SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY MAY 13TH

FEAST OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA AND FEAST OF OUR LADY OF THE MOST BLESSED SACRAMENT: MEMORIAL OF SAINT JOHN THE SILENT, BISHOP; SAINT ANDREW HUBERT FOURNET, PRIEST AND SAINT JULIANA OF NORWICH, RELIGIOUS ~ FEAST DAY MAY 13TH: Today, we celebrate the Feast of our Lady of Fatima and the 108th Anniversary of the first Apparition of Our Lady to three shepherd children at the Cova da Iria, a small village of Fatima in Portugal on May 13, 1917. We also celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament; Memorial of  Saint John the Silent, Bishop; Saint Andrew Hubert Fournet, Priest and Saint Juliana of Norwich, Religious. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary  and the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for peace in our world. We continue to pray for justice, peace, love and unity in our families and our world, torn apart by war, terrorism, and countless other acts of violence against human life 🙏🏽

FEAST OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA: The feast of our Lady of Fatima was formally known as Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of Fatima. The Blessed Virgin Mary is venerated under this title Our Lady of Fatima following apparitions to three shepherd children. May 13th is the anniversary of the apparition of Our Lady to the three shepherd children at the Cova da Iria in the small village of Fatima in Portugal in 1917 and today marks the 107th Anniversary of the apparition. Our Blessed Mother Mary appeared six times to Lucia, 9, and her cousins Francisco Marto, 8, and his sister Jacinta Marto, 6, between May 13, 1917 and October 13, 1917. The first apparition of Our Lady to Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco took place on May 13, 1917. The message of Fatima includes a call to conversion of heart, repentance from sin and a dedication to the Blessed Virgin Mary, especially through praying the Rosary. The Blessed Virgin Mary asked the children: “Pray the Rosary every day to ask for peace for the world”.

The story of Fatima begins in 1916, when, against the backdrop of the First World War which had introduced Europe to the most horrific and powerful forms of warfare yet seen, and a year before the Communist revolution would plunge Russia and later Eastern Europe into six decades of oppression under militant atheistic governments, a resplendent figure appeared to the three children who were in the field tending the family sheep. “I am the Angel of Peace,” said the figure, who appeared to them two more times that year exhorting them to accept the sufferings that the Lord allowed them to undergo as an act of reparation for the sins which offend Him, and to pray constantly for the conversion of sinners. Beginning in the spring of 1916, the three shepherd children, Lúcia dos Santos, Francisco and Jacinta Marto reported three apparitions of an Angel in Valinhos. Then between May 13, 1917 and October 13, 1917, in Cova da Iria, six apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary were reported. On Sunday, May 13, 1917, toward noon, a flash of lightning drew the attention of the children, and they saw a brilliant figure appearing over the trees of the Cova da Iria. The children described her as “a Lady more brilliant than the Sun”. The “Lady” asked them to pray for the conversion of sinners and an end to the war, and to come back every month, on the 13th. Further apparitions took place on June 13 and July 13. On August 13 the children were prevented by local authorities from going to the Cova da Iria, but they saw the apparition on the 19th. On September 13 the Lady requested recitation of the Rosary for an end to the war. Finally, on October 13, the “Lady” identified herself as “Our Lady of the Rosary” and again called for prayer and penitence. The children’s reported prophecy that prayer would lead to an end to the Great War, and that on October 13th that year the Lady would reveal her identity and perform a miracle “so that all may believe.” came to pass. On the last appearance to the Shepherd children on October 13th the Blessed Virgin Mary revealed that she was Our Lady of the Rosary. The Blessed Virgin Mary asked for frequent recitation of the Rosary, penance, greater devotion to her Immaculate Heart, prayers for the conversion of Russia, and a church building in her honor. On the climax of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s appearances on October 13th about 30,000 to 50,000 people witnessed a miracle of the sun sinning as if out of control, a celestial phenomenon took place, the sun seemed to tumble from the sky and crash toward earth. The children had been forewarned of it as early as May 13th, the first apparition. The large crowd that had gathered around the children saw the phenomenon and came away astounded.

Official recognition of the “visions” which the children had at the Cova da Iria came on October 13, 1930, when the bishop of Leiria – after long inquiry – authorized the cult of Our Lady of the Rosary at the site. The two younger children had died, Francisco and Jacinta Marto died in the global flu pandemic that began in 1918 and swept the world for two years. Francisco (who saw the apparition but did not hear the words) died at home on April 4, 1919 at the age of ten, and his sister Jacinta died at the age of nine in Queen Stephanie’s Children’s Hospital in Lisbon on February 20, 1920. Their mother Olímpia Marto said that her children predicted their deaths many times to her and to curious pilgrims in the brief period after the Marian apparitions. They are now buried at the Sanctuary of Fátima. They were beatified by Pope John Paul II on May 13, 2000 and canonized by Pope Francis on May 13, 2017. Sister Lucia died on February 13, 2005, at her Carmelite convent in Coimbra, Portugal, after a long illness. Devotion to Our Lady of Fatima was authorized by Pope Pius XI in 1930, and the request for prayers for the conversion of Russia was carried by Pope Pius XII in 1952. The feast of Our Lady of Fatima was inserted into the Roman Missal authorized by Pope John Paul II in 2002.

