Friends at Court

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXI, Issue 30, 23 July 1903, Page 31

Friends at Court

GLEANINGS FOR NEXT WEEK'S CALENDAR

July 26, Sunday.— Eighth Sunday after Pentecost. St. Anne, Mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary. „ 27, Monday.— St. Veronica Juliana, Virgin. „ 28, Tuesday.— St. Victor 1., Pope and Martyr; St Innocent 1., Pope and Confessor ; Sts. Nazarius and Celsus, Martyrs. 29, Wednesday— St Felix 11., Pope and Martyr. 30, Thursday.— St. Martha, Virgin. „ 31, Friday.— St. Ignatius Loyola, Confessor. August 1, Saturday.— St. Peter's Chains. St. Anne, Mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary. According to old traditions, the saintly Mother of the Blessed Virgin, whose name, Anne, signifies grace, was descended, on her father's side from the tribe of Levi, and on her mother's side from the tribe of Juda. She was bom in Bethlehem and was married, while still a pure and pious virgin, to Joachim, a man of position, with whom she lived, occupied in pious works, and patiently conforming to the will of God in all things. When the pious couple had reached a very advanced age, in which,' they could scarcely expect to have children, an angel announced to them that they were to be blessed with a daughter whom they were to name Mary. And at occurred as foretold. In the autumn (September Bth) following the announcement was born the holiest of God's creatures, the Queen of angels and of men, the Mother of the Son of God, not so much the fruit of the body as she was the fruit of grace. Joachim and Anne brought this child Mary, at a very tender age, to Jerusalem, presenting her to the High Priest as an offering to uod, to be brought up. in the service of the temple. How long Anne lived after this sacrifice is not known, but she is now enthroned among the elect in heaven with her beloved child in glory. The devotion towards St. Anne is very great among the faithful. Her remains, first buiied at Bethlehem, in the tomb of her parents, then transferred by the faithful into the Church of the Sepulchre of Notre Dame, in the Valley of Josaphat, were, finally, transferred into the Church of Apt, in Provence. St. Veronica Juliana, Virgin. St. Veronica was a native of Mercatelli, a town in Italy Having become a nun, she led during fifty years a hie of extraordinary mortification and perfect obedience She died in 1727. St. 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 contioveisy 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 in councils lor the same purpose He excommunicated Theodotus ot By7aiitniin. and decided that common water might, in case of necessity, be u^cd in baptism. St Innocent I , Pope and Confessor. St Innocent 1 occupied the Papal Chair from 402 t'i 117 He warmly espoused the cause of St. John Chnsostom, who had been unjustly deposed and exiled. To save Rome from being sacked, he urged Emperor Hoi onus to treat for peace with Alanc. Innocent condemned the heresy oi' Pelagius. 'St. Felix II , Pope and Martyr. St Fe'iY was Supreme Pont i lT about the middle of the iourth cen>lury. No records of hv( life are extant. St. Martha, Virgin. St Martha was a sister of Lazarus, whom Our Lord Triced from the dead During the great persecution of the Church at Jerusalem, Martha, La-'aius, Maiy Magdal'»n, and other Christians weie placed on a vessel mHioul sails, rudder, pilot, or provisions, so that they might perish in the midst of the sea. The vessel landed fit Maiseilles St Martha having converted the inhabitants of the city of Tarascon, lived .there >until her death in AI) 81 She was buried in the actual crypt of the Church of St Martha. She is the pation saint of Tarascon