Friends at Court

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 30, 24 July 1902, Page 7

Friends at Court

GLEANINGS FOR NEXT WEEK'S CALENDAR

July 27, Sunday.— Tenth Sunday after Pentecost. St. Veronica Juliana, Virgin. „ 28, Monday.— St. Victor 1., Pope and Martyr. St. Inno. cent I , Pope and Confessor. Ste. Nazarins and Celsu-, Martyrs. 11 3 Tuesday.— St. Felix 11., Pope and Martyr. „ 30, Wednesday.— St. Martha, VirgiD. „ 31, Thursday.— St. Iguati us Loyola, Confessor. August 1, Friday.— St Peter in Chains. „ 2, Saturday.— St. Stephen 1., Pope and Martyr.

6T. VICTOR 1., POPE AND MARTYR. St. Victor I was Pope from 192 to 201. He was a native of Africa, and exerted his zeal particularly in the controversy relating to the celebration of Easter. For the settling of this question he held a Synod at Rome, and called upon the bishops everywhere to meet m councils for the same purpose. He excommunicated Theodotus of Byzantium, and decided that common water might, in oase of necessity, be used in baptism. ST. INNOCENT I , POPE AND CONFESSOR. St. Innocent I. occupied the Papal Chair from 402 to 417. He warmly esponeed the oause of St. John Chrysostom, who had bean unjustly deposed and exiled. To save Rome from being sacked, he urged Emperor Honorius to treat for peace with Alario, Innocent condemned the heresy of Pelagius. §T. FELIX 11., POPE AND MARTYR. St. Felix was Supreme Pontiff about the middle of the fourth century. No records of his life are extant. ST. MABTHA, VIRGIN. St. Martha was a sister of Lazarus, whom Our Lord raised from the dead. During the great persecution of the Church at Jerusalem, Martha, Lazarus, Mary Magdalen, and other Christians were placed on a vessel without sails, rudder, pilot, or provisions so that they might perish in the midst of the sea. The vesßel landed at Marseilles. St. Martha having converted the inhabitants of the city of Tarascon, lived there until her death in Ad. 84. She was buried in the actual crypt of the Church of St. Martha. She is the patron saint of Tarasoon. ST. IGNATIUS LOYOLA, CONFESSOR. St. Ignatius was born at Loyola, in Spain, in" the year 14<n He served h-s king as conrtier and soldier until his thirtieth yy e »r At that age, having been Peverely wounded, he received the call of Divine grace to leave the world and follow Je&us Chri&t Promoted by their generouH l.,ve ha and his companions made a vow to go to the Holy Land ; they wished to live where their Divine Master lived ; they were prepared to die where He dud. But war broke out and prevented the execution of their proj< ct. Then they turned to the Vicar of Jesus Chri.t and placed themselves under his obedience. This was the beginning of the Society of Jesus. When St Ignams d!ed m 1.556, it was firmly established in many countries or Europe, and engaged in successful missions in Asia Africa and America. It possessed upwards of a hundred houses and colleces and numbered more than a thousand members divided among twelve provinces. Many Jesuits became martyrs of charity, others suffered actual martyrdom iv China India. Japan, and North and .South America From a rough calculation it would appear that from 1 ,40 to 1773, 21,000 Jesuits were einpl-yed-in foreign missionary work. Dunn? this period, 500 Jesuits were recordad to have won the martyr a crown ; er me at the hsnds of the heathen others through the persecutors of modern Europe. Of these martyrs three have been canonised, 75 beat fied, and 27 declared venerable. ST. PETER IN CHAINS. There are four festivals of St. Peter ; 1. The feast of Peter and fanl. on June 2!>th. This commemorates the burial of St Peter and St. Paul, and is mentioned in the Liberian Catalogue 2 ' Feast of the ' Cathedra of Antioch.' February 22nd. This feast 'is also mentioned in the Liberian Catalogue. 3. The feast of the ' Cathedra of Rome, January 18th. 4 The feast of < St. Peter in Chains ,' August l«t. '