• =?UTF-8?Q?31_December_=E2=80=93_Blessed_Alain_de_Solminihac_OSA?=

    From rich@1:396/4 to All on Wed Dec 30 09:01:05 2020
    From: rich <richarra@gmail.com>

    31 December =E2=80=93 Blessed Alain de Solminihac OSA
    Also known as
    Alain de Solminihac
    Alamus de Solminihac
    Alan av Solminihac
    Alan of Solminihac
    Alanus av Solminihac

    Memorial
    31 December
    3 January (Augustinians)

    Bishop of Cahors from 1636 until his death, religious of the Order of
    the Canons Regular of Saint Augustine of Chancelade in P=C3=A9rigueux (now
    the Confederation of St Augustine).=C2=A0 Blessed Alain was Abbot,
    Reformer, Marian devotee most especially to Our Lady of Rocamadour,
    Apostle of the Holy Eucharist especially by his promotion of
    Adoration, he was also a member of the Compagnie du Saint-Sacrement.
    Born on 25 November 1593 in the family castle at Belet, Dordogne,
    France and died on 31 December 1659, aged 66, at Mercues, Lot, France
    of natural causes. Patronage =E2=80=93 the Diocese of Cahors.

    Alain was born into an aristocratic family in castle Belet near
    Perigueux in France.
    He wanted to become a member of the Knights of Malta in order to serve
    God but felt a strong call to the Priesthood and to the religious life
    so joined the Canons Regular of Saint Augustine of Chancelade in 1613
    as a postulant.=C2=A0 The completion of his theological studies soon saw
    him Ordained to the Priesthood on 22 September 1618.=C2=A0 While still a
    young man he became the Abbot of Chancelade, which had fallen into
    disrepair as a result of the turmoil of the times. He strove with
    great effort and effect to reform his brothers in the Congregation of
    the Canons Regular of Chancelade.

    In 1636 he became Bishop of Cahors. He was as a zealous shepherd of
    the flock with which he was entrusted. As Bishop he visited each of
    his 800 parishes at least nine times during the course of his
    episcopate and he held an episcopal consecration on one occasion.
    His great devotion to the Holy Eucharist prompted him to promote
    Eucharistic Adoration as well as restoring many pastoral devotions
    within his Diocese.

    He attended the Council of Trent and followed the lead of Saint
    Charles Borromeo in enforcing it=E2=80=99s decrees in his diocese. During t= his
    time, he met Saint Francis de Sales during Lent in 1619 and the two
    became friends and had many more meetings following this. Another
    friendship was his close relationship with Saint Vincent de Paul.

    His reform work not only blessed his Diocese but influenced other
    parts of France.
    Moreover, he remained always faithful to the Holy See. Misconceptions,
    which surrounded him, were resolved in his favour. His convincing love
    of neighbour made him a brilliant light of faith in 17th Century
    France. After a long, zealous, faithful and strenuous life he died on
    31 December 1659.

    He was declared a Servant of God after Pope Pius VI opened his cause
    for sainthood on 6 August 1783 and Pope Pius XI declared him to be
    Venerable on 19 June 1927. St Pope John Paul II Beatified him on 4
    October 1981. The miracle required for his Beatification involved the
    cure of Marie Ledoux on 29 June 1661 in France.


    Saint Quote:
    =E2=80=9CYou must follow the good pleasure of God
    as soon as you know it and accomplish it
    by immediately turning your eyes to God,
    remaining in a simple expectation,
    to receive another sign or command,
    without wasting time,
    delight in the satisfaction of having accomplished
    this adorable Will of God.=E2=80=9D
    --Blessed Alain de Solminihac (1593-1659)

    Bible Quote
    His disciples say to him: Behold, now thou speakest plainly, and
    speakest no proverb. 30 Now we know that thou knowest all things, and
    thou needest not that any man should ask thee. By this we believe that
    thou camest forth from God. (John 16:29-30)

    <><><><>
    He came to his own home and his own people received him not. But to
    all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to
    become children of God=E2=80=A6. John 1:11-12

    REFLECTION =E2=80=93 =E2=80=9CLord, we have heard Your works and we have be=
    en
    astounded. We have pondered Your marvels and we have fainted.
    As Your Word descended, our heart has been melted and all our
    innermost being, trembling, has been laid bare to Him. For while
    silence, held all things and night, in her journey reached her
    mid-course, Your Almighty Word came from its royal abode (cf. Wis
    18:14-15). You poured out, O Father, the tenderness of Your love upon
    us and You could no longer contain the multitude of Your mercies. You
    shed light in the darkness, dew upon the dryness and in the bitter
    frost, You kindled a raging fire. Your Son appeared to us as an
    abundance of food when grievous famine threatened, as a spring of
    living water, to a life in distress and fainting from thirst in the
    heat. Or surely, just as there is wont to appear, a strong helper and
    deliverer for men besieged, who are about to rush out into battle,
    with death before their eyes and with the enemy=E2=80=99s threatening sword (=E2=80=A6): so He appeared for us and became our Salvation.
    Yet it is an excellent and salutary thing to recount again the
    beginning of our Salvation and to treat of His incarnation, to recall
    whence He came and in what sort He descended.=E2=80=9D \
    =E2=80=A6 St Amadeus of Lausanne (1108-1159) Cistercian Monk, Bishop =E2=80= =93 On the
    praises of the Blessed Mary, homily III, SC 72.

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