From: rich <
richarra@gmail.com>
July 6th - Bl. Ursula Ledochowska
Blessed Ursula Ledochowska, foundress of the Ursuline Sisters of the
Agonizing Heart of Jesus, is God's gift to us--a woman open to the
prodding of the Holy Spirit, who fulfilled God's Will and served Hi=
m
in His Plan of Salvation, from her birth on April 17, 1865, until her
saintly death in Rome on May 29, 1939. Her strict family environment,
consisted of aristocratic parents, who lived out their marital
commitment, as a covenant of love, and expected their five children to
practice self-discipline and to have an intimate relationship with
God. From childhood, Blessed Ursula possessed a magnetic personality,
and was loved by all. Her mother nicknamed her, "my ray of sunshine"
and her siblings share how she put this into a life's plan of
action--Francis, her younger sister remembers "for the youngest
children she was like a second mother; she helped us with our lessons, surprised us, thought of new games to play, read the Passion of Jesus
during Lent, prayed the Litany of the Saints, on All Saints Day." Her
brother Wlodzimierz recalls, "she was sensitive and especially loved
the poor and sick. She visited their homes, brought them medicine, and
evoked laughter, creating an atmosphere of peace and joy."
The Ledochowski family were Polish and members of the nobility,
although she and Wladimir were born in Loosdorf, Austria. Her father
was Count Antonius Kalka-Ledochowski. Her father's brother was Coun=
t
Mieceslaus Ledochowski. Mieceslaus was archbishop of GnesenPosen in
Prussian Poland from 1866 to 1886. Then he was ousted by the Prussian
prime minister Bismarck and imprisoned for disregarding the
anti-Catholic Prussian laws. Created a cardinal while in prison, this
Polish hero eventually came to Rome where Pope Leo XIII appointed him
prefect of the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith. (Because
of the great authority that the holders of this office have over the
foreign missions, they are often called =E2=80=9Cthe red popes=E2=80=9D.) M= aria
Theresa's brother, Count Wladimir (1866-1942), joined the Jesuits a=
nd
from 1915 to 1942 served as 26th general of the Society of Jesus. By
the way, the head of the Jesuits is often called =E2=80=9CThe black pope=E2= =80=9D. So
the nephew of the =E2=80=9Cred pope=E2=80=9D became a =E2=80=9Cblack pope= =E2=80=9D. Thus, Countess
Maria came from a family of churchly leaders. She was to show herself
equally gifted in leadership.
From 1885 to 1890, however, Maria Theresa was a courtier. Living in
Salzburg, Austria, she was lady-in-waiting to the grand duchess of
Tuscany, one of the Habsburg family. She had no special feeling for
religious life until 1888 when she happened to read an address given
by Cardinal Charles Lavigerie (1825-1892). Lavigerie was a French
priest to whom Pope Leo XIII had entrusted the evangelization of
Africa. As archbishop of Carthage and Primate of Africa, Lavigerie
founded the Society of Missions of Africa (the =E2=80=9CWhite Fathers=E2=80= =9D) to
pioneer African missions. He brought to his task a tremendous
missionary enthusiasm, and it is to him in particular that Catholicism
in Africa owes its modern beginnings.
Countess Maria now felt called to help Lavigerie's double apostolat=
e
to obliterate African slavery and spread the Catholic faith there.
From 1889 on she began to publicize these causes. (She had gifts as a
writer.) Her column soon attracted donations. Convinced now of her
vocation, she left the court in 1891. In 1894, she decided to organize
an association of laywomen to take care of publicity for the African
missions and the administration of mission funds. It was called the =E2=80=9CSodality of St. Peter Claver for the African Missions and the Liberation of Slaves.=E2=80=9D Pope Leo XIII approved the society on April = 29,
1894. In 1897, this became a full-fledged religious order. Its aim was
not to furnish missionaries-on-the-mission but to secure for the
actual missionaries worldwide public attention to channel funds to
them and to print Catholic books for use in the missionary countries
in many different African languages. (During her life she sent 96,000 catechisms and other books to Africa.) Mother Ledochowska was
constantly on tour, speaking for her causes and establishing support
centers, presenting exhibits, and promoting novenas =E2=80=9Cto touch the
heart and open the purse.=E2=80=9D She had a real talent for organization. = But
prayer remained the motive force of her whole campaign. She became
known as =E2=80=9Cthe nursing mother of the African missions.=E2=80=9D Betw= een 1918
and 1933 the baptized in Africa rose from 1.8 million to 4.9 million.
Only God knows how much of this progress is due to the loyal =E2=80=9Cmarketing=E2=80=9D of this valiant woman.
On June 20, 1983, Pope John Paul II beatified Blessed Ursula in
Poznan, Poland. Her incorruptible body was transferred from the
Generalate in Rome, and brought to rest in the Motherhouse in Pniewy,
Poland on May 29, 1989.
Saint Quote:
[It] is not enough to pray, Thy kingdom come, but to work, so that
the Kingdom of God will exist among us today.
--Blessed Ursula Ledochowska
Bible Quote:
He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our
iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with
His stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)
<><><><>
Hymn from Corpus Christi.
Jesus! my Lord, my God, my All! How can I love Thee as I ought?
And how revere this wondrous gift, So far surpassing hope or thought?
Had I but Mary's sinless heart To love Thee with, my dearest King!
O, with what bursts of fervent praise Thy goodness, Jesus, would I sing!
Sweet Sacrament! We Thee adore! O, make us love Thee more and more!
F. Faber: Corpus Christi. (19th cent.)
--- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
# Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)
* Origin: Region 15 HQ (1:15/0)