From: rich <
richarra@gmail.com>
June 22nd - St. Paulinus of Nola, Bishop, Confessor
Paulinus was of a family which boasted a long line of senators,
prefects and consuls of Rome, and he was educated with great care. His
genius and eloquence in oratory, prose and verse were the admiration
of all the brilliant Christian minds of his time, including Saint
Gregory the Great, Saint Ambrose, Saint Jerome, Saint Augustine, and
Saint Martin of Tours. It is believed that Saint Ambrose would have
chosen him to replace him as bishop of Milan, but Saint Paulinus was
far from Milan when Saint Ambrose died. He said of him that Christians
should follow and imitate Saint Paulinus, and that the greatest good
fortune of the century in which they were living was to be witness to
the life of so rare and admirable a man.
Saint Paulinus, at first Roman Consul and then Prefect or Governor of
Rome, had more than doubled his wealth by his marriage with a virtuous
Spanish noblewoman; he was one of the wealthiest and most honored men
of his time, possessing domains in several nations of Europe. Though
he was the chosen friend of Saints, he was still only a catechumen,
and trying to serve two masters. But God drew him to Himself along the
way of sorrows and trials. The first and only child of Paulinus and
Theresia died shortly after birth. Saint Paulinus received baptism
soon afterwards, at the age of thirty-eight, from the bishop of
Bordeaux, Saint Delphin; then he withdrew into Spain to be at liberty
to pray in solitude.
He was ordained a priest in Barcelona, and afterwards retired to Nola
in Campania. And then, in consort with his holy wife, he liberated all
his slaves, sold all his vast estates in various parts of the empire, distributing their proceeds so widely and generously that Saint Jerome
says both East and West were filled with his alms. In Nola he built
the magnificent Church of Saint Felix and served it night and day,
living a life of extreme abstinence and toil. He and his wife agreed
to live as brother and sister; they exchanged their silver utensils
for those of wood and pottery, and wore robes of rude cloth,
practicing from that time on a genuine poverty. Certain highly-placed
worldly persons were very much offended by this abrupt change in the
way of life of these persons of such great dignity.
Nonetheless, in 409 Saint Paulinus was chosen Bishop of Nola, and for
more than thirty years so ruled as to be conspicuous, in an age
blessed with many great and wise bishops. Saint Gregory the Great
tells us that when the Vandals of Africa made a descent on Campania,
Paulinus spent all he had in relieving the distress of his people and
redeeming them from slavery. Finally, when all had been disposed of,
there came to him a poor widow, whose only son had been taken away by
the son-in-law of the Vandal king. =E2=80=9CWhat I have I give you, said th=
e
Saint to her; =E2=80=9Cwe will go to Africa and you will offer me to the prince, saying I am one of your slaves, in exchange for the prisoner.=E2=80= =9D
Her resistance once overcome, they went, and Paulinus was accepted in
place of the widow's son and employed as gardener. After a time the
king discovered, by divine interposition, that this valuable slave of
his son-in-law was the renowned Bishop of Nola. He at once set him
free, granting him also the freedom of all the townsmen of Nola who
were in slavery.
One who knew Saint Paulinus well says he was =E2=80=9Cmeek as Moses, as priestly as Aaron, innocent as Samuel, tender as David, wise as
Solomon, apostolic as Peter, loving as John, cautious as Thomas,
brilliant as Stephen, fervent as Apollos.=E2=80=9D Saint Paulinus died in 4= 31.
His holy remains were transferred several times but restored to the
cathedral of Nola in 1908.
Reflection. =E2=80=9CGo to Campania,=E2=80=9D writes Saint Augustine; =E2= =80=9Cthere study
Paulinus, that choice servant of God. With what generosity, with what
even greater humility, has he flung from him the burden of the world=E2=80= =99s
grandeurs to take on the yoke of Christ!=E2=80=9D
Sources: Les Petits Bollandistes: Vies des Saints, by Msgr. Paul
Gu=C3=A9rin (Bloud et Barral: Paris, 1882), Vol. 7;
Saint Quote:
It was as if you opened to me the heart in your most sacred body. I
seemed to see it directly before my eyes. You told me to drink from
this fountain, inviting me, that is, to draw the waters of my
salvation from your wellsprings, my Savior. I was most eager that
streams of faith, hope, and love should flow into me from that source.
I was thirsting for poverty, chastity, obedience. I asked to be made
wholly clean by you, to be clothed by you, to be made resplendent by
you.
So, after daring to approach your most loving heart, and to plunge my
thirst into it, I received a promise from you of a garment made of
three parts: these were to cover my soul in its nakedness, and to
belong especially to my religious profession. They were peace, love,
and perseverance. Protected by this garment of salvation, I was
confident that I would lack nothing but all would succeed and give you
glory.
-- Saint Peter Canisius from his writings
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PRAYER TO OBTAIN THE GRACE OF ALL THE
WORLD'S MASSES
Eternal Father we humbly offer Thee our poor presence
and that of the whole of humanity from the beginning to
the end of the world at all the Masses that ever have or
ever will be prayed. We offer Thee all the pains, suffering,
prayers, sacrifices, joys and relaxations of our lives, in
union with those of our dear Lord Jesus here on earth.
May the Most Precious Blood of Christ, all His blood and
wounds and agony save us, through the sorrowful and
Immaculate Heart of Mary.=C2 Amen!
(This prayer should be prayed daily, and Made known.)
Dear St. Philomena pray for us for that purity of mind and
heart which lead to the Perfect Love of God!
--- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
* Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)