• March 27th - St. Gelasius of Armagh

    From rich@1:396/4 to All on Mon Mar 26 10:10:09 2018
    From: rich <richarra@gmail.com>

    March 27th - St. Gelasius of Armagh

    In 1169, the English pope, Adrian IV, by the bull Laudabiliter,
    granted sovereignty over Ireland to King Henry II of England, who
    wreaked havoc in the Irish Church by pillaging monasteries and
    replacing Irish bishops with Norman bishops. The archbishop of Armagh
    at the time was St. Gelasius who tried desperately to undo the damage
    done by the Normans and work for the upbuilding of the Irish Church.

    Before the Norman takeover, Ireland was undergoing something of a
    religious renaissance: literary, artistic, and architectural activity flourished throughout Ireland; the art of illumination was recovered;
    monastic centers, like Clonmacnoise, were flourishing; Clonfert was
    rebuilt; Mellifont had been founded; and Irish monks were staffing the remarkable monastery founded by Marianus Scotus in Regensburg.

    No one really knows the reason for Adrian IV's "donation of Ireland"
    to Henry II, but it spelled the end of a uniquely Irish Church.

    Gelasius had been abbot of Derry, St. Columba's famous monastery. His
    father was a bard, an honored profession among the Irish and most
    probably a teacher at Derry, where Gelasius was educated.

    Gelasius called a synod at Armagh in 1170 to try to deal with the
    Anglo-Norman takeover, but a synod at Cashel in the following year
    called by the papal legate who supported the Normans made any effort
    of the Irish useless. Norman usages and customs were imposed on the
    Irish, many Irish princes submitted to Henry II, and the English
    king's religious decrees became the law of the land. In 1172, Pope
    Alexander II confirmed Adrian's "donation" to Henry, with Gelasius
    trying to undo the harm until his death in 1174. It was a sad time in
    the history of the Irish Church, and Gelasius died a broken man with a
    broken heart.

    Gerald of Wales thus describes what happened in the time of Gelasius:
    "The clergy of Ireland are reduced to beggary, the cathedral churches
    have been stripped of their possessions." It would take almost 700
    years for Ireland to recover.

    Taken from "The One Year Book of Saints" by Rev. Clifford Stevens
    published by Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division, Our Sunday
    Visitor, Inc., Huntington, IN 46750.


    Reflection:
    Sometimes we have to face complete failure, and there is often a
    mystery of Divine Providence in the work of the Church. God does not
    always ask us to succeed, only to give our best. When that best is not
    enough, we have to leave the rest in His hands.

    Bible Quote:
    Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect hospitality, for through it
    some have unknowingly entertained angels. (Hebrews 13:1-2)


    <><><><>
    The Golden Sequence

    Come, holy Ghost, and bring from above
    The splendor of thy light.

    Come, father of the poor, come, giver of graces,
    Come, light of our hearts.

    Best of consolers, sweet guest of the soul,
    And comfort of the weary.

    Thou rest in labor, relief in burning toil,
    Consoling us in sorrow.

    O blessed light, fill the innermost hearts
    Of those who trust in thee.

    Without thy indwelling there is nothing in man,
    And nothing free of sin.

    Cleanse what is sordid, give water in dryness,
    And heal the bleeding wounds.

    Bend what is proud, make warm what is cold,
    Bring back the wayward soul.

    Give to the faithful who trustingly beg thee
    Thy seven holy gifts.

    Grant virtue's reward, salvation in death,
    And everlasting joy.

    Amen.
    --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
    * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)