Twelve more days...
until St. Philip's Day !

The Feast of St. Matthias, Apostle and Martyr...
is today. There is information on him here.

Our Lord, when asked why His disciples did not fast, said, they could not fast while He was with them, but that the time would come, when the Bridegroom should be taken away from them, and then should they fast in those days. That time was now come, when St. Matthias was chosen to be an Apostle. Christ had gone away. Peace and joy the Apostles had abundantly, more so than when He was with them; but for that very reason, it was not such a joy "as the world giveth." It was His own joy which arose out of pain and chastisement. This was the joy which St. Matthias received when he was made an Apostle. He never had been an Apostle under age. He had indeed been with our Lord, but not as an Apostle. The rest had been chosen (as it were) as children; they had been heirs of the kingdom, while under tutors and governors, and, though Apostles, had not understood their calling, had had ambitious thoughts or desires after riches, and were indulged for a while, ere new made, with the old wine, lest the bottles should burst. But St. Matthias came into his inheritance at once. He took upon him at once, upon his election, the power and the penalty of the Apostolate. No dreams of earthly prosperity could flit around that throne, which was reared over the grave of one who had been tried and had fallen, and under the immediate shadow of the cross of Him whom he had betrayed.

Venerable John Henry Newman, Parochial and Plain Sermons


It is also the feast of St. Maria Mazzarello, F.M.A., Virgin and Foundress. To any Salesians out there, blessed feast day !

On May 13, 1877...
Venerable John Henry Newman, C.O., preached a sermon, of which the following notes survive:

Particular Providence

1. INTROD.—[The Ascension] the end of the miraculous series of events which our Lord's life comprises. From birth to Ascension, as is said in the Creed,

2. Till He shall come to judge.

3. The world goes on by fixed laws, and they are such as in themselves are good, and subserve and proclaim His General Providence. All these contrivances and final causes, etc. But nothing personal in this—a cold system. He does not speak. No encouragement to us to speak to Him—Acts xiv. 17 and xvii. 26-27 .

4. But He has been more merciful than this—the hairs of our head numbered. Particular Providence everywhere and always. How was He to show this particular providence? By suspending the laws [of Nature] by miracles.

5. This He did. But that particular providence He has mercifully brought [out] in a distinct form, first in the Mosaic, and then in the Gospel economy. He has suspended His laws.

6. Especially when, after suffering, He ascended to heaven.

7. He promises us heaven. He has gone first to prepare a place for us individually there.

8. Patria—Heb. xi. [13], pilgrims ; Eph. ii. [19] .

9. Sursum corda—Col. iii. 1 .

10. We think of meeting our friends in heaven; we do not think of Him who is the best of all friends.

11. Don't say we don't know Him; Gospels, especially Gospel of St. John, bring Him close to us.

12. Sursum corda—Col. iii. 1. Pray without ceasing, after pattern of Luke xxiv. 52 , Acts i. 14 .

Awwwww!
Cute picture of the Rat of the Week.

I know, I'm late...
but the Catholic Carnival is up.

Thirteen days...
until St. Philip's Day !

The Feast of Our Lady of Fatima...
is today. There is information on it here. Here is a site where one can send petitions to be taken to the Cova da Iria.
It is also the feast of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament.
In addition, it is the feast of two interesting beati- Blessed Imelda Lambertini, Virgin and Blessed Juilan of Norwich, Anchoress.

It is Mother's Day....
God bless you, now and always, Mom!

The early life of all men is private; it is as children, generally, that their characters are formed to good or evil; and those who form them to good, their truest and chief benefactors, are unknown to the world. It has been remarked, that some of the most eminent Christians have been blessed with religious mothers, and have in after life referred their own graces to the instrumentality of their teaching. Augustine has preserved to the Church the history of his mother Monica; but in the case of others, even the name is denied to us of our great benefactress, whosoever she was, and sometimes, doubtless, the circumstance of her service altogether.

Venerable John Henry Newman, Parochial and Plain Sermons

Eighteen days...
until St. Philip's Day !

If it were not Sunday...
today would be the feast of Pope St. Boniface IV, O.S.B., Pope St. Benedict II, and St. Acacius, Martyr, one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers.

Music at Noon Mass
Processional Hymn: "Alleluia ! Sing to Jesus"
Recessional Hymn: " To Jesus Christ, Our Sovereign King"

Mass actually started about 10 minutes late today, due to a mishap in which the incense set off the fire alarm.