MEMORIAL OF SAINT FINBARR, BISHOP: SAINT CLEOPHAS, DISCIPLE OF CHRIST; SAINT FIRMIN, BISHOP OF AMIENS AND MARTYR AND BLESSED HERMAN THE CRIPPLE, RELIGIOUS: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Finbarr, Bishop; Saint Cleophas, Disciple of Christ; Saint Firmin, Bishop of Amiens and Martyr and Blessed Herman the Cripple, Religious. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, Mother of Mercy and the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for all those with disabilities, we pray for God’s grace and divine healing upon them. We pray for the sick and dying, especially those who are mentally and physically ill, those sick with cerebral palsy and other neurological disorders and those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We pray for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the souls of the faithful departed. We pray for all widows and widowers. We pray for the poor and needy, for peace, love, and unity in our marriages, our families and our world. And we continue to pray for our Holy Father, the Bishops, the Clergy, for vocations to the priesthood and religious life, for the Church, for persecuted christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world…. Amen🙏
SAINT FINBARR, BISHOP: St. Finbarr (c. 550-623), also spelt Finbar, Finnbar, or Finnbarr, in Irish Fionnbharra, very often abbreviated to Barra. St. Finbarr was a native of Connaught (Connacht), a Bishop of Cork and abbot of a monastery in what is now the city of Cork, Ireland. St. Finbarr was born and lived in Ireland in the latter part of the 6th century to a lady of the Irish royal court and an artisan in Achaid Duborcon near Crookstown, County Cork and son of a Connacht father, Amergin of Maigh Seóla, a skilled craftsman (metalworker) originally from Galway who moved to Munster to find work. At Baptism he was given the name Lochan but later received the surname Fionbarr or Finbarr or Barr the White (“White-head”) from his educators, the monks of Kilmacahill, Kilkenny, on account of his light hair. He is reported to have visited St. David in Pembrokenhire in southern Wales and to have accompanied him to Rome. Pope St. Gregory is said to have wanted to make St. Finbarr a Bishop but to have been deterred by a vision notifying him that God had reserved that honor to Himself.
St. Finbar preached the Gospel throughout southern Ireland and founded a number of churches. He then went to live the life of a hermit on a small island in Gouganebarra. Later, he founded and instituted a monastery or school at Lough Eirc, soon candidates for the monastery began arriving in ever-increasing numbers, to which such numbers of disciples flocked, that it changed a desert into a large city. The school began to extend its influence over the whole of southern Ireland. This was the origin of the city of Cork, which was built chiefly upon stakes, in marshy little islands formed by the river Lea, called Corcaghmer from which Cork is derived. Out of the desert arose the great city of Cork, and St. Finbar is regarded as its founder and first Bishop. He was Bishop of Cork for seventeen years, and died in the midst of his friends at Cellnaclona (Cloyne) in Ballineadig, fifteen miles from Cork on September 25, 623. His body was buried in his own cathedral at Cork, and his relics, some years after, were put in a silver shrine, and kept there, this great church bearing his name to this day. St. Finbarr’s cave or hermitage was shown in a monastery which seems to have been begun by our Saint, and stood to the west of Cork. St. Finbarr is the Patron Saint of Cork.
PRAYER: God, You made St. Finbarr an outstanding exemplar of Divine love and the faith that conquers the world, and added him to the roll of saintly pastors. Grant by his intercession that we may persevere in Faith and love and become sharers of his glory. Amen 🙏
SAINT CLEOPHAS, DISCIPLE OF CHRIST: St. Cleophas (1st c.) was one of Jesus’ seventy disciples, and one of the two disciples of Christ (the other is unnamed) who were traveling along the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus, a town seven miles to the northwest, after the crucifixion and on the day of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ in Jerusalem, as recounted in Luke’s Gospel. The resurrected Jesus appeared and walked along the road with St. Cleophas and his companion, explaining the events of his Passion and how they fulfilled the Holy Scriptures. The two men were dejected and disillusioned by the terrible events of the last few days. Jesus approached them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him. They spoke to Him about their fears, and He spoke to them about what referred to Him in all the Scriptures. Asked to join St. Cleophas and his companion at their evening meal, Jesus revealed Himself in the Breaking of the Bread, and then vanished. St. Cleophas and his friend brought the news to the other disciples, at which time Jesus appeared again to them all.
According to one tradition, Cleophas (also known as Alphaeus), was a relative of Jesus; he was the brother of St. Joseph, and therefore was Jesus’ uncle. Cleophas was the husband of St. Mary of Cleophas, and they had three sons we know by name: St. Simon, St. James the Less, and St. Jude. St. Cleophas, through his daughter Mary Salome, was also grandfather to St. James the Greater and St. John. Therefore three of his sons and two of his grandsons were among the Twelve Apostles. According to tradition, St. Cleophas was martyred by the Jewish authorities in the same home in which he received Jesus as a guest. His feast day is September 25th.
