5th September, St. Laurence Justinian, Bishop, Confessor

St. Laurence Justinian, Bishop, Confessor

St. Laurence, born in Venice in the 15th century, of the illustrious family of Giustiniani, preferred the severe austerities of the cloister to a glorious alliance arranged for him by his mother. Looking at a crucifix, he exclaimed: "It is Thou, O Lord, who art my hope and in Thee is consolation and strength." He then entered among the Canons of St. George of Alga.

All his life, he practised the greatest austerity and it was chiefly in assiduous prayer that he was inflamed with ardent love for God and devotion to his neighbour. He was called by Eugenius IV to share in the full power of Christ's priesthood: he was made patriarch of Grado, but transferring the see to Venice in 1451, he became the first patriarch of this city. He died in 1455, saying: "I am going to Thee, O good Jesus."

Statuit ei Dominus testamentum pacis, et principem fecit eum: ut sit illi sacerdotii dignitas in aeternum. * Memento Domine David et omnis mansuetudinis ejus.
The Lord made to him a covenant of peace, and made him a prince; that the dignity of the priesthood should be to him for ever. * O Lord, remember David: and all his meekness.
(Ecclus. 45:30 and Psalm 131:1. From the Introit at Mass).

Da, quǽsumus, omnípotens Deus: ut beáti Laurentii Confessóris tui atque Pontíficis veneránda sollémnitas, et devotiónem nobis áugeat et salútem.

From the Catholic Encyclopaedia: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09091a.htm

Prayer to St Pius X

O God Who, for the defense of the Catholic faith and the restoration of all things in Christ, filled St. Pius, the Supreme Pontiff, with heavenly wisdom and apostolic fearlessness, mercifully grant that, by following his teachings and examples, we may receive Your eternal rewards. Through the same Jesus Christ, thy Son, Our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

(Collect from the Mass of St. Pius X, September 3)

3rd September, St Pius X, Pope

3rd September, St Pius X, Pope


Joseph Sarto was born at Riese, a small village in Venetia, on June 2, 1835, in humble circumstances. He was successively curate, parish priest, Bishop of Mantua, Patriarch of Venice - offices to which his keen intelligence, hard work and great piety caused him to be quickly promoted. He was elected Pope on August 4, 1903, and took the name of Pius X. As chief pastor of the Church he displayed untiring self-sacrifice and great energy. He was an intrepid defender of the purity of Christian doctrine. He realized to the full the value of the liturgy as the prayer of the Church, and the solid basis that it furnishes for the devotion of Christian people. He worked for the restoration of the worship of the Church, especially plainchant, so that Christian people, as he put it, "might find beauty in their public prayer". He spared no effort to propagate the practice, so great an aid to holiness, of early, frequent and daily Communion. He died on August 20, 1914 and was canonized on May 29, 1954. 

Extuli electum de populo, oleo sancto meo unxi eum: ut manus mea sit semper cum eo, et bracchium meum confirm et eum. * Gratias Domini in seternum cantabo: per omnes generationes annuntiabo fidelitatem tuam ore meo.
I have raised up the chosen one from the people; with My holy oil I have anointed him, that My hand may be always with him, and that My arm may make him strong.* The favours of the Lord I will sing forever; through all generations my mouth shall proclaim Thy faithfulness.
(Ps 88:20-22, and 2, from the Introit of Mass)

Deus, qui ad tuéndam cathólicam fidem, et univérsa in Christo instauránda sanctum Pium, Summum Pontíficem, caelésti sapiéntia et apostólica fortitúdine replevísti: concéde propítius; ut, eius institúta et exémpla sectántes, praemia consequámur aetérna.
O God, for the defence of the Catholic faith and to restore all things in Christ, Thou didst fill Saint Pius, the supreme Pontiff, with heavenly wisdom and apostolic strength; mercifully grant, that following his teaching and example, we may attain to our eternal reward.
(Collect)

Wikipedia on St Pius X: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Pius_X

2nd September, St Stephen of Hungary, King and Confessor

2nd September, St Stephen of Hungary, King and Confessor


A descendant of those proud and terrible invaders, the Huns, Stephen was chosen by God to win over his subjects to Christ and His vicar. He was given the baptismal name of Stephen, in consequence of his mother having a vision of the Martyr St. Stephen, who foretold her that he would convert Hungary, whose first king he became when the Pope had raised the country into a kingdom. Having married the sister of the Emperor St. Henry, he surrounded himself, to govern his kingdom, with men of tried holiness and prudence. He passed entire nights in the contemplation of heavenly things (Introit), practised the greatest austerities, and seconded by the queen, his pious spouse, gave abundant alms (Epistle) to widows, and churches. The greatness of his zeal for the propagation of the faith justly won for him the title of Apostolic King or of Apostle of Hungary, and deservedly obtained for him from the Holy See the privilege, transmitted to his successors, to have the cross borne before him. He built a large basilica in honour of Mary, whom he proclaimed Patroness of Hungary. "His zeal in propagating and strengthening the faith in his kingdom earned for him the glory of a heavenly crown" (Postcommunion). He died in 1038 on the "Day of the great Lady," as the feast of the Assumption was called by the Hungarians, in virtue of an edict of the holy king.

