31st May, St. Angela Merici, Virgin

St. Angela Merici, Virgin

Born at Desenzano, on the Lake of Garda, of pious parents, Angela, from her childhood, ever tried to please Jesus, the Spouse of her soul (Epistle, Gospel, Communion). She adopted the rule of the Third Order of St. Francis and united evangelical poverty to the merit of virginity. She "loved justice and hated iniquity" (Introit) and subjected her body to the severest austerities to atone for the sins of the world. "The disorders of society," she used to say, "are caused by those in families; there are few Christian mothers, because the education of young girls is neglected." In consequence of a vision she successfully formed, in 1535, in the Church, a new society of holy virgins (Collect). Its object being the Christian education of youth, she placed it under the patronage of St. Ursula, the chief of an army of virgins. She died in 1540 at Brescia with the name of Jesus on her lips.

Dilexisti justitiam, et odisti iniquitatem: properea unxit te Deus, Deus tuus, oleo laetitiae prae consortibus tuis. * Eructavit cor meum verbum bonum: dico ego opera mea Regi.

Thou hast loved justice and hated iniquity: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. * My heart hath uttered a good word: I speak my works to the King.

(Psalm 44:8,2 from the Introit of Mass)

Deus, qui novum per beatam Angelam sacrarum virginum collegium in Ecclesia tua florescere voluisti; da nobis, ejus intercessione, angelicis moribus vivere; ut, terrenis omnibus abdicatis, gaudiis perfrui mereamur aeternis.
O God, who through blessed Angela didst cause a new society of holy virgins to flourish in Thy Church; grant through her intercession, that living angelic lives, and by detaching our hearts from earthly joys, we may merit to enjoy those that are eternal.
(Collect)

From the Catholic Encyclopaedia: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01481a.htm