30th June. Commemoration of St Paul, Apostle

Commemoration of St. Paul, Apostle

"The Tiber on entering Rome," writes an ancient poet, "salutes the Basilica of St. Peter and, on leaving it, that of St. Paul. The heavenly door-keeper has built his sacred abode at the gates of the eternal city wich is an image of heaven. On the opposite side, the ramparts of the city are protected by Paul's portico: Rome is between the two." With Peter, the new Moses, leader of the new Israel, is associated Paul, the new Aaron, more eloquent than the first, chosen in his mother's womb to announce to the Gentiles the riches of the grace of Christ (Collect, Gradual, Epistle).

Scio cui credidi, et certus sum, quia potens est depositum meum servare in illum diem, justus judex. * Domine, probasti me, et cognovisti me: tu cognovisti sessionem meam et resurrectionem meam.
I know whom I have believed, and I am certain that He is able to keep that which I have committed to Him against that day; being a just judge. * Lord, Thou hast proved me and known me: Thou hast known my sitting down, and my rising up.
(2 Tim. 1:12 and Psalm 138:1-2 from the Introit of Mass)

Deus, qui multitudinem gentium beati Pauli Apostoli praedicatione docuisti: da nobis, quaesumus; ut, cujus natalitia colimus, ejus apud te patrocinia sentiamus.
O God, who didst teach the multitude of the Gentiles by the preaching of blessed Paul the apostle; grant, we beseech Thee, that we who celebrate his heavenly birthday, may also enjoy his patronage with Thee. (Collect)

Lesson from the Epistle of blessed Paul the Apostle to the Galatians.
Brethren, I give you to understand that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For neither did I receive it of man, nor did I learn it; but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion: how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it; and I made progress in the Jews' religion above many of my equals in my own nation, being more abundantly zealous for the traditions of my fathers. But when it pleased Him, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, immediately I condescended not to flesh and blood. Neither went I to Jerusalem to the apostles who were before me: but I went into Arabia, and again I returned to Damascus. Then, after three years, I went to Jerusalem to. see Peter, and I tarried with him fifteen days; but other of the apostles I saw none, saving James the brother of the Lord. Now the things which I write to you, behold before God I lie not.
(Galatians 1:11-20)

29th June, The Holy Apostles Peter and Paul

The Holy Apostles Peter and Paul

To-day the whole Church rejoices, for "God has consecrated this day by the martyrdom of the apostles Peter and Paul" (Collect). In both the grand basilicas erected at Rome over the tombs "of these two princes who by the cross and the sword have obtained their seat in the eternal senate," this double martyrdom was celebrated. Later, on account of the distance which separates the two churches the festival was divided, St. Peter being more specially honoured on June 29th and St. Paul on June 30th.

St. Peter, bishop of Rome, is the vicar, that is to say the visible representative of Christ. As is shown in the Preface, Alleluia, Gospel, Offertory and Communion, the Jews had rejected Jesus. They also rejected His successor (Epistle). Displacing the religious centre of the world, St. Peter then left Jerusalem for Rome which became the eternal city and the seat of the Popes.

St. Peter, the first pope, speaks in the name of Christ who has communicated to him His doctrine of infallibility. He is not guided by flesh and blood, but by the heavenly Father who does not permit the gates of hell to prevail against the Church of which he is the foundation (Gospel).

St. Peter on receiving the keys is placed at the head of the "kingdom of heaven" upon earth, that is to say the Church, and he reigns in the name of Christ who has invested him with His power and supreme authority (Gospel).

The names of St. Peter and St. Paul head the names of the apostles in the Canon of the Mass (first list).

With "the Church which did not cease praying to God for St. Peter" (Epistle), let us pray for his successor "the servant of God, our Holy Father the Pope" (Canon of the Mass).

