Friends at Court

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXII, Issue 49, 8 December 1904, Page 31

Friends at Court

GLEANINGS FOR NEXT WEEK'S CALENDAR

December 11, Supdaj- .—Third Sunday of Advent. „ 12, Monday.— St. Mdchiades, Pope and Martyr. „ 13, Tuesday.— St. Lucia, Virgin asid Martyr. 14, Wednesday.— hinbei Day. Tiaiiuvlation of the Holy lloluse of Lloreto. „ 15, Thursday.— Octave of ttfie Feast of tfbe Immaculate Conceptiiom „ 16, Friday.— lumber Day. St shoip and Martyr „ 17, Saturday.— Ember Day. St. Leanard Port Maurice, Cxwife&sor

St. Mel,c.hia,des, Pope and Martyr

St. Melchijßdes, who was Pope from 311 tb 314, was born nn Alnoa He presided over the Council of Rome (313) aftd oond'omneid the DonaJtysts.

St. Lucia, Virgin a<nd Martyr

St. Lucia, virgin and martyr, was borjn at Syracuse, Sicily. She was ot a noble and Christian family. She made a pilgnmiage to the tomb of St. Agatha at Uatanea, obtained the iheahng of her mother Eutyc'hia, consecrating her virginity to the Lord, and, being accused ot being a Christian, she was be-headed ih 303.

Ember Days

Acoonding tto the testimony of St. Leo, Ember Days ongLnatefd in the time of tihe A,po?tles, who were inspired by the Hiolv Ghost to dedicate each soasjon of the year to G-od by a few days of penance ; or, as it were, to pay tlhree days' interest, every tihree months, on the graces received from God, The C/iuurch always comniandod the faitlhful tio fast at the beginning of each of lihe four seasons of the year, because it is at this time tibat she ordains the priests ajiid other servants of the Churcih, which even the Apc-atles did with much n raver and tasting. Thus she desires rhat diring the l-hnber Dars Chrisiians should fervently asik of God by pi aver, tasting, and other g,ood works, for woitlhy pastors and servants, on whom depends the welfare of the whole Christian flock ; she also desires that m the shrine Ember Days we should as,k God's blessing for the feitihty of the earth ; m siummcr for the preservation f.f tihe fruits of the Held ; in autunm whon the harvest is ripe, and in wimer when it is sheltered, that we should oiler to Gotl, by fasting and prayer, a sacrifice of thanks petitioning Him to assist us, tthat we may not use His shifts tor our soul's detriment, but refer all praise to Him, the fountain of all good, and assist our neighbor according to our means.

St Euselnus, Bishop a.nd Martyr

St. Cus-ebiws, who was born i<n 315 and diod in 370, was a native of Sardinia Whilst Bishop of Vercelli he zealously combated t.iie heresy of Anus.

Eusebjus