MEMORIAL OF SAINT GODFREY, BISHOP; SAINT ELIZABETH OF THE TRINITY, RELIGIOUS; BLESSED JOHN DUNS SCOTUS, PRIEST AND THE HOLY FOUR CROWNED MARTYRS (SEVERUS, SEVERIAN, CARPOPHORUS AND VICTORINUS) – FEAST DAY ~ NOVEMBER 8TH: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Godfrey, Bishop; Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity, Religious; Blessed John Duns Scotus and the Holy Four Crowned Martyrs (Severus, Severian, Carpophorus & Victorinus).
SAINT GODFREY, BISHOP: St. Godfrey was born near Soissons, France, in 1065, the son of Frodon, a prominent citizen in a small town. He was raised from the age of 5 in the Benedictine abbey of Mont-Saint-Quentin where his godfather Godefroid was abbot. He immediately donned a Benedictine habit and lived as a tiny monk, and took his vows when he came of age. He was ordained a priest by bishop Radbod II of Noyon. In 1096, he was made Abbot of Nogent-sous-Coucy, in the diocese of Rheims, in the province of Champagne, a rapidly declining religious house. Its membership had been drastically reduced, its outer appearance was completely dilapidated, and its religious life was floundering in sad disarray. When he arrived, the place was overrun by weeds, and housed only six nuns and two children. However, such was the force of Godfrey’s personality and spirituality that he soon had this same house flourishing in every way. He rebuilt, restored, and revitalized the abbey, bringing people to the Order of St. Benedict, and order to the people. As a result, St. Godfrey was offered the great Abbacy of Saint-Remi at Rheims but he turned it down, in favor of running his own house. He was also offered the bishopric of Reims in 1097, but again he refused, claiming he was unworthy.
When he was offered the bishopric of Amiens in 1104, he still considered himself unworthy of the trust. However, King Philip and the Council of Troyes each ordered him to take it, which he did. Here St. Godfrey showed himself to be a true religious in his conduct as well as in his administration. St. Godfrey was noted for his rigid austerity with himself, those around him, and in his approach to his mission as bishop. He was an enforcer of clerical celibacy and endorsing the establishment of communes. He was also a fierce lifelong opponent of drunkenness and simony, which led to an attempt on his life. For most of his time as bishop, he wished to resign and retire as a Carthusian monk. In time the unbending, severe, and rigorously exact attitude of this Saint provoked the opposition of some and led to his withdrawal to a Carthusian monastery in 1114. But a few months later his people demanded his return, and he agreed. He also took part in the Council of Chálons. He died on November 8, 1115 at Crispin’s Abbey, Soissons, France
PRAYER: God, You made St. Godfrey 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 perservere in Faith and love and become sharers of his glory. Amen 🙏
SAINT ELIZABETH OF THE TRINITY, RELIGIOUS: St. Elizabeth of the Trinity (1880-1906) was born Elizabeth Catez in Bourges, France on July 18, 1880. Her father, a military captain, died when she was only seven, leaving her mother to raise Elizabeth and her sister, Marguerite. Her family moved to Dijon France. St. Elizabeth was a very lively girl and a gifted pianist, but was very stubborn and experienced fits of rage. However, even in her strong temperament she had a great love for God, and an early attraction to a life of prayer and reflection. She visited the sick often and taught catechism to children. Very close to her house was a Carmelite monastery and she greatly desired to enter the religious life.
At 17 years old she visited the monastery, and while there, the mother superior gave her a newly published letter about Therese of Lisieux, who had just recently passed away. As a result, St. Elizabeth was greatly inspired in her contemplative life. She continued working with the sick and teaching catechism to the youth until she was allowed to enter the monastery at the age of 21. Against her mother’s wishes, St
Elizabeth entered a monastery of Discalced Carmelites in 1901 at the age of 21. Though noted for great spiritual growth, she was also plagued with periods of powerful darkness which led her spiritual director to doubt her vocation. Nonetheless, she completed her novitiate and took her final vows in 1903. She lived a life of prayer and sacrifice, suffering greatly from sickness. St. Elizabeth of the Trinity died only three years later at the age of 26 of Addison’s disease. In her short life as a religious, she was a spiritual director for many, and she left a legacy of letters and retreat guides. She died on November 9, 1906 and was canonized by Pope Francis on October 16, 2016. St. Elizabeth of the Trinity is the Patron Saint of people who have lost their parents.
Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity, Religious ~ Pray for us 🙏
BLESSED JOHN DUNS SCOTUS, PRIEST: Bl. John (1266-1308) was born in Duns, county of Berwick, Scotland. The “Scotus” in his name is a derivation of “Scotia,” the Latin name for his native land. John received the habit of the Friars Minor at Dumfries, where his uncle Elias Duns was superior. After novitiate, John studied at Oxford and Paris and was ordained in 1291. More studies in Paris followed until 1297, when he returned to lecture at Oxford and Cambridge. Four years later, he returned to Paris to teach and complete the requirements for the doctorate. A student and proponent of Aquinas, Aristotle and Muslim philosophers, he also recognized the richness of Augustinian and Franciscan traditions. This led John to be an independent thinker, and in 1303 was run out of France by Kink Philip the Fair for refusing to take his side in a royal dispute with the Papacy. He defended his free will through convincing philosophical arguments. In one such defense he posed to his students that if he started beating someone who denied free will, the person would immediately tell him to stop. But if Scotus didn’t really have a free will, how could he stop? After his exile to Oxford, Scotus was able to return to Paris and finally received his doctorate in 1305. He became renown in 1307 for his defense of the Immaculate Conception. Not only did the university adopt his position, much later in 1854, Pope Pius IX would use the precepts of that position on his own definition of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. Later in 1307, John Duns Scotus was assigned to the Franciscan school of Cologne where e he died in 1308. He was beatified in 1993.
Blessed John Duns Scotus, Priest ~ Pray for us 🙏
THE HOLY FOUR CROWNED MARTYRS (SEVERUS, SEVERIAN, CARPOPHORUS AND VICTORINUS): According to the Martyrology: “At Rome on the Via Lavicana the day of the death of four holy martyrs, the brothers Severus, Severianus, Carpophorus, and Victorinus. Under Emperor Diocletian they were scourged to death with lead rods. Their names were first made known many years later through a divine revelation. As no one knew their names previously, the annual feastday to their honor was celebrated under the title: The Four Crowned Brothers. The designation was retained even after the revelation.” The basilica of the Four Crowned Martyrs also contains the relics of five sculptors (Claudius, Castorius, Symphorian [Simpronian], Nicostratus, and Simplicius) who under Diocletian refused to make idols or to venerate sun-god pictures. Reports say they were scourged, placed in lead coffins and submerged in a stream (c. 300). The nine saints are divided into two groups:
- Severus (or Secundius), Severian(us), Carpophorus (Carpoforus), Victorinus (Victorius, Vittorinus)
- Claudius, Castorius, Symphorian (Simpronian), Nicostratus, and Simplicius
Hagiographers are trying to disentangle the conflicting statements on the relation of these two groups to one another, whether two groups actually existed, whether they were Pannomians or Romans, soldiers or stone-masons, etc. Patron Saint of sculptors, stonemasons, stonecutters; against fever; cattle.
The Holy Four Crowned Martyrs (Severus, Severian, Carpophorus & Victorinus) ~ Pray for us 🙏