Nunc scio vere, quia misit Dominus Angelum suum: et eripuit me de manu Herodis, et de omni exspectatione plebis Judaeorum. * Domine, probasti me, et cognovisti me : tu cognovisti sessionem meam, et resurrectionem meam.
Now I know in very deed, that the Lord hath sent His angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews. * Lord, Thou hast proved me, and known me: Thou hast known my sitting down, and my rising up.
(Acts 12:9 and Psalm 138:1-2 from the introit of Mass)

Deus, qui hodiernam diem Apostolorum tuorum Petri et Pauli martyrio consecrasti: da Ecclesiae tuae, eorum in omnibus sequi praeceptum, per quos religionis sumpsit exordium.
O God, who hast made holy this day with the martyrdom of Thine apostles Peter and Paul; grant that Thy Church may in all things follow the precepts of those from whom it first received the faith.

(Collect)

Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Matthew.

At that time, Jesus came into the quarters of Caesarea Philippi, and He asked His disciples, saying: Whom do men say that the Son of man is ? But they said: Some, John the Baptist, and other some Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets. Jesus saith to them: But whom do you say that I am? Simon Peter answered, and said: Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answering, said to him: Blessed art Thou, Simon Bar-Jona, because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but My Father who is in heaven: and I say to thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it; and I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.

(St Matthew 16:13-19)

From the Catholic Encyclopaedia, on St Peter: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11744a.htm

On St Paul: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11567b.htm

28th June, The Vigil of the Feast of SS. Peter and Paul

The Vigil of the Feast of SS. Peter and Paul

The Church celebrates to-morrow the feast of the two apostles who are the two foundations on which she is solidly established (Collect). "The rigour to which a people subjects itself by certain days of preparation," writes Dom Gueranger, " is a mark of the faith which it has preserved, showing that it understands the greatness of the object proposed by the holy Liturgy for its worship."

Peter raised to his cross (Introit, Gospel), like Christ rises above the world. He seals in his blood his confession of faith (Gospel of to-morrow) and love (Gospel) in Jesus, and henceforth it will be in His name (Ibid.) and as His vicar that he will be king of souls.

Paul, by sharing his labours and martyrdom, shares his kingship and his triumph.

Dicit Dominus Petro: Cum esses junior, cingebas te, et ambulabas ubi volebas: cum autem senueris, extendes manus tuas, et alius te cinget, et ducet quo tu non vis: hoc autem dixit, significans qua morte clarificaturus esset Deum.  Caeli enarrant gloriam Dei: et opera manuum ejus annuntiat firmamentum.

The Lord saith to Peter: When thou wast younger, thou didst gird thyself, and didst walk where thou wouldst: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and lead thee whither thou wouldst not: and this He said, signifying by what death he should glorify God. *The heavens show forth the glory of God: and the firmament declareth the works of His hands.

(St John 21:18-19 and Psalm 18:1 from the introit of Mass)

Praesta, quaesumus, omnipotens Deus: ut nullis nos permittas perturbationibus concuti, quos in apostolicae confessionis petra solidasti.

We beseech Thee, almighty God, that Thou suffer no disturbance to shake us, whom Thou hast founded as on a rock on the confession of Thine apostles.

(Collect)

From the Catholic Encyclopaedia on the Eves of Feasts: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05647a.htm

28th June, St. Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr

St. Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr

Towards the end of the second century when gnostic sects endeavoured to undermine the basis of the Christian religion, God raised up St. Irenaeus to oppose them. "He granted him the grace to destroy the heresies by the truth of his doctrine" (Collect).

Succeeding St. Pothinus in the See of Lyons in 177, St. Irenaeus "preached in season and out of season" as St. Paul prescribes (Epistle) and constituted himself defender of Christ (Gospel) and of His Spouse. "The Church," he declares, "disseminated throughout the world, to the extremities of the earth, professes the faith she has received from the apostles, who themselves received it from the Son of God." This Church has its centre at Rome. "With her, every church must be in agreement because of her primacy: for through the succession of Roman pontiffs the apostolic tradition of the Church has come down to us ."

An ardent apologist, St. Irenaeus was also a profound theologian. He has been called the father of the Catholic theology and the golden link binding the spirit of the Gospel to the doctrine of the Fathers. With his ears still full of the last echoes of apostolic teaching (Alleluia), he was the first to write a reasoned summary of our faith. His treatise: "False doctrine unmasked and refuted" also called "Against heresies" gave the death blow to the gnostic heresy.

