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
their praise 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 . . .
GLORIA
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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