PRAYER: God, strengthen us in the faith that made St. Cleophas the disciple so loyal to Christ Your Son, and through his prayers let the Church become the sign of salvation for all people. Amen. Saint Cleophas, Disciple of Jesus ~ Pray for us 🙏
SAINT FIRMIN, BISHOP OF AMIENS AND MARTYR: St. Firmin († Beginning of Second Century) was the First Bishop of Amiens and Martyr. He was a son of a senator, was a native of Pampeluna in Navarre. With his father he was initiated and taught the Christian faith by Honestus, a disciple of Saint Saturninus, the bishop of Toulouse, himself the disciple of Saint Peter the Apostle. Saint Firmin, who had been confided by his father to Honestus for his education and had accompanied him on his apostolic journeys, was eventually consecrated bishop by Saint Honoratus, successor to Saint Saturninus at Toulouse. St. Firmin received the mission to preach the Gospel in the remoter parts of the Occident, or Gaul; thus he preached in the regions of Agen, Angers, and Beauvais. In what is now Clement-Ferrand, after long discussions with two ardent idolaters, he won them over. Error, wherever he passed, seemed to flee before him, as if the infernal powers feared to undertake a combat with this formidable adversary who was sure to defeat them. He had not yet suffered persecution. Desiring martyrdom, he decided to go to a center of paganism in the north, in what is now Normandy, near Lisieux. There he was arrested and imprisoned for a time by the pagans. When delivered, he continued on towards the north, to a region where Saint Denys of Paris had baptized many. He confirmed the Christians in their faith, and went wherever a soul might have need of him. The Roman authorities heard of him and arrested him; the Saint generously confessed Jesus Christ in their presence. Again he was imprisoned, but released when the prefect and his successor both died suddenly. He was obliged, however, to flee secretly.
When St. Firmin arrived at Amiens, he placed his residence there and founded a large church of faithful disciples. Amiens conserves the memory of the day he arrived and preached fearlessly there beside a temple of Jupiter, at a site where now the Basilica of Our Lady stands. He taught aloud the salutary doctrine of Christianity to all who came to listen. Many conversions followed, even among the authorities of the city, including the senator. He continued his preaching in that region for a number of years, while the pagan temples became literally deserted. And then two Roman officials, Longulus and Sebastian, heard of him and came to the city. The pagan priests saw their opportunity, when all the city residents were convoked to appear before the visitors. The two officials explained that the capital penalty was decreed for those who did not obey the imperial edicts, not offering incense to the gods and honoring them. The pagan priests then told them of one who always refused to do so, and Saint Firmin, after an eloquent defense of the religion of Christ, was imprisoned. He finally saw his most ardent desire fulfilled when certain soldiers decided on their own to accomplish the imperial orders, and came with swords to his prison at night, where they decapitated the bishop. He died, filled with joy at their coming. This occurred under the reign of Trajan in the first years of the second century. Faustinian buried him in his field called Abladana, where Firmin II (who is honoured on the 1st of September) built the first church under the invocation of the Blessed Virgin. Saint Salvius, in the beginning of the seventh century, translated his relics into the cathedral. Saint Godefrid made another translation of them about the year 1107, and Bishop Theobald put them into a gold shrine about the year 1200. The holy bishop, St. Firmin remains in the greatest honor in the city of Amiens. He’s the Patron Saint of Amiens, France, Lesaka, Spain, Navarre, Spain.
Saint Firmin, Bishop of Amiens and Martyr ~ Pray for us 🙏
BLESSED HERMAN THE CRIPPLE, RELIGIOUS: Bl. Herman, also known as Hermannus Contractus, or Herman of Reichenau, 1013-1054), monk, 11th century scholar, composer, musical theorist, mathematician, and astronomer. He was the Author of the “Salve Regina” and the “Alma Redemptoris Mater.” Blessed Herman was born into royalty in 1013, the son of a duke of Altshausen. From birth, it was apparent that he would be horribly crippled and disfigured, he was born with a cleft palate, cerebral palsy and spinabifida. He suffered from severe physical disabilities and could hardly speak. Reports indicate he had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or spinal muscular atrophy. Because of these physical disabilities, earning him the less-than-pleasant name of “Hermannus Contractus” (“the Cripple” or “Herman the Twisted”). Without assistance, he could not move, and could barely speak, but within his body was a keen mind and iron will. At the age of seven, Herman’s parents left him at the Benedictine monastery of Reichenau, Switzerland where they arranged for him to be raised and educated by the Benedictine monks. He was a cheerful, friendly child. It is said that while he was still a youth, the Blessed Virgin appeared to him and asked if he would rather have health or wisdom. He chose wisdom. He eventually became a Benedictine monk.
Bl. Herman became a celebrated mathematician and was known for his work in astronomy, history, and music. Bl. Herman’s chief contribution to Catholic posterity was his hymns used in the liturgy. He composed both the words and the music for the Marian hymn “Alma Redemptoris Mater” and the “Salve Regina”(also known as the “Hail Holy Queen”) which we pray each time we pray the Holy Rosary. He came out with religious poetry and musical compositions. Despite significant physical limitations and suffering, the bright and contemplative mind of Blessed Herman advanced not only our understanding of the physical world, but furthered our devotion to Our Blessed Mother. His contributions to both science and faith remind us that regardless of appearance or apparent physical abilities, we each possess immense God-given gifts and talents! He was called “The Wonder of His Age.” Blessed Herman died at the young age of 40 in 1054 , having succumbed to the symptoms of his many afflictions. He was beatified in 1863 by Blessed Pope Pius IX. He was a man who took joy in his struggles, and looked at each difficult day as an opportunity to grow closer to the Lord. Every time we pray the Holy Rosary, we end in prayer with Blessed Herman. The Salve Regina (Hail Holy Queen) reminds us of our deep connection not only to Our Blessed Mother, but to all those who suffer alongside us in the world.
Blessed Herman the Cripple, Religious ~ Pray for us 🙏