St. Jerome gives him the glorious title of Martyr. He died, as is believed, during the persecution of Septimus Severus in 202. Benedict XV extended his feast to the universal Church.

Lex veritatis fuit in ore ejus, et iniquitas non est inventa in labiis ejus: in pace, et in aequitate ambulavit mecum, et multos avertit ab iniquitate. * Attendite, popule meus, legem meam: inclinate aurem vestram in verba oris mei.
The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace, and in equity, and turned many away from iniquity. * Attend, O My people, to My law: incline your ear to the words of My mouth.
Malachias 2:6 and Psalm 77:1 from the introit of mass)

Deus, qui beato Irenaeo Martyri tuo atque Pontifici tribuisti, ut et veritate doctrinae expugnaret haereses, et pacem Ecclesiae feliciter confirmaret: da, quaesumus, plebi tuae in sancta religione constantiam; et pacem tuam nostris concede temporibus.
O God, who didst grant that blessed Irenaeus, Thy martyr and bishop, should both overcome heresy by the truth of his doctrine, and establish peace in Thy Church: give unto Thy people, we beseech Thee, constancy in their holy religion, and grant us Thy peace in our days.
(Collect)

From the Catholic Encyclopaedia: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08130b.htm

27th June, Our Lady of Perpetual Succour

Our Lady of Perpetual Succour
(pro diversibus locis)

The picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour is painted on wood, with background of gold. It is Byzantine in style and is supposed to have been painted in the thirteenth century. It represents the Mother of God holding the Divine Child while the Archangels Michael and Gabriel present before Him the instruments of His Passion. Over the figures in the picture are some Greek letters which form the abbreviated words Mother of God, Jesus Christ, Archangel Michael, and Archangel Gabriel respectively. It was brought to Rome towards the end of the fifteenth century by a pious merchant, who, dying there, ordered by his will that the picture should be exposed in a church for public veneration. It was exposed in the church of San Matteo, Via Merulana, between St. Mary Major and St. John Lateran. Crowds flocked to this church, and for nearly three hundred years many graces were obtained through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin. The picture was then popularly called the Madonna di San Matteo. The church was served for a time by the Hermits of St. Augustine, who had sheltered their Irish brethren in their distress. These Augustinians were still in charge when the French invaded Rome (1812) and destroyed the church. The picture disappeared; it remained hidden and neglected for over forty years, but a series of providential circumstances between 1863 and 1865 led to its discovery in an oratory of the Augustinian Fathers at Santa Maria in Posterula.

The pope, Pius IX, who as a boy had prayed before the picture in San Matteo, became interested in the discovery and in a letter dated 11 Dec., 1865 to Father General Mauron, C.SS.R., ordered that Our Lady of Perpetual Succour should be again publicly venerated in Via Merulana, and this time at the new church of St. Alphonsus. The ruins of San Matteo were in the grounds of the Redemptorist Convent. This was but the first favour of the Holy Father towards the picture. He approved of the solemn translation of the picture (26 April, 1866), and its coronation by the Vatican Chapter (23 June, 1867). He fixed the feast as duplex secundae classis, on the Sunday before the Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, and by a decree dated May, 1876, approved of a special office and Mass for the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. This favour later on was also granted to others. Learning that the devotion to Our Lady under this title had spread far and wide, Pius IX raised a confraternity of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour and St. Alphonsus, which had been erected in Rome, to the rank of an arch-confraternity and enriched it with many privileges and indulgences. He was amongst the first to visit the picture in its new home, and his name is the first in the register of the arch-confraternity. Two thousand three hundred facsimiles of the Holy Picture have been sent from St. Alphonsus's church in Rome to every part of the world. At the present day not only altars, but churches and dioceses (e.g. in England, Leeds and Middlesborough; in the United States Savannah) are dedicated to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour. In some places, as in the United States the title has been translated Our Lady of Perpetual Help.


(From the Catholic Encyclopaedia)


Mary from thy Sacred Image
with those eyes so sadly sweet
Mother of Perpetual Succour
see us kneeling at thy feet.

In thine arms thy Child thou bearest;
Source of all thy joy and woe;
What thy bliss, how deep thy sorrows,
Mother thou alone canst know.

