MEMORIAL OF SAINT LAWRENCE OF BRINDISI, PRIEST AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH; SAINT VICTOR OF MARSEILLES, SOLDIER AND MARTYR AND SAINT PRAXEDES, VIRGIN ~ FEAST DAY: JULY 21ST: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Lawrence of Brindisi, Priest and Doctor of the Church; Saint Victor of Marseilles, Soldier and Martyr and Saint Praxedes, Virgin. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for the the sick and dying, especially those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We pray for those going through difficulties especially during these challenging times, for the poor and the needy, for peace, love and unity in our families and our world. And we continue to pray for the Church, the Clergy, for persecuted christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world🙏
SAINT LAWRENCE OF BRINDISI, PRIEST AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH: St. Lawrence’s name was Julius Caesar, and he was born Caesar de Rossi at Brindisi, in the kingdom of Naples, Italy, on July 22, 1559. As a boy, he studied with the Conventual Franciscans and later went to study in Venice. There he discerned a call to enter the Capuchin Franciscans at Verona at the age of 16 and took the name Lawrence. Educated in Venice at the College of St. Mark and finishing his studies at the University of Padua, he showed a flair for languages, mastering Hebrew, Greek, German, Bohemian, Spanish, and French, and showed an extraordinary knowledge of the text of the Bible. Fluent in Hebrew and expertly versed in the Bible, he worked as a diplomat for the secular powers in Europe and as a missionary. While a deacon, St. Lawrence became well-known for his powerful preaching of the Word of God, and after his ordination to the priesthood startled the whole of northern Italy with his sermons.
In 1598, St. Lawrence was sent with eleven other Capuchins to establish Capuchin community throughout Germany and Austria which were threatened by Lutheranism at that time. While in the imperial realm, the fame of his holiness, wisdom, and administrative ability led the Emperor Rudolf II, to appoint him to organize the Catholic princes against the invading Turks. At the Battle of Stuhlweissenburg, though the Christians were outnumbered four to one, St. Lawrence roused the low spirits of the soldiers with a powerful oration, mounted a horse and rode before the army with a crucifix held high. The Turks repulsed and Europe was saved. In 1596, he became a Superior in his order, he was commissioned by Pope Clement VIII to work for the conversion of the Jewish people and to combat the spread of Protestantism. He was a great preacher and refused a second term as minister general of his order in favor of preaching. Five years later went to Germany with Benedict of Urbino. They founded several priories throughout Europe. At the successful conclusion of his other German projects, the Saint returned to seek seclusion in Italy, only to find that he had been elected the Minister General of the Order in 1602. He worked, preached and wrote to spread the Gospel. He also went on important peace missions to Munich and Madrid. The rulers of those places listened to him and his missions were successful. Eventually St. Lawrence was worn out by constant travel in difficult conditions and by strain of his ministry. He became ill and died in 1619 at Lisbon, Portugal, while on mission to present the grievances of the people of Naples to their sovereign, King Philip III of Spain. Though he was a very active person, St. Lawrence was also a man of prayer as well as of deep learning. He lived and died for the Lord, and through his faithfulness many embraced the saving Gospel. Saint Lawrence was canonized by Pope Leo XIII in 1881 and declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope John XXIII in 1959. He was canonized in 1881 by Pope Leo XIII, and in 1960 he was made a Doctor of the Church by Pope John XXIII.
PRAYER: God, for the glory of Your Name and the salvation of souls, You favored St. Lawrence, Your Priest, with the spirit of wisdom and fortitude. Grant that the same spirit we may recognize our obligations and with his help carry them our. Amen 🙏
SAINT VICTOR OF MARSEILLES, SOLDIER AND MARTYR: St. Victor of Marseilles (d. 290 A.D.) was a Christian soldier serving in the Roman imperial army in Marseilles, France. Christianity was thriving there, until Emperor Maximian arrived with the intention of putting the Christians to death. This caused the Christians to fear, and St. Victor would go from house to house under the cover of night to admonish them to stand strong in their faith. This behavior drew attention, and during one of his nightly rounds he was arrested. The Roman prefects tried to dissuade him from following a “dead man” (Jesus), but St. Victor testified boldly for the truth of the Christian faith. Enraged, the prefects had him bound and dragged through the streets. Victor was undeterred and continued to denounce the Roman gods.
His tortures were renewed until his torturers grew tired, after which he was thrown into a dungeon. That night he was visited by angels, and his three guards were converted and baptized that same night. The next morning the Emperor had the guards beheaded, while St. Victor was kept alive for fresh torments. After three days of abuse, the Emperor commanded Victor to burn incense to the gods. Instead, St. Victor walked up to the altar and kicked it over with his foot. In retaliation, his foot was cut off. Seeing that his efforts to cause Victor to apostatize were useless, the Emperor finally had him crushed to death on a grindstone. His body was thrown into the sea before being recovered and buried by Christians. His tomb became a place where many miracles occurred and became one of the most popular pilgrimage centers in Gaul. He is the Patron Saint of cabinetmakers, millers, torture victims, sick children; invoked against lightning. St. Victor of Marseilles’ feast day is July 21st.
Saint Victor of Marseilles, Soldier and Martyr ~ Pray for us 🙏
SAINT PRAXEDES, VIRGIN: St. Praxedes was daughter of Pudens, a Roman senator, and sister to Saint Pudentiana, and in the days of Pope Pius I and the emperor Antoninus Pius, edified the church of Rome by the bright lustre of her virtues. All her great riches she employed in relieving the poor and the necessities of the church. By the comfort and succours which she afforded the martyrs she endeavoured to make herself partaker of their crowns, and she lived in the assiduous exercise of prayer, watching, and fasting. She died in peace and was buried near her sister on the Salarian road. Bede and other martyrologists style her a virgin. An old title or parish church in Rome bearing her name is mentioned in the life of Pope Symmachus. It was repaired by Adrian I and Paschal I and lastly by Saint Charles Borromeo, who took from it his title of cardinal.
The primitive Christians lived only for heaven, and in every step looked up to God, regardless of all lower pursuits or meaner advantages that could interfere with their great design of knowing and loving him. This constant attention to God awed them in their retirements; this gave life and wings to their devotions, and animated them to fervour in all their actions; this carried them through the greatest difficulties and temptations, and supported them under all troubles and afflictions.
Saint Praxedes, Virgin ~ Pray for us 🙏
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