PRAYER: God, You established the Mother of Your Son to be also our Mother. Grant that we may persevere in penance and prayer for the salvation of the world and so more effectively promote the Kingdom of Christ. Amen 🙏🏽

OUR LADY OF THE MOST BLESSED SACRAMENT: Today is the traditional commemoration of Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament. This title was given to our Blessed Mother in May 1868 by Saint Peter Julian Eymard to honor her relationship to the Holy Eucharist and to place her before us as a model in our duties and devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. This title of our Blessed Mother Mary penetrates the mystery itself of the Eucharist, and when well understood, manifests to us the most important part granted to Mary in the economy of the Holy Eucharist. If we have thoroughly seized St. Pierre Eymard’s thought we understand that she is, first, the Mother of Jesus, giving to the Word her most pure blood, which was changed on the day of the Incarnation into His own Body, into His own Blood, in order to consecrate it later, on the night of the Last Supper, into His Sacrament of Love.

Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament is Mary receiving in quality of universal dispensatrix of grace, the full and absolute disposition of the Eucharist and the graces that It contains, because this Sacrament is the most efficacious means of salvation, the fruit par excellence of the Redemption of Jesus Christ. To her, consequently, it belongs to make Jesus in the Sacrament known and loved; to her it belongs to spread the Eucharist throughout the world, to multiply churches, to raise them in infidel lands, and to defend faith in the Eucharist against heretics and the impious; to her it belongs to prepare souls for Communion, to rouse them to make frequent visits to Jesus, and to assist zealously at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. She is the treasure-house of all the graces comprised in the Eucharist, both those that prepare the soul for It and those that flow from It.

PRAYER: Hail Mary,  Full of Grace, The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.  Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death. Amen🙏🏽

Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament ~ Pray for us🙏🏽

SAINT JOHN THE SILENT, BISHOP: St. John (454-558) was Bishop of Colonia in Palestine and a hermit. He was born in 454 AD in Nicopolis, Armenia. He came from a family of mainly generals and governors. His parents died when he was 18 and he built a monastery where he stayed with 10 young monks. Under St. John’s direction, they led a life of hard work and devotion. St. John built a reputation for leadership and sanctity, which led the archbishop of Sebaste to consecrate him bishop of Colonia in Armenia. He was only 28 at the time and had no desire for such a role. Nevertheless, he held the post of bishop for nine years. In 490, however, St. John went to Constantinople to secure the emperor’s intervention to quell a local persecution. Having accomplished his mission, he did not return to Colonia, but seeking to return to a life of seclusion went to Jerusalem. His biographer says that while St. John was praying one night, he saw a bright cross form in the air and heard a voice say to him, “If thou desirest to be saved, follow this light.” He saw the light move and point to the monastery of St. Sabas. At 38 years old he joined the monastery, which held 150 monks. Around 494, St. Sabas let St. John have a separate hermitage for uninterrupted contemplation. For five days a week he fasted and never left his cell but on Saturdays and Sundays he went to public Mass. After three years of this he was made the steward of the monastery. St. John had never told anyone he had been bishop, so after four years St. Sabas thought St. John was worthy to become a priest and presented him to the patriarch Elias of Jerusalem. They traveled to Calvary for the ordination but upon their arrival St. John requested a private audience with the patriarch. St. John said, “Holy Father, I have something to impart to you in private; after which, if you judge me worthy, I will receive holy orders.” They spoke in private after a promise of secrecy. “Father, I have been ordained bishop; but on account of the multitude of my sins have fled, and am come into this desert to wait the visit of the Lord.” The patriarch was startled but told St. Sabas, “I desire to be excused from ordaining this man, on account of some particulars he has revealed to me.” St. Sabas was afraid St. John had committed a crime and after he prayed God revealed the truth to him. St. Sabas complained to St. John about keeping the secret from him and St. John wanted to leave the monastery. St. Sabas convinced him to stay by promising to keep his secret. St. John stayed in his cell for four years, speaking to no one except the person who brought him necessities.