On thy face He is not gazing,
Nor on us is turned His glance
For His anxious look He fixes
On the Cross and Reed and Lance.

To thy hands His hands are clinging
As a child would cling in fear,
Of that vision of the torments
Of His Passion drawing near.

And for Him thine eyes are pleading
While to us they look and cry:
"Sinners spare my Child your Saviour,
seek not still to crucify."

Yes, we hear thy words sweet Mother,
But poor sinners we are weak;
At thy feet thy helpless children
Thy Perpetual Succour seek.

Succour us in clouds of sadness;
Hide the light of heaven above;
Hope expires and faith scares lingers;
And we dare not think we love.

In that hour of gloom and peril,
Show to us thy radiant face,
Smiling down from thy loved Image,
Rays of cheering light and grace.

Succour us when stormy passion,
Sudden rise within the heart.
Quell the tempest, calm the billows,
Peace secure to us impart.

Through this life of weary exile
Succour us in every need;
And when death shall come to free us,
Succour us ah! then indeed.

27th June, Within the Octave of St. John the Baptist

Within the Octave of St. John the Baptist

The Church, honouring the saints in proportion to the part they played in the mystery of the Incarnation of the Word, gives to St. John a special place.

Each day in the Mass, as well as at the Confiteor, at the Suscipe and at the Nobis quoque peccatoribus, the name of St. John the Baptist precedes that of the apostles. Is is the same in the Litany of the Saints. His feast immediately precedes that of the apostles St. Peter and St. Paul. By ending the mission of the prophets and commencing that of the apostles, he is the link between the Old and the New Testament.

Let us, also, give to St. John the Baptist the place of honour which is due to him in our worship of the saints. The worship must, indeed, be hierarchically ordered so that we may never forget that Jesus is the principal author of our redemption, and that the saints are more or less great as they are more or less united to Him as secondary instruments.

The feast of the nativity of St. John the Baptist falls in the season when the Cycle shows us the Church which, as this saint foretold, was born in the baptism of the Holy Ghost and of fire at Pentecost, and goes on continually developing herself. It is, indeed, to the holy Precursor that she owes it to have known Jesus, the Spouse that makes her the fruitful mother of many souls.

As with the Jews, a friend was the intermediary between the bride and the spouse and prepared the wedding-feast, St. John is called in the Gospel the " friend of the Spouse". It is he whom God has chosen to prepare for the Lord, by his preaching and baptism of penance, a perfect people. And after having adorned the bride, he presents the Spouse to her. " John was the man sent as a witness so that through him all should believe in Jesus."

Jesus comes to him in the waters of the Jordan and at this divine contact the water acquired the virtue which in baptism causes our souls to be born to supernatural life. As St. John baptizes Christ in the Jordan, he hears the voice of the Father proclaiming that Jesus is His well-beloved Son. He sees the Holy Ghost hovering over him in the form of a dove and he reveals that Jesus is "the Lamb of God".

Let us remember that after having baptized the Master, the one who is called John the Baptizer has also presided over our own christening, for all the baptistries (particularly that of St. John Lateran in Rome) are dedicated to him, and his image is to be used for the adornment of baptismal fonts. Having thus been brought by him to Jesus, let us also through St. John approach the Eucharist, reciting the words of the Agnus Dei, by which he indicated the Saviour.

Mass as on the feast-day.

Hymn for the Feast of St John the Baptist

1. Ut queant laxis resonare fibris
Mira gestorum Famuli tuorum
Solve polluti Labii reatum
Sancte Joannes.

2. Nuntius celso veniens Olympo,
Te patri magnum fore nasciturum,
Nomen, et vitae seriem gerendae
Ordine promit.

3. Ille promissi dubius superni,
Perdidit promptae modulos loquelae:
Sed reformasti genitus peremptae
Organa vocis.

4. Ventris obstruso recubans cubili
Senseras Regem thalamo manentem:
Hinc parens nati meritis uterque
Abdita pandit.

5. Sit decus Patri, genitaeque Proli,
Et tibi compar utriusque virtus,
Spiritus semper, Deus unus, omni
Temporis aevo.
Amen.

