SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ JANUARY 13TH

MEMORIAL OF SAINT HILARY OF POITIERS, BISHOP AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH; SAINT VERONICA OF MILAN, VIRGIN AND SAINT KENTIGERN, BISHOP – FEAST DAY ~ JANUARY 13TH: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Hilary of Poitiers, Bishop and Doctor of the Church, Saint Veronica of Milan, Virgin and St. Kentigern, Bishop.

SAINT HILARY OF POITIERS, BISHOP AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH: St. Hilary’s name comes from the Latin word for happy or cheerful. Gallo-Roman doctor of the church who as bishop of Poitiers was a champion of orthodoxy against Arianism and was the first Latin writer to introduce Greek doctrine to Western Christendom. He was sometimes referred to as the “Hammer of the Arians” (Malleus Arianorum) and the “Athanasius of the West.”

St. Hilary was born at Poitiers, France, of one of the most noble families of Gaul. He was brought up as a pagan. His own philosophic inquiries and the reading of the Bible led him to the knowledge of the true Faith and the reception of the Sacrament of Baptism. He then regulated his life according to the rules of the Faith he had embraced, and, though a layman, zealously endeavored to confirm others in true Christianity. His wife, to whom he had been married before his conversion and by whom he had a daughter named Abra, was still living when Hilary was chosen Bishop of Poitiers, about the year 353. His daughter, Abraham was a nun and saint who became known for her charity. According to the practice which then existed, married men were sometimes promoted to the episcopacy, but as St. Jerome clearly testifies, they ever after lived un continence. The Arian heresy principally occupied the Saint’s pen, and he became one of the most strenuous defenders of the Divinity of Jesus Christ. At the Council of Seleucia, in 360, he bravely defended the decrees of Nicaea, and then retired to Constantinople. St. Hilary died at Pointieres in the year 367 or 368. He was the mildest of men, full of condescension and affability to all, but against Emperor Constantius, who showed himself an enemy of the Church, he used the severest language. He’s Patron Saint Against snakes; snake bites, lawyers, sick people, backward children.

PRAYER: Grant, we beg You, Almighty God, that we may both readily understand and truly profess the Dignity of Your Son, which St. Hilary, Your Bishop, constantly proclaimed. Amen🙏
 
SAINT VERONICA OF MILAN, VIRGIN: Saint Veronica of Milan (1445-1497) was an Italian nun in the Augustinian Order. She was reputed to have received frequent visions of the Virgin Mary, and her local cultus was confirmed by Pope Leo X in 1517.

St. Veronica was born in a small village near Milan. Her parents were very poor but they were hard working and very pious. Because she was so poor, she never had the chance to learn how to read or write. But she learned from her devout parents how to pray. She prayed always and worked hard to help them.St. Veronica wanted to become a nun, but she was very worried  because she could not read or write. She used to rise at night to try to teach herself. One day Our Lady appeared to her and told her not to worry, because all she had to know were three things. The first was to be pure in intention, which meant to do all her duties only to please God. The second was to mind her own business and to hate grumbling and criticism. The third was to forget her own troubles in thinking of the sufferings of Jesus every day. Our Blessed Mother’s holy advice made Veronica very happy and she tried to practice it. After preparing herself for three years, Veronica was admitted into the convent of St. Martha of Milan. She was assigned to duty of begging for the daily food. Every moment of her life she tried to obey her superior, because she knew that if she obeyed her superior, she obeyed God. St. Veronica died a saint at the age of fifty-two on January 13, 1497, on the day she had foretold, after a six months’ illness, in the thirtieth year of her religious profession. She was beatified on1517 by Pope Leo X (cultus confirmed) and on 1672 by Pope Clement X (devotion extended universally)

“Let us, too, follow Our Lady’s advice; that is, let us do everything for the love of Jesus, never complain, and remember each day that Jesus suffered and died for us.”

Saint Veronica of Milan, Virgin ~ Pray for us 🙏

SAINT KENTIGERN, BISHOP: St. Kentigern of Glasgow (518-614) Founder and Archbishop of Glasgow, Missionary, Miracle-worker, known as “Saint Mungo” (“dear one” or “darling”), also known as Cantigernus or Cyndeyrn Garthwys) was the apostle of the Scottish Kingdom of Strathclyde in the late sixth century and the Founder and Patron Saint of the city of Glasgow.   

Saint Kentigern was born in c 518 at Culross, Fife, Scotland.  Saint Kentigern’s mother was a British princess named Thenaw (or Thaney or Theneva). When it was discovered that she was pregnant of an unknown man, she was hurled from a cliff and, when discovered alive at the foot of the cliff, was set adrift in a boat on the Firth of Forth. She reached Culross, was given shelter by St. Serf, and gave birth to a child to whom Serf gave the name Mungo. Raised by the saint, he became a hermit at Glasgow and was so renowned for his holiness that he was consecrated bishop of Strathclyde about 540. Driven to flight because of the feuds among the neighboring chieftains, he went to Wales, met St. David at Menevia, and founded a monastery at Llanelwy. About 553, Kentigern returned to Scotland, settled at Hoddam, and then returned to Glasgow, where he spent his last days. He died on January 13, 603 in Glasgow, Scotland of natural causes. He is considered the first bishop of Scotland and with Thenaw is joint patron of Glasgow. Patron: Glasgow, Scotland; salmon, those accused of infidelity; against bullies.

Saint Kentigern of Glasgow, Bishop ~ Pray for us 🙏