Saint Pius I (155 A.D.); Saint Oliver Plunket (1681 A.D.) Martyr; Blessed Adrian Fortescue (1539 A.D.) Martyr

 

 

SAINT PIUS I
Pope and Martyr

SAINT OLIVER PLUNKET

Bishop and Martyr

BLESSED ADRIAN FORTESCUE

Martyr

SIMPLE / RED
The Church was greatly troubled by heresies during the pontificate of Pius I. In his steadfast championship of the true faith he was powerfully aided by the Jewish convert, St. Justin Martyr, who was in Rome at that time. Pius I died about A.D. 155. According to some accounts he perished by the sword.

Mass of a POPE

COLLECT
O Eternal Shepherd, who appointed blessed Pius I shepherd of the whole Church, let the prayers of this martyr and supreme pontiff move You to look with favor upon Your flock and to keep it under Your continual protection. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT OLIVER PLUNKET
Saint Oliver Plunkett (1st November 1625 - 1st July 1681) was the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland. He maintained his duties in Ireland in the face of English persecution and was eventually arrested and tried for treason in London. He was hanged, drawn and quartered at Tyburn on 1 July 1681, and became the last Roman Catholic martyr to die in England.

O God, who didst deign to imbue Blessed Oliver, Thy Martyr and Bishop, with wonderful courage of spirit in defending the Catholic faith, grant, through his intercession and example, that we may imitate his steadfastness in faith and feel his protection in danger.

Commemoration of BLESSED ADRIAN FORTESCUE 
Sir Adrian Fortescue (c. 1476 – 9 July 1539) was a courtier at the court of King Henry VIII of England and member of the Third Order of Saint Dominic who was executed in 1539 and later beatified as a Roman Catholic martyr. 

On 29 August 1534, he was arrested without any stated reason and taken to Woodstock, where he was questioned. He was freed after a period of months.^[4] In February 1539 he was again arrested, and in April he was among those condemned for treason without a trial by Parliament for unspecified acts presumably relating to hostility to Henry VIII's church policies.^[5] He was beheaded at the Tower of London on 9 July 1539.

O Lord, we beseech Thee, pour down upon us the spirit of constancy and fortitude wherewith Thou strengthened Thy blessed Martyr Adrian in the defence of the Catholic Faith, so that, filled therewith, we, who rejoice on earth for his triumphant martyrdom, may deserve to be partakers of his glory in heaven. Through our Lord . . .

Lesson 1 Peter 5:1-4; 10-11 Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)

Brethren: The ancients therefore that are among you, I beseech, who am myself also an ancient, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ: as also a partaker of that glory which is to be revealed in time to come:

² Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking care of it, not by constraint, but willingly, according to God: not for filthy lucre's sake, but voluntarily:

³ Neither as lording it over the clergy, but being made a pattern of the flock from the heart.

⁴ And when the prince of pastors shall appear, you shall receive a never fading crown of glory.

¹⁰ But the God of all grace, who hath called us into his eternal glory in Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little, will himself perfect you, and confirm you, and establish you.

¹¹ To him be glory and empire for ever and ever. Amen.

Gradual
Ps. 106:32, 31 .
Let them extol him in the assembly of the people and praise him in the council of the elders. V. Let them praise the Lord for his mercies and for his wonderous deeds to the children of men.

Alleluia, alleluia Matt. 16:18 V. Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church. Alleluia!

Gospel Matthew 16:13-19 Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)

¹³ And Jesus came into the quarters of Caesarea Philippi: and he asked his disciples, saying: Whom do men say that the Son of man is?

¹⁴ But they said: Some John the Baptist, and other some Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

¹⁵ Jesus saith to them: But whom do you say that I am?

¹⁶ Simon Peter answered and said: Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God.

¹⁷ And Jesus answering, said to him: Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven.

¹⁸ And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

¹⁹ And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.

  
SECRET
We have offered our gifts to You, O Lord. Let Your light graciously shine upon Your Church, so that this flock may everywhere prosper, and its pastors, under Your guidance, may be truly pleasing to You. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT OLIVER PLUNKET
O most merciful God, bestow Thy blessings on these Thy gifts,  and confirm us in that Faith which blessed Oliver, Thy Martyr and Bishop, proclaimed even unto the shedding of his blood. Through our Lord . . . 

Commemoration of BLESSED ADRIAN FORTESCUE  
May the Holy Ghost bestow his blessing upon our presents, O Lord, and give us constancy in the profession of that same Faith which the blessed Martyr Adrian testified both by word of mouth and by the effusion of his blood. Through our Lord . . .

COMMUNION HYMN Matt. 16:18
Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church.

POSTCOMMUNION
O Lord, govern the Church, which You have been pleased to nourish with Your heavenly Food. Guide her by Your powerful direction so that she may enjoy greater freedom and remain unshaken in the fullness of faith. Through our Lord . . .

Commemoration of SAINT OLIVER PLUNKET
May this heavenly Banquet, O Lord, bestow on us the spirit of fortitude, which strengthened blessed Oliver, Thy Martyr and Bishop, to struggle for the honor of Thy Church during his life even until the hour of his triumph. Through our Lord . . .  

Commemoration of BLESSED ADRIAN FORTESCUE

Grant us, O Lord, by these Mysteries which we have received to imitate the zeal and constancy of blessed Adrian, who by his brave example hath within us kindled and by his martyrdom strengthened desires that are eternal. Through our Lord . . .