1. Unloose, great Baptist, our sin-fettered lips;
That with enfranchis'd voice we may proclaim
The miracles of thy transcendent life,
Thy deeds of matchless fame.

2. Oh, lot sublime! an angel quits the skies,
Thy birth, thy name, thy glory to declare
Unto thy priestly sire; while to the Lord He offers
Israel's prayer.

3. Mistrustful of the promise from on high,
His speech forsakes him at the angel's word;
But thou on thine eighth day dost re-attune
For him the vocal chord.

4. No marvel; since yet cloister'd in the womb,
The presence of Thy King had thee inspir'd;
What time Elizabeth and Mary sang
With joy prophetic fir'd.

5. Immortal glory to the Father be,
With his Almighty sole-begotten Son,
And Thee, co-equal Spirit, One in Three,
While endless ages run.
Amen.

26th June, SS John and Paul, Martyrs

SS John and Paul, Martyrs

The two brothers John and Paul were Romans and in the service of Constantia, daughter of Constantine. Julian the Apostate, having invited them to be among his familiar friends, they refused, so as to remain faithful to Jesus.

Ten days were allowed them to deliberate, and they used them in distributing all they possessed to the poor. They were then arrested and "without fearing those who can only kill the body and beyond that can do nothing more" (Gospel), they became in 362, brothers more than ever, by the same faith and the same martyrdom (Collect, Gradual, Alleluia). The Church compares them "to the two olive-trees and to the two candlesticks, mentioned in the Apocalypse, which shine before the Lord." "These just men," she adds "have stood before the Lord and have not been separated from one another." Wherefore both their names, mentioned in the Canon of the Mass (first list) pass on from generation to generation, while their bodies rest in peace (Epistle) in the ancient church erected in their honour on Mount Coelius at Rome. It is there that the Station is held on the Friday after Ash Wednesday.

Let us enjoy to-day with the Church, the double triumph of SS. John and Paul (Collect) and let us, like them, courageously confess Jesus before men so that He may recognize us for His own before His angels (Gospel).

Multae tribulationes justorum, et de his omnibus liberavit eos Dominus: Dominus custodit omnia ossa eorum: unum ex his non conteretur. * Benedicam Dominum in omni tempore: semper laus ejus in ore meo.

Many were the afflictions of the just, and out of all these the Lord hath delivered them: the Lord keepeth all their bones; not one of them shall be broken. * I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall be always in my mouth.

(Psalm 33:20-21,2 from the Introit of Mass)

Quaesumus, omnipotens Deus: ut nos geminata laetitia hodiernae festivitatis excipiat, quae de beatorum Joannis et Pauli glorificatione procedit; quos eadem fides et passio vere fecit esse germanos.

Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty God, that we may receive twofold joy on this day's festival of the triumph of blessed John and Paul, whom the same faith and martyrdom made truly brethren.

(Collect)

In the Divine Office, there are proper antiphons for the psalms at Lauds and Vespers:

Paulus et Joannes dixerunt Juliano: Nos unum Deum colimus, qui fecit coelum et terram.
John and Paul said unto Julian, We worship one God, who hath made heaven and earth.

Paulus et Joannes dixerunt Terentiano: Si tuus dominus est Julianus, habeto pacem cum illo: nobis alius non est, nisi Dominus Jesus Christus.
John and Paul said unto Terentian, If thy lord be Julian, keep thou at peace with him, but as for us, we have no other lord than the Lord Jesus Christ.

Joannes et Paulus, agnoscentes tyrannidem Juliani, facultates suas pauperibus erogare coeperunt.
John and Paul, when they had heard the tyrannous command of Julian, began to disperse abroad their goods among the poor.

Sancti spíritus et animae justorum, hymnum dícite Deo, alleluja.
O ye holy spirits, ye souls of the righteous, sing ye a hymn unto God, alleluia.

Joannes et Paulus dixerunt ad Gallicanum: Fac votum Deo coeli, et eris victor melius quam fuísti.
John and Paul said unto Gallican, Make thy vow unto the God of heaven, and thou shalt be yet a greater conqueror than ever thou hast been heretofore.

From the Catholic Encyclopaedia: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08443a.htm