in iron. Ps. 106:8. Let the mercies of the Lord give glory to him, and his wonderful works to the children of men. Glory be to the Father . . . For he hath satisfied . . . 

COLLECT
O God, who, when about to call the enslaved blacks unto the knowledge of Thy name, didst strengthen blessed Peter with wonderful charity and patience for their aid, grant, through his intercession, that seeking the things of Jesus Christ, we may love our neighbors in deed and in truth. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT GORGONIUS
During the early years of the fourth century, Gorgonius, with the help of his ally Dorotheus, both Christian freedmen in the palace of Diocletian at Nicomedia, had managed to convert almost the whole imperial household. When they saw another servant, Peter, tortured for having borne witness to Jesus, they protested to the Emperor. Diocletian promptly condemned them to severe tortures, and then to death by strangulation.

O Lord, may the intercession of saint Gorgonius fill us with joy and may his holy feast be the occasion of happiness for us. Through our Lord . . .
 
EPISTLE (Isa. 58: 6-10)

Loose the bands of wickedness, undo the bundles that oppress, let them that are broken go free, and break asunder every burden.

⁷ Deal thy bread to the hungry, and bring the needy and the harbourless into thy house: when thou shalt see one naked, cover him, and despise not thy own flesh.

⁸ Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thy health shall speedily arise, and thy justice shall go before thy face, and the glory of the Lord shall gather thee up.

⁹ Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall hear: thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou wilt take away the chain out of the midst of thee, and cease to stretch out the finger, and to speak that which profiteth not.

¹⁰ When thou shalt pour out thy soul to the hungry, and shalt satisfy the afflicted soul then shall thy light rise up in darkness, and thy darkness shall be as the noonday.

 
GRADUAL (Ps. 71: 12-14) 

He shall deliver the poor from the almighty, and the needy that had no helper. He shall spare the poor and needy, and he shall save the souls of the poor. He shall redeem their souls from usuries and iniquity, and their names shall be honorable in his sight.

Alleluia, alleluia! (Ps. 9: 33, 35)
Arise,O Lord God, let Thy hand be exalted, for get not the poor. To thee is the poor man left, thou wilt be a helper to the orphans.  Alleluia!

GOSPEL (Luke 10: 29-37)

²⁹ At that time, a certain lawyer willing to justify himself, said to Jesus: And who is my neighbour?

³⁰ And Jesus answering, said: A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, who also stripped him, and having wounded him went away, leaving him half dead.

³¹ And it chanced, that a certain priest went down the same way: and seeing him, passed by.

³² In like manner also a Levite, when he was near the place and saw him, passed by.

³³ But a certain Samaritan being on his journey, came near him; and seeing him, was moved with compassion.

³⁴ And going up to him, bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine: and setting him upon his own beast, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

³⁵ And the next day he took out two pence, and gave to the host, and said: Take care of him; and whatsoever thou shalt spend over and above, I, at my return, will repay thee.

³⁶ Which of these three, in thy opinion, was neighbour to him that fell among the robbers?

³⁷ But he said: He that shewed mercy to him. And Jesus said to him: Go, and do thou in like manner.

OFFERTORY ANTIPHON (Job 29: 12-13, 15-16)

Because I had delivered the poor man that cried out, an the fatherless, that had no helper. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me, and I comforted the heart of the widow. I was an eye to the blind, and a foot to the lame. I was the father of the poor.

SECRET 

May the Victim of love, which we offer up in this sacrifice, be a propitiation for us, through Thy mercy, O Lord, and by the prayers and merits of blessed Peter, may it be efficacious and salutary in gaining for us greater patience and love. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT GORGONIUS
Be pleased, O Lord, by the offering which we, Your servants, make to You through the intercession of the blessed martyr Gorgonius. Through our Lord . . .
 
COMMUNION ANTIPHON (Ezech. 34: 15-16)

I will feed my sheep, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God. I will seek that which was lost, and that which was drivedf away, I will bring again and I will bind up that which was broken, and I will strengthen that which was weak.
 

POSTCOMMUNION

May the salutary effect of Thy loving kindness increase in us, O Lord, that refreshed by this heavenly food we may, through the intercession of blessed Peter, happily obtain the crown of everelasting life. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT GORGONIUS
Let the everlasting sweetness of the Sacrifice fill Your household and bring it to new life, O Lord, so that through Your martyr Gorgonius we may always be refreshed by the fragrance of Christ, Your Son; who lives and rules with You . . .