Friends at Court GLEANINGS FOR NEXT WEEK'S CALENDAR.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXI, Issue 27, 2 July 1903, Page 31

Friends at Court GLEANINGS FOR NEXT WEEK'S CALENDAR.

July 5, Sunday.— Fifth Sunday after Pentecost. Feast of the Most Precious Blood. 6, Monday.— Octave of the Feast of SS. Peter and " 1' S^ B^--^- Benedict XI., Pope and Confessor 8, Wednesday.— St. Kilian, Bishop and Martyr „ 9, Thursday-Prodigies of the , Blessed vfrgjn " }?' ri + da y— F «ast of the Seven Brothers, Martyrs. „ 11, Saturday.— St. Pius 1., Pope and Martyr. St. Benedict XL, Pope and Confessor. "P^v! B^? eedi ct, t ?*• was an Italian bfr birth, and;, occupied the Papal throne for about a year He annulled the Bulls of Boniface VIII. against Philip thl Fail lt St. Kilian, Bishop and Martyr, w S k" Kilian T was an Irish bishop who was martyred at lrthlf g fl fl v HeWa f^ c first to preacn the Gospel ixTtS noitn of Bavaria the country now known as Francoma With two companions, Coloman (a priest) and Totnan (a deacon) Kilian left Ireland, his native country in 686 and, with the sanction of Pope Conon, established a mission at Wurzburg Duke Gozbert received him kindly and was converted, and his example was followed by a gieat number of his subjects. But St. Kilian fell a victim to the hatred of Geilana, whose marriage with Gozbert, brother of her former husband, he declired to be contrary to the law of God. He and his companions rla Q absence of the duk e, were cruelly murdered, in The Seven Brothers, Martyrs. i,,i,T h i°n family °,f, f sa i nts and martyrs whom we honor on July 10 were of noble blood and dwelt at Rome, where !^y offered for the faith abttut the middle of the second century. Felicitas, who had been left a widow, brought up her sons in sentiments of heroic virtue. At lenlth the pagan priests, enraged at the numerous conversions lS IH.,l H.,f l ?? la n7», Whlch they a "»buted to the influent of 1 elicitas and her sons, so far worked upon the superstitious ieai-s o! the Emperor Antoninus, that he gave orders to Publius, the Prefect of the city, to deal with them m such a manner that the anger of the gods might be appeased either by their prompt submission or their condign punishment. Having summoned the whole family bel ore his tribunal, Publius first took Felicitas aside nnd exhorted her to sacrifice to the gods, in order that he might not be obliged to proceed to extreme measures o which she icphed: 'Do not think to frighten me by threats o, win me by fair speeches. . My children will ne eternally with Christ if they are faithful to Him but must expect eternal death if they sacrifice to idols 5 lhen. turning to her sons she said : ' My sons look ud to heaven where Jesus Christ with Hi SYS V saints expect? aon Be l.uthful m His love and fight courageously for M>ur souls On hearing these words Publius flew into a iage .md ordered her to be cruelly buffeted. Beinir info, mcd of their constancy, the Emperor gave orders that they should be d.sli-.buted among the fevera? tribunals and condemned to \arious deaths. Januaris was exim-.T "r i " hlp! s \ ud . c , n Wilh lcoid * n P lu m»ets till he 1111 * L and lh \ 1 '' 1 were bt ' a t«?ti to death with ,i f 7 vlvanus was thrown down a steep precipice .Hid the three youngest, Alexander, Vitalis and Ma£ kilis were beheaded The heroic mother of tM? noble band followed her children by the sword of the executioner four months later. txecuSt. Pius L, Pope and Martyr. St Pius T. was Pope from 142 to 157. Assisted by St Justm the Philosopher, he combated the hSSS ot VaUMUinus and I\rarcion, who denied the resurrection of the body and condemned marriage.