From: rich <richarra@gmail.com>

August 22nd - St. Emilian of Autun

Muslim invasions, which began taking over Spain in 711, soon began to
spread across the Pyrenees into various regions of France. In 725, an
attack was planned against the city of Autun, rich in abbeys and
monasteries. A reaction of the French Catholics rose in Bretagne, led
by St. Emilian, Bishop of Nantes.Born in a noble family of Armonica,
he was famous for his courage and honor. Magnanimous, with keen
discernment and a noble character, he had great intelligence as well
as a faith worthy of a martyr and an ardent zeal for the interests of
the Church. So, when he heard the news that the Muslims would invade
Autun, the Bishop considered it his duty to take up the sword. He
judged that it was necessary to fight rather than flee and see the
things he loved the most destroyed: Catholicism and France.

He called the people to the Cathedral and made this appeal, which
became legendary in the Middle Ages:

=C2 =C2 =E2=80=9CO! All you strong men of war who are still stronger =
in the faith:
take into your hands the shield of this divine Faith, mark on your
foreheads the sign of the Cross, cover your heads with the helmet of
salvation, and protect your chests with the armor of the Lord. Then
after taking up this religious armor, soldiers of Jesus Christ, do yet
more.

=C2 =C2 =E2=80=9CTake your strongest weapons of war, your sharpest sw=
ords of the
best steel, and come together to combat and smash the miserable
enemies who like furious beasts slaughter our Catholic brothers. It is
the moment to say with Judas Macabeus: 'Be strong and make yourself
ready that you may fight with these people, which are agreed together
to destroy us and our sanctuary. Better is it for us to die in battle,
than to see our people and our sanctuary in such a miserable state.'=E2=80=
=9D

Touched by the Holy Ghost and filled with enthusiasm, the crowd
shouted: =E2=80=9CLord and Venerable Pastor, give the order and command, an=
d
where you go, we will follow.=E2=80=9D

The Saint answered: =E2=80=9COn this spot we shall gather and from the foot=
of
this altar we will start out against the enemy. And I will have the
honor to march at the head of the soldiers of Jesus Christ.=E2=80=9D

On the arranged date, wearing his sacred vestments the Bishop said
Holy Mass and gave Communion to the men who would fight with him.
Then, they started their march to Autun. A series of marvelous
victories followed the Breton army. They saved Autun at the great
battle of Saint Forjand, and defeated the infidel army at the pass of
Cr=C3=A8s d'Aussi.The enemy made another attack but was defeated at=
the
battle of St. Jean de Louis. The Muslim chief, however, made another
maneuver to reconquer Autun. To cut off his path, St. Emilian gathered
a number of his subjects and said: =E2=80=9CDear and brave companions, I congratulate you for your great faith. The number of combatants is not important; the victory comes from Heaven.=E2=80=9D Then, making a sign of t=
he
Cross, he said, =E2=80=9CLord, into Thy hands I commend my spirit,=E2=80=9D=
and
entered into the thick of the fight.

Tradition says that St. Emilian severely wounded the Muslim chief
during the fight. When the Saracens saw their chief so near to death,
many rallied to help him. The Saint Bishop fell to the ground, fatally
wounded by many sword thrusts. He continued to shout encouraging his
soldiers, but finally expired. It was August 22, 725. The Muslim chief
ordered St. Emilian beheaded. Later the Catholics gathered his relics,
which were treasured as objects of great veneration. His cult was
confirmed by Pope Pius IX.

=C2 =C2 [Seven years after the sack of Autun in 725, Charles Martel m=
et
Abd-er-Rahman outside of Tours and defeated and slew him. The Battle
of Poitiers of 732 is considered one of the great turning points in
History, which stopped the Islamic advance into Western Europe.]


Comments of the late Prof. Plinio Corr=C3=AAa de Oliveira:

The decree of Pope Pius IX is very valuable because it confirms the
legitimacy of St. Emilian's initiative to go into battle, leading h=
is
warriors against the Moors, engaging in the fight, and finally reining
his horse to the center of battle, where he died from wounds inflicted
by the enemies.

There is a principle of Canon Law that states that ecclesiastics
should not shed blood with their own hands. Ecclesia abhorrit
sanguine, the Church has a horror of blood. She is the mother who
doesn't want to see the blood of her children shed. This is why she
forbade her ecclesiastics to enter into combat.But that principle
doesn't go so far as to affirm that bloodshed is never permitted.
There were the Crusades, for example, that were called by the Church.
What is the wise criteria behind this rule and its exceptions?

Let us imagine a village where a certain villain became famous for his
crimes and evil behavior. The man is justly condemned to death, and
the judge needs someone to execute the sentence. Let us suppose that
the men who would normally do this had gone to war, and the only one
left who could execute the sentence was the father of the bandit. Must
the father hang the son? What does Catholic Morals says about such a
situation? The Church teaches that even if the son is clearly guilty
and deserves death, the father is dispensed from executing the
sentence. According to Natural Law a father should not kill his own
son. The father can agree that his son is guilty and deserves to die,
he can encourage others to execute the sentence, but he should not
have to do it. The judge should wait for another person to execute the sentence.

An analogous situation governs Church policy regarding the shedding of
blood. She can agree that bloodshed is necessary, she can encourage
it, she can canonize those who do so; but since she is the mother, she
does not do so. There is no contradiction, it is a refinement of moral sensitivity. This is the extremely beautiful rule.

So, Bishops and priests did not shed the blood of others. But it is
also very beautiful that some exceptions existed to this rule. One
such exception is that of St. Emilian who took up arms in a defensive
war against the enemies of the Church, rousing the people to action, encouraging the faithful to fight, and entering the battle himself
after he said the Mass that began the military effort at the foot of
the altar. It is a very beautiful exception that we should understand
and admire....

see more at
http://www.traditioninaction.org/SOD/j087sdEmilian_8-22.htm


Saint Quote:
Remember that the Christian life is one of action; not of speech and
daydreams. Let there be few words and many deeds, and let them be done
well.
--St. Vincent Pallotti

Bible Quote:
My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold,
=C2 =C2 and my yield than choice silver.=C2 [Prv 8:19]=C2 RSVCE


<><><><>
High and Holy God
By St Bernard

High and Holy God,
give me this day a word of truth
to silence the lies
that would devour my soul
and kind encouragements
to strengthen me when I fall.
Gracious One,
I come quietly to Your door
needing to receive from Your hands
the nourishment that gives life.
Amen and Amen
--- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
* Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)