GLEANINGS FOR NEXT WEEK'S CALENDAR

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 15, 10 April 1902, Page 7

GLEANINGS FOR NEXT WEEK'S CALENDAR

April 13, Sunday. — Second Sunday after Easber. „ 14, Monday. — St. Justin, Martyr. „ fi3, Tuesday. — St. John Damascene, Confessor and Doctor. , 16, Wednesday.— St. Benedict Joseph Labre, Confessor. „ 17, Thursday. — St. Anicetus, Pope and MaTtyr. „ 18, Friday.— St. Isidore, Bishop, Confessor and Doctor. „ 19, Saturday.— St. Leo IX., Pope and Confessor. ST. JOHN DAMASCENE. St. John Damascene, ' the last of the Fathers of the Church,' was born towards the end of the seventh century at Damascus, from which city he received the surname ' Damascene.' By the Saracens he was called ' Mansur,' and on account of hia eloquence was surnamed ' Chryssorrhoae,' which meant ' gold-atreaming. 1 He received his education from a pious and learned monk named Cosmos, who was taken prisoner and brought to Damascus. Like his father, he held a high office under the Caliphs. His zeal in defending the sacred images against the Iconoolasts exposed him to the resentment and persecution of the Greek Emperor. On the suspicion of a treasonable correspondence he was deprived of his right hand, which, however, was miraouloualy restored. He resigned his office, distributing his wealth among the poor, and retired into the Laura of St. Sabas, where, after some time, he was ordained priest. He died about the year 754. St. John Damascene has left many works, which, on account of their solid learning and great literary merit, have been held in high esteem in both the Latin and Greek Churches. ST. BENEDICT JOSEPH LABBE, CONFESSOB. Benedict Joseph Labre was a native of Amettes in the diocese of Boulogne, and was the son of respectable people who brought up their family virtuously and religiously. The early piety of Benedict induced his father to place him at the age of 12 tinder the care of his uncle, who was then parish priest of Erin. After studying for about four years with great industry and success, Benedict began to realise that he had no vocation to the priesthood, while on the other hand he felt a strong attraction to the solitude and austerities of the oloister. To bury himself in the monastery of La Trappe, where the severe rule of the Cistercian Order is observed, became the object of his secret ambition. Meanwhile his uncle was carried off by a dangerous epidemic which he contracted in ministering to the wants of his sick parishioners. Soon afterwards Benedict, who with great devotion had shared his charitable labors, quitted the village of Erin and returned to his home. Benedict at last received the reluctant permission of hia parents to enter the monastery of La Trappe. Upon his arrival there he found that his youth and emaciated appearance presented an insurmountable barrier to his reaeption. He accordingly retraced his steps to his native village. An application to the Carthusians met with better success, bat after six weeks he was dismissed by the Prior as unfitted to the Order, owing to the state of spiritual desolation with which it pleased God at that time to visit him. A similar result followed his admission to the Cistercian monastery, where he remained for six months in a state of bodily weakness and spiritual languor. After bidding a final adieu to his parents by letter, Benedict, moved by the spirit of God, entered upon a course of pilgrimages to tho celebrated sanctuaries of Italy, which he continued for 13 years up to the time of his death. After 13 years spent in this painful manner of life, Benedict one morning, after leaving his favorite Church of Sancta Maria fei Monti, where he had spent six hours in prayer, was found fainting in the public street, and was carried mto a neighboring house. Having received Extreme Unction he remained unconscious until evening, when he calmly expired on Wednesday in Holy Week, April 16, a.d. 1783, at the age of 35, ST. ANICETU3, POPE AND MABTYB. St. Anicetus was Pope from 157 to 168. He was a Syrian by birth, and suffered martyrdom under Marcus Aurelius. He was visikd at Rome by St. Polycarp of Smyrna. These two saints had some dispute in regard to the Feast .of Easter, but the discussion did not alter their friendship. ST. ISIDORE, BISHOP, CONFESSOH AND DOCTOB. St. Isidore, who was born at Carthagena in the South of Spain about the middle of the sixth century, belonged to a most holy family, his two brothers, Leander and Fulgentius, and his sister, Florentina, being all numbered among the saints. From hia youth he was distinguished for virtue and learning, and having embraced the ecclesiastical state, devoted himself with his brother Leander to the conversion of tne Visigoths. This great work he had toe happiness of seeing perfectly accomplished before the close of hia apostolic career. Upon the death of his brother St. Leander, Isidore succeeded him in the See of Seville, which he governed for 36 years.