In 503 AD certain turbulent disciples forced St. Sabas to leave his monastery. St. John moved to a nearby wilderness where he spent six years in silence, conversing only with God and eating only wild roots and herbs. He remained in the desert six years. When St. Sabas returned to his community, he found St. John and convinced him to move back to the monastery. St. John had become used to speaking only with God and found only bitterness and emptiness in anything else. He treasured obscurity and humility so he wanted to live unknown to men but was unable to do so. He returned with St. Sabas and lived in his cell for forty years. During this time he did not turn people away who desired his instruction. One of these people was Cyril of Scythopolis who wrote about St. John’s life. The two men first met when St. John was ninety and Cyril was sixteen. Cyril had asked him what to do with his life and St. John recommended he join the Laura of St. Euthymius but Cyril did not listen. Instead, he went to a small monastery on the bank of the River Jordan. He fell ill there and deeply regretted not listening to St. John. While there, St. John appeared to him in a dream and after scolding him for not obeying said that if he returned to St. Euthymius’ monastery, he would get well and find his salvation. The next day he did so and was well again. St. John died in 558 AD at the age of 104. He lived in solitude for 76 years, interrupted only for the 9 years he was bishop.

St. John the Silent, Bishop ~ Pray for us🙏🏽

SAINT ANDREW HUBERT FOURNET, PRIEST: St. Andrew Hubert Fournet (1752-1834) was born into a devout and wealthy family near Poitiers, France, in 1752, St. Andrew was bored by religious and life in general throughout his early years. Undisciplined and frivolous, he got into one scrape after another as a child. Later, he ran away from school and still later dallied with the idea of becoming a soldier while he was in the process of studying law! However, with he aid of a country uncle who happened to be a priest, Andrew threw off yoke of his devilment and discovered that a vocation to the priesthood lay underneath. After his ordination, the Saint returned to his native village as the local curate but still infected with a worldliness that was recognized and mocked by his parishioners an their form of address to him. Once again Divine Providence intervened through the causal criticism of a beggar to whom Andrew had refused alms. Suddenly, he came to the realization that his way of life was not at all in accord with the spirit of the Gospel. He sold all his possessions, did away with all his petty pretensions, and lived an extremely simple life—even his manner of speech became simple.

During the French Revolution, Andrew refused to swear allegiance to the revolutionary government and ministered to the people in secret. In 1792, he was prevailed upon by his Bishop to leave for Spain, but he returned five years later and tended in secret to the people’s spiritual needs. With the coming of Napoleon to power, peace was restored and strove to rekindle the people’s faith through mission, preaching, and confessions. In 1806, with the aid of St. Elizabeth Bichier the holy priest founded the Congregation of the Daughters of the Cross, whose rule he formulated. Aimed directly at the care of the sick and the education of the young, this Congregation played a large part in the renewal of religion in France after Revolution. Though retiring from his parish in 1820, St. Andrew continued to direct the sisters till his death on May 13, 1834. More than once he miraculously multiplied food for the sisters and those in their care.

PRAYER: God, You taught Your Church to observe all the heavenly commandments in the love of God. Help us to practice works of charity in imitation of Your Priest, St. Andrew, and merit to be numbered among the blessed in Your Kingdom. Amen🙏🏽

SAINT JULIANA OF NORWICH, RELIGIOUS: St. Juliana (1342–1416), also known as Juliana of Norwich, Dame Julian or Mother Julian, was an English anchoress of the Middle Ages, a Benedictine nun who lived as a recluse in Norwich, England. Little is known of her life with certainty before she became an anchoress. St. Julian was born around 1342 and lived as an anchoress near the Church of St. Julian in Norwich, England. At the age of 30 she was suddenly struck by a severe illness which almost took her life. During this illness she received a series of visions of Jesus Christ in sixteen separate revelations. When she recovered from her illness the visions stopped. Fifteen years later, Our Lord appeared to her to give her the meaning of her visions. St. Julian wrote her visions down in a book called Revelations of Divine Love, the earliest surviving book in the English language known to have been written by a woman. After these revelations she began to live a solitary life as an anchoress in a little cell built into the wall at the church of St. Julian in Norwich, not far from London. 

During her life the Church was in schism, and England was caught in a long war with France. The book contains a message of optimism based on the certainty of being loved by God and of being protected by his Providence. She received visitors to her cell and gave them guidance on the spiritual life, becoming a spiritual mother to many. St. Julian is an important medieval mystic whose response to the problem of evil is cited in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. She is most known for her book, Revelations of Divine Love, which contains sixteen revelations she received while in an ecstatic trance, is still in print. She meditated on, spoke on, and wrote on the power of love of evil, Christ’s Passion, and the nature of the Trinity. In her early 60s she shut herself in complete seclusion at Conisford, Norwich, and never left again. St. Juliana died after 1416 in  Norwich, England. Because she was never formally beatified or canonized, she is not included in the Roman Martyrology but popular piety sees her as a holy woman of God, and so often refer to her as Mother, Saint or Blessed Julian.

St.. Juliana of Norwich, Religious ~ Pray for us🙏🏽