From: rich <
richarra@gmail.com>
March 1st - St. Suitbert of Kaiserwerth
(Also known as Suidbert or Swithbert).
Apostle of the Frisians, b. in England in the seventh century; d. at Suitberts-Insel, now Kaiserswerth, near Dusseldorf, 1 March, 713. He
studied in Ireland, at Rathmelsigi, Connacht, along with St. Egbert
(q. v.). The latter, filled with zeal for the conversion of the
Germans, had sent St. Wihtberht, or Wigbert, to evangelize the
Frisians, but owing to the opposition of the pagan ruler, Rathbod,
Wihtberht was unsuccessful and returned to England. Egbert then sent
St. Willibrord and his 12 companions, among whom was St. Suitbert.
They landed near the mouth of the Rhine and journeyed to Utrecht,
which became their headquarters. The new missionaries worked with
great success under the protection of Pepin of Heristal, who, having
recently conquered a portion of Frisia, compelled Rathbod to cease
harassing the Christians. Suitbert laboured chiefly in North Brabant, Guelderland, and Cleves.
After some years he went back to England, and in 693 was consecrated
in Mercia as a missionary bishop by St. Wilfrid of York. He returned
to Frisia and fixed his see at Wijkbij Duurstede on a branch of the
Rhine. A little later, entrusting his flock of converts to St.
Willibrord, he proceeded north of the Rhine and the Lippe, among the
Bructeri, or Boructuari, in the district of Berg, Westphalia. This
mission bore great fruit at first, but was eventually a failure owing
to the inroads of the pagan Saxons; when the latter had conquered the territory, Suitbert withdrew to a small island in the Rhine, six miles
from Dusseldorf, granted to him by Pepin of Heristal, where he built a monastery and ended his days in peace.
His relics were rediscovered in 1626 at Kaiserwerth and are still
venerated there. St. Suitbert of Kaiserwerth is to be distinguished
from a holy abbot, Suitbert, who lived in a monastery near the River
Dacore, Cumberland, England, about forty years later, and is mentioned
by Venerable Bede.
[Note: Suitbert or Swithbert is popularly invoked as the patron saint
of those who suffer from angina.]
www.newadvent.org/cathen/14328b.htm
Saint Quote:
Do not be attached, therefore,
to clothing and riches
because they divided My garments among themselves.
Nor to honours, for I experienced harsh words and scourgings.
Nor to greatness of rank,
for weaving a crown of thorns,
they placed it on My head.
Nor to anything delightful,
for in My thirst, they gave Me vinegar to drink.
--St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
Bible Quote:
And there came to him the blind and the lame in the temple; and he
healed them. 15 And the chief priests and scribes, seeing the
wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple,
and saying: Hosanna to the son of David; were moved with indignation.
(Matthew 21:14-15)
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Prayer:
"Lord Jesus, your love surpasses all. Flood my heart with your love
and increase my faith and hope in your promises. Help me to give
myself in generous service to others as you have so generously given
yourself to me."
--- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
* Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)