Memorial of Saints (April 24)

St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen was highly educated in philosophy, civil and canon law. Ordained a priest in 1610 A.D., he joined the Franciscan Capuchins in 1612 A.D. Noted to be a good preacher and minister to the sick, he was killed during a mission to the Zwinglians in Switzerland. Martyred for the Christian faith, Fidelis was canonized in 1746 A.D. (died ca. 1622 A.D.).

St. Benedict Menni was ordained a priest in 1866 A.D. He began the work of restoring the Hospitaller Order in Spain and Portugal. Then he founded the Congregation of Hospitaller Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Gifted with leadership and organizational abilities, he created 22 centers - homes for the poor and general hospitals (died ca. 1914 A.D.).

St. Mellitus of Canterbury was abbot of St. Andrew's monastery. He then left the monastery to lead a group of missionaries to help St. Augustine in England. Mellitus worked in England for three years and was able to baptize the King of the East Saxons. After a dispute with the King's sons, Mellitus was exiled to France. But he was able to return to England and was even named archbishop of Canterbury in 619 A.D. (died ca. 624 A.D.).

St. Ivo is traditionally known to have been a Persian bishop who left Persia with three companions. The four of them went to England where Ivo decided to live as a recluse. A skeleton that was unearthed near Ramsey Abbey in 1001 A.D. is believed to be the remains of St. Ivo. There is no specific date or year recorded for his death.

St. Egbert was an English monk at Lindisfarne. He traveled to Ireland where he made additional studies until he was ordained. At Iona, he was successful in persuading the monks to adopt the Roman liturgy instead of their Celtic liturgical practices. Egbert was known for his holiness and learning. British historian Bede reports St. Egbert to have been a bishop (died ca. 729 A.D.).

St. William Firmatus pursued a military career and studied medicine. In response to a vision he received, he became a recluse with his mother. After his mother's death, he made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and then returned to his eremitical life at Vitre, Savigny and Mantilly. He made a second pilgrimage to Jerusalem and then spent his last years back at Mantilly. St. William was held in high regard by his holiness and Franciscan-like rapport with animals (died ca. 1090 A.D.).

St. Mary Euphrasia Pelletier was originally a member of the Institute of Our Lady of Charity - founded by St. John Eudes in 1641 A.D. After some time, Mary Euphrasia felt the call to found another religious community - one that would be dedicated to working with wayward girls. She thus founded the Institute of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd at Angers, France. By the time of her death, there were almost 3,000 members of the Institute in different parts of the world (died ca. 1868 A.D.).

3rd Sunday of Easter (A)

(Edited) Sunday reflections: (From) years 2014 (A), 2015 (B), and 2016 (C)

May 4, 2014

Liturgical readings

Acts 2:14, 22-33

Psalm 16

1 Peter 1:17-21

Luke 24:13-35

"Stay with us."

Two disciples of Jesus were making their way to Emmaus. They were in a state of discouragement, hoping that Jesus would set Israel free. Their hopes were dashed since Jesus died on a cross. It was in this state of being disheartened by that event when the Lord joined them on their way to Emmaus. However, they did not recognize that it was Jesus who joined them in their journey. Then Jesus spoke to them: quoting from Scriptures regarding the events at Calvary. He explained to them that all that had to happen so that the Messiah would enter into His glory. So the disciples exclaimed to Jesus, "Stay with us." Jesus went and stayed with them. As they arrived at their destination, they sat down for a meal, and then as the Lord broke the Bread, the two suddenly recognized Jesus. They recognized Him in the "breaking of the bread".

What was in the "breaking of the bread" that caused the two disciples to recognize Jesus? Fr. Cantalamessa (Papal preacher in the Vatican) gives one interpretation to this event in his book, "The Eucharist: Our Sanctification":

Jesus accomplished an action: he broke bread...This action had a sacrificial

meaning. In breaking bread, Jesus was "breaking" himself - in the sense of what

Isaiah the prophet says of God's servant, as being broken for our transgressions.

This breaking of Himself before God and his followers was an act of "obedience

onto death".

The apostles said to Jesus, "Stay with us". What they lacked in spirit, they found again in the presence of Jesus. This is sometimes true of every believer before coming to God's presence in the celebration of the Eucharist. Perhaps there are times in the journey of every baptized Christian that they experience fear and discouragement in doing what is according to God's will. But like the two disciples on their way to Emmaus, every soul can be reanimated by God's Word when he recognizes the Lord's presence in the Mass. This question for reflection can help: When the priest does the "breaking of the bread" in the Mass, how do we recognize Jesus? How does the Lord "stay with us" in the "breaking of the bread"?