Os justi meditabitur sapientiam, et lingua ejus loquetur judicium: lex Dei ejus in corde ipsius. * Noli aemulari in malignantibus: neque zelaveris facientes iniquitatem.
The mouth of the just shall meditate wisdom, and his tongue shall speak judgement: the law of his God is in his heart. * Be not emulous of evildoers: nor envy them that work iniquity.
(Psalm 36:30-31 and 1 from the Introit of Mass)

Concede, quaesumus, Ecclesiae tuae, omnipotens Deus: ut beatum Stephanum Confessorem tuum, quem regnantem in terris propagatorem habuit, propugnatorem habere mereatur gloriosum in caelis.
O almighty God, whose Church, while he ruled upon earth, possessed in blessed Stephen, Thy confessor, a mighty promoter; grant that she may yet find in him a glorious defender in heaven.
(Collect)

From the Catholic Encyclopaedia on St Stephen of Hungary: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14287a.htm

The Fourteen Auxiliary Saints

The Fourteen Auxiliary Saints

The name of "Auxiliary Saints" is given to a group of fourteen saints particularly noted for the efficacy of their intercession. They were often represented together. They are to be recognized:

1. St. George (April 23), by the dragon he strikes down. He is invoked against herpetic diseases. He is, with St. Sebastian and St. Maurice, the patron of soldiers.

2. St. Blaise (February 3), by his two candles crossed. He is invoked against diseases of the throat.

3. St. Erasmus (June 2), by entrails wound round a windlass. He is invoked against diseases of the stomach. He is the patron of mariners and seamen.

4. St. Pantaleon (July 27), by his nailed hands. Invoked against consumption. He is, with St. Luke and SS. Cosmas and Damian, patron of medical men.

5. St. Vitus (or Guy) (June 15), by his cross. Invoked against chorea (St. Vitus's dance), lethargy, the bite cf venomous or mad beasts.

6. St. Christopher (July 25), by the Infant Jesus he bears. He is invoked in storms, tempests, plagues, and for the avoidance of accidents in travelling. (Blessing of motorcars.)

7. St. Denis (October 9), by his head which he holds in his hands. Invoked for people possessed of devils.

8. St. Cyriacus (August 8), by his deacon's vestments. Invoked against diseases of the eye and diabolical possession.

9. St. Acathius (May 8), by his crown of thorns. Invoked against headaches.

10. St. Eustace (September 20), by his stag and hunting equipement. Invoked for preservation from fire, eternal or temporal.

11. St. Giles (September 1), by his Benedictine cowl and his hind. Invoked against panic, epilepsy, madness, nocturnal terrors.

12. St. Margaret (July 20), by the dragon she keeps in chains. Invoked against pains in the loins and by women about to become mothers.

13. St. Barbara (December 4), by her tower and the ciborium surmounted by a sacred host. Invoked against lightnings and sudden death. Patron of miners and artillery men.

14. St. Catharine (November 25), by her broken wheel. "The wise counsellor" is invoked by students, Christian philosophers, orators, barristers, etc.

1st September, The Twelve Holy Brothers, Martyrs

The Twelve Holy Brothers, Martyrs

Africans by birth, these saints were martyred in various places in the third century under the Emperors Diocletian and Maximian.

Four were beheaded in Potenza, Italy on August 27. Three were beheaded at Vanossa on August 28. The others were beheaded at Sentiana on September 1.

They were brought together and enshrined at Benevento in 760.

"Donatus, Felix, Arontius, Honoratus, Fortunatus, Sabinian, Septimius, Januarius, another Felix, Vitalis, Sator, and Repositus."

Clamaverunt justi, et Dominus exaudivit eos: et ex omnibus tribulationibus eorum liberavit eos. * Benedicam Dominum in omni tempore: semper laus ejus in ore meo.
The just cried, and the Lord heard them: and delivered them out of all their troubles. * I will bless the Lord at all times, His praise shall be always in my mouth.
(Psalm 33:18,2 from the introit of Mass)

Fraterna nos, Domine, Martyrum tuorum corona laetificet: quae et fidei nostrae praebeat incrementa virtutum, et multiplici nos suffragio consoletur.
May the crown of martyrdom of the holy Brothers gladden us, O Lord; may it add strength to our faith and encourage us by the intercession of so many saints. Through our Lord.
(Collect)

1st September, St. Giles, Abbot

St. Giles, Abbot

St. Giles, born at Athens, distributed all his patrimony to the poor and followed Jesus (Gospel). Several miracles having made him celebrated he fled to Provence to escape away from honours. He lived in prayer and meditation (Introit) in the depths of a vast forest, with no other food but roots and the milk of a tame hind. One day, when pursued by the hounds of the Visigothic king Wamba, the hind fled to the grotto of the saint who, while trying to protect her, had his hand pierced by an arrow. The king on his arrival urgently begged the saint to consent to the building of a monastery on the spot. The holy hermit undertook its government and like Moses among the people of God (Epistle) he became the chief and law-giver of a numerous monastic family which followed his leadership, his doctrine and his counsels (Communion). This happened in 673.

The Abbey of St. Giles, a marvel of architecture, became one of the most frequented resorts of pilgrims in the Middle Ages, and a town arose there. The counts of Toulouse regarded it as an honour to bear this saint's name. The ancient Missals place him among the "fourteen Auxiliary Saints." He was invoked in France, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Germany and England, where 146 churches were built in his honour. St. Giles died about 721. His tomb was discovered in 1865.

Os justi meditabitur sapientiam, et lingua ejus loquetur judicium; lex Dei ejus in corde ipsius. * Noli aemulari in malignantibus: neque zelaveris facientes iniquitatem.
The mouth of the just shall meditate wisdom, and his tongue shall speak judgement: the law of his God is in his heart. * Be not emulous of evildoers: nor envy them that work iniquity.
(Psalm 36:30-31,1 from the Introit of Mass)

Intercessio nos, quaesumus, Domine, beati Aegidii Abbatis commendet: ut, quod nostris meritis non valemus, eius patrocinio assequamur.
O God who dost gladden us by the annual solemnity of blessed Giles, Thy confessor, mercifully grant that we who celebrate his heavenly birthday may also imitate his example.
(Collect)

From the Catholic Encyclopaedia: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06559a.htm