From: rich <richarra@gmail.com>

June 4th - St. Francis Caracciolo
(1563 =E2=80=93 1608)

Some saints have been adopted as patrons of groups for marginal
reasons. One such surprise is St. Francis Caracciolo, patron saint of
Italian cooks, although he is best known for not indulging himself in
food!

Francis (born Ascanio) belonged to one of the most powerful
aristocratic families in Italy. He was born in the family castle at
Villa Santa Maria in the Abruzzi province. Although raised a true
Christian, notably kind to the poor, he did enjoy as a youth the
sports of the well-to-do, especially hunting. He often entertained
hunting parties, and for them the palace cooks prepared sumptuous
dinners. So expert were these cooks that when Francis' family went =
to
Naples to spend the winter season, they took the kitchen staff with
them to learn Neapolitan cuisine as well as the Abruzzese.

For young Ascanio, however, this was a passing phase. When he was 22,
he was stricken with a skin disease considered to be leprous. Praying
for a cure, he promised that if he recovered he would devote his life
to God. Healed almost instantly, he fulfilled his vow and went to
Naples to begin studies for the priesthood. After his ordination he
joined a confraternity devoted to caring for those in jail,
particularly on death row.

In 1588, through an odd coincidence that Caracciolo considered
providential, he made the acquaintance of another priest-nobleman
named John Adorno, a Genoese, who wanted to found a religious order of
priests. The two agreed to be co-founders of what they named the
Clerks Regular Minor. Ascanio took the name Francis. This congregation
aimed at preaching missions and performing a diversity of works of
charity. To the three usual vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience,
their rule added a 4th vow: not to aspire to any church dignities. A
particular practice of their devotional life was perpetual adoration
of the Blessed Sacrament. Very strict were their prescribed practices
of self-denial, fasting in particular. The community, approved by Pope
Sixtus V, flourished rapidly and soon spread into Spain.

When John Adorno, the first superior, died aged only 40, Francis was
elected to succeed him. He long refused, saying that acceptance would
be against his fourth vow. When he finally consented, he made up for implications of =E2=80=9Cpower=E2=80=9D by taking his turn at even the most=
menial
household duties. In his apostolic work he begged ever more diligently
for the poor, and shared with them as often as possible from his own
scanty food. He was much relieved, however, when after years, the
pope permitted him to resign the generalship. Now he could again
devote full time to his work as a missioner. Effective as a preacher
and confessor, he was likewise revered for his ability to cure
ailments by blessing the sick with the sign of the cross.

Because of increasing illness, he was relieved in 1607 of all
administrative duties. Now Francis chose for himself as his cell a
most unprincely =E2=80=9Ccupboard=E2=80=9D under the staircase of their Nap= les
monastery. He died in 1608, aged 46, forewarned of his end by an
apparition of Brother John Adorno. Pope Pius VII canonized this
self-denying, self-effacing nobleman in 1807.

The Minor Clerks Regular, at one time a sizable community, have only a
small membership today. Nevertheless, their co-founder's name hit t=
he
Italian headlines once more in 1996. It seems that the Association of
Italian Cooks asked Pope John Paul II to name St. Francis Caracciolo
their official patron. Not that they had no patron thus far. The Roman
martyr St. Lawrence had held that post for many years. But the only
connection between the martyr and cookery is that he was burned to
death on a red-hot gridiron. This was hardly flattering to the guild
of chefs. Caracciolo's connection with cooking was a little more
positive. Were not the banquets he staged as a young man =E2=80=9Cblue ribbon?=E2=80=9D Could not his cooking staff be called the first school of Italian cuisine? And is not the Instituto Giovanni Marchitelli, a
well-known school of hotel management and cucina italiana, located
even now in Villa Santa Maria, the Saint's home town? The Italian
Cooks thought so. The Vatican agreed.
=E2=80=93Father Robert


Saint Quote:
"Unless we bear with patience the afflictions that come to us
unsought, God will not bless those that we embrace deliberately. For
our love for God is demonstrated above all by the way we endure trials
and temptations. First the soul has to surmount afflictions embraced
willingly, thereby learning to spurn sensual pleasure and self-glory;
and this in its turn will permit us readily to bear the afflictions
that come unsought."
--St. Gregory Palamas.

Bible Quote:
Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! Psalm150:6 RSVCE


<><><><>
Act of Adoration

I adore Thee,
O my God,
present in the holy Eucharist,
as my Creator,
my Preserver,
and my Redeemer.
I offer Thee all that I have,
all that I am,
all that depends on me;
I offer Thee my mind to think of Thee,
my heart to love Thee;
my will to serve Thee;
my body to labour and suffer for Thy love.
I am Thine,
I give myself;
I consecrate myself to Thee,
I abandon myself to Thee,
I wish to live and die for love of Thee.
--- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
* Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)