Scripture quote:

"For you will not abandon my soul to the nether world, nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption...you have shown me the paths of life" (Acts 2)

St. Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury and Doctor of the Church

St. Anselm of Canterbury, Bishop and Doctor:
1033-1109 A.D.

Feast day, April 21

Birth and early life

St. Anselm of Canterbury was born to noble French parents in Aosta, northern Italy, ca. 1033 A.D. His parents were Gundolf and Ermenberga from an old Burgundian family. Deeply infuenced by his pious mother Ermenberga, Anselm asked that he be admitted to a monastery when he was 15 years of age. However, Gundolf, Anselm's father, was opposed to this desire of his son, and the abbot of the monastery, who was also well aware of that opposition, refused to admit Anselm. Unable to enter the monastery, Anselm lost interest in religion and began to lead the life of a carefree young nobleman.

Studies and entrance to the Bec Monastery

When Anselm's mother passed away, Anselm left home in 1056 A.D. to move to Burgundy, France, where he studied. He entered a school at Bec in Normandy, France in 1059 A.D. While at Bec, St. Anselm learned of his father's death and this left his soul torn between returning to Italy to manage the estates he inherited from his father, or entering a monastery - a youthful desire since he was fifteen. However, Archbishop Maurillus of Rouen advised Anselm to become a monk. Anselm acted upon the good counsel of the Archbishop and entered the Benedictine monastery at Bec. Anselm was 27 years of age when he entered. After three years in the Bec Monastery, the abbot Lanfranc was transferred to St. Stephen's in nearby Caen. Anselm was thus appointed prior of the Bec Monastery.

Elevation to the position of Archbishop of Canterbury


Anselm was named abbot of Bec in 1078 A.D., a position that required him to visit England and inspect the abbey property there. In 1092 A.D., the English clergy elected Anselm archbishop of Canterbury, a position that was left vacant since the death of Lafranc - who had been archbishop since 1070 A.D. At the time of Anselm's elevation to the position of archbishop, there was great strife between King William and the Church. The issue at hand was the Church's independence from the State. Because of this strife, St. Anselm was exiled several times. In exile, and unable to return to England, St. Anselm found a quiet retreat in a monastery in Italy. It was here that he resumed his writing (the Monologion, and then Proslogion). He completed his work Cur Deus Homo, in which he explained the wisdom, justice, and necessity of the Incarnation.

The Regional Council of Bari

St. Anselm attended the regional Council of Bari in 1098 A.D. He contributed well to the reconciliation between the Eastern and Western churches over the Filioque question: whether the Holy Spirit proceeded from the Father only (as the Greek Church claimed), or whether the Holy Spirit proceeded from the Father and the Son (as the Latin Church claimed). St. Anselm's discourse on this question helped the Church under Pope Urban II to resolve the issue. Aside from the Filioque question, the regional Council also denounced King William for simony, for persecuting Anselm, for oppression of the Church, and for personal depravity. Only entreaties from St. Anselm prevented the Pope from excommunicating the King. When King William passed away, he was succeeded by King Henry I. As with King William, the strife between Anselm and the English royal head, continued in the reign of King Henry I. This matter was again referred to the pope.

Preeminent theologian, "Father of Scholasticism" and Doctor of the Church

Though preoccupied for many years with defending the Church's right against the English kings, St. Anselm was also a preeminent theologian and has been called "the Father of Scholasticism". His Monologion speaks on the existence of God, and his Proslogion deduces God's existence from man's notion of a perfect being. Among his other writings are: De fide Trinitatis, De conceptu virginali, De veritate, Liber apologeticus pro insipiente, and many other letters, prayers, and meditations.

St. Anselm of Canterbury died on Wednesday of Holy Week, April 21, 1109 A.D., in his seventy-sixth year. He was buried in Canterbury Cathedral. In 1720 A.D., St. Anselm was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Clement XI. The Church celebrates his feast on April 21.

References of this article

• Dictionary of Saints, by John J. Delaney


• The Doctors of the Church vol 2, by John F. Fink


• A Year With the Saints, by Don Bosco Press, Inc.