MEMORIAL OF SAINT PETER CHRYSOLOGUS, BISHOP AND DOCTOR; SAINTS ABDON AND SENNEN, MARTYRS AND BLESSED SOLANUS CASEY, PRIEST ~ FEAST DAY – JULY 30TH: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Peter Chrysologus, Bishop and Doctor; Saints Abdon and Sennen, Martyrs and Blessed Solanus Casey, Priest. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for the safety and well-being of all children, for peace, love and unity in our families and our world. We pray for 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. 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 PETER CHRYSOLOGUS, BISHOP AND DOCTOR: St. Peter Chrysologus (406-450 A.D.) was born in Imola, Italy. He was an adult convert to Christianity, he was baptized, educated, and ordained a deacon by Cornelius, Bishop of Imola. St. Peter merited being called “Chrysologus” (golden-worded) because of his exceptional oratorical eloquence. In his day the city of Ravenna was the center of the Roman Empire, making the Archbishop of Ravenna an important position in the Church. When the Archbishop of Ravenna died, a new archbishop was elected by the clergy and the people of Ravenna. Bishop Cornelius of Imola went to Rome with his deacon, St. Peter Chyrsologus, to have the Ravenna appointment confirmed by Pope Sixtus III. When the pope saw St. Peter, he appointed him the new Archbishop of Ravenna instead. He was Bishop of Ravenna from about 433 until his death. He is known as the “Doctor of Homilies” for the concise but theologically rich reflections he delivered during his time as the Bishop of Ravenna. By miraculous intervention of St. Peter as bishop of Ravenna, he effectively rooted out all remaining traces of paganism, heresy as well as a number of ecclesiastical abuses among the Christians from his diocese and other abuses that had sprouted among his people, cautioning them especially against indecent dancing. His quote: “Anyone who wishes to frolic (laughs) with the devil,” he remarked, “cannot rejoice with Christ.” The witness of his life converted many back to the faith—he was known to have offered and practiced many corporal and spiritual works of mercy, organized services to help the poor of the city, ruled his flock and attended to the people under his care with utmost diligence. Earning the high regard of Emperor Valentinan III who resided in Ravenna. In his sermons he strongly urged frequent Communion. The Saint also counseled the heretic Eutyches (who had asked for support) to avoid causing division but to learn from the other heretics who were crushed when they hurled themselves against the Rock of Peter.
St. Peter was renowed for his profound and eloquent sermons, and his skill with taking complex theological truths and putting them in plain language, earning him the name and title, “Chrysologus,” means “golden-tongued” and was refered to as “the man of golden speech” or ‘golden word’, as well as the ‘Doctor of Homilies’. He earned the title of Doctor of the Church for his eloquent sermons, which had a great impact on those who heard him. During his homilies, he would become so excited and animated that he would find himself at a loss for words. His simple and straightforward explanations of what we believe led the Church to declare him a doctor of the faith, largely as a result of his simple, practical, and clear Sermons which have come down to us, nearly all dealing with Gospel subjects. He was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Benedict XIII in 1729. St. Peter died about the year 450 in his native city of Imola, Italy. His feast day is July 30.
PRAYER: God, You made St. Peter Chrysologus an outstanding preacher of Your Incarnate Word. Through his intercession, grant that we may contemplate the Mystery of Your salvation in our heart and faithfully bear witness to it by our deeds. Amen 🙏🏾
SAINTS ABDON AND SENNEN, MARTYRS: St. Abdon Persian nobleman who suffered martyrdom with his companion, St. Sennen. Abdon, also called Abdo or Abdus in some lists, is recorded in the Acta of the saints dating to the ninth century, but he and St. Sennen were venerated as early as the third century. Sts. Abdon and Sennen were Persians, but coming to Rome, courageously confessed the faith of Christ and were exposed to persecutions in the reign of Emperor Diocletian in 250. These Martyrs were accused of burying on their own estate the bodies of the Christians which had been exposed. By order of the Emperor they were apprehended and commanded to sacrifice to the gods. As they refused to obey, and moreover with the greatest constancy proclaimed Jesus Christ to be God, whey were placed in close confinement, and when later, Diocletian returned to Rome, they were led in chains in his triumphal march. They were dragged to the Roman idols, but to show their hatred of the demons, they spat upon them. Upon this, there, they were put in an arena with wild animals, exposed to lions and bears but the beasts did not dare touch them, they remained unharmed as the animals refused to slay them. Gladiators were sent in to kill them as a last resort, they were put to death by the sword. Their bodies were dragged by the feet before the statue of the Sun, but they were secretly carried away and buried by Quirinus the deacon in his own house. Buried in the Pontian cemetery near the gates of Rome; however, the cities of Florence and Soissons also claim to possess their remains. The martyrs preferred torments and death to sin, because the love of God above all things reigned in their breasts. They were martyrs and buried on July 30th. They are Patron Saint of children; invoked for good harvest; burying the dead, protection against hail, coopers, Pescia; Sahagún, León; Spain; Calasparra.
Saints Abdon and Sennen, Martyrs ~ Pray for us 🙏🏾
BLESSED SOLANUS CASEY, PRIEST: Fr. Solanus Casey (1870-1957) was born Bernard Francis Casey on November 25, 1870, Oak Grove, S. W. Wisconsin, United States to a large, loving, Irish family, steeped in a strong Catholic faith. He was an American Roman Catholic priest and a professed member of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin. By merely human standards, the life of Solanus Casey was no great success story. A mediocre student who couldn’t keep up in diocesan seminary, he barely made it through the seminary of the Capuchin friars. When he was finally ordained, they made him a simplex priest-one who is not allowed to hear confessions or preach doctrinal sermons. So Casey spent fifty-three years in lowly service as a sacristan and doorkeeper. Nevertheless, he graciously accepted this humble station in life, and God rewarded him with a remarkable ministry of spiritual counsel and divine healings. He was known during his lifetime as a wonderworker, a monk of great faith, a spiritual counselor, and most especially, for his great attention to the sick. The friar was much sought-after and came to be revered in Detroit where he resided. He continues to miraculously answer the prayers of many of those who seek his help. The simple friar’s loving concern for everyday people dramatically transformed thousands of lives. He was also a noted lover of the violin, a trait he shared with his eponym, Saint Francis Solanus. He died on July 31, 1957 (aged 86) Detroit, Michigan, United States and was beatified on November 18, 2017, in Detroit, Michigan by Angelo Amato. Blessed Solanus Casey’s feast day is July 30th.
Blessed Solanus Casey, Priest ~ Pray for us 🙏🏾