V o l um e 2 , i s s ue 4

Ca t h o li c i s m e d u

A pr i l 2 0 1 5

C ATHOLICISMEDU
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Saint of the month

1-14

Upcoming events

calendar

Classic catholic literature

14-15

Saints of the month

16-19

Psalm

19-22

Proverb
Mass readings

15
22-23

Papal encyclical

24

Pope of the month

24

Mission statement

25

Bible reading

25

Whats new:
Newsletters are up

and able to be viewed

without download.
New pages and sec-

tions going up on the

website
Lots of articles on the

facebook group

NEWSLETTER

SAINT OF THE MONTH

ST. ATH ANAS IU S
Bishop of Alexandria; Confessor and Doctor of the
Church; born c. 296; died 2
May, 373. Athanasius was
the greatest champion of
Catholic belief on the subject of the Incarnation that
the Church has ever known
and in his lifetime earned
the characteristic title of
"Father of Orthodoxy", by
which he has been distinguished ever since. While
the chronology of his career still remains for the
most part a hopelessly involved problem, the fullest
material for an account of
the main achievements of
his life will be found in his
collected writings and in
the contemporary records
of his time. He was born, it
would seem, in Alexandria,
most probably between
the years 296 and 298. An
earlier date, 293, is some-

St. Athanasius

times assigned as the more

certain year of his birth;
and it is supported apparently by the authority of
the "Coptic Fragment"
(published by Dr. O. von
Lemm among the Mmoires de l'acadmie impriale des sciences de S.

Pterbourg, 1888) and corroborated by the undoubted maturity of judgement revealed in the two
treatises "Contra Gentes"
and "De Incarnatione",
which were admittedly
written about the year 318
before Arianism as a

UPCOMING EVENT:
No upcoming events for April if you know any for May please contact sabrielmisa@hotmail.com or leave a message on the facebook group or page.

P age 2

V o l um e 2 , i s s ue 4

SAINT OF THE MONTH

on the hypothesis of
the earlier date

movement had begun to

make itself felt. It must be
remembered, however, that
in two distinct passages of
his writings (Hist. Ar., lxiv,
and De Syn., xviii) Athanasius shrinks from speaking as
a witness at first hand of the
persecution which had broken out under Maximian in
303; for in referring to the
events of this period he
makes no direct appeal to
his own personal recollections, but falls back, rather,
on tradition. Such reserve
would scarcely be intelligible, if, on the hypothesis of
the earlier date, the Saint
had been then a boy fully
ten years old. Besides, there
must have been some semblance of a foundation in
fact for the charge brought
against him by his accusers
in after-life (Index to the
Festal Letters) that at the
times of his consecration to
the episcopate in 328 he had
not yet attained the canonical age of thirty years. These
considerations, therefore,
even if they are found to be
not entirely convincing,
would seem to make it likely
that he was born not earlier
than 296 nor later than 298.
It is impossible to speak
more than conjecturally of
his family. Of the claim that
it was both prominent and
well-to-do, we can only observe that the tradition to
the effect is not contradicted by such scanty details
as can be gleaned from the
saint's writings. Those writings undoubtedly betray

evidences of the sort

of education that was
given, for the most
part, only to children
and youths of a better class. It began
with grammar, went
on to rhetoric, and
received its final
Caption describing picture or graphic.
touches under some
one of the more fashhundred years of unwearyionable lecturers in the
ing propagandism, to realphilosophic schools. It is
ize its supremacy. It was,
possible, of course, that he
moreover, the most imporowed his remarkable traintant centre of trade in the
ing in letters to his saintly
whole empire; and its pripredecessor's favour, if not
macy as an emporium of
to his personal care. But
ideas was more commandAthanasius was one of
ing than that of Rome or
those rare personalities
Constantinople, Antioch or
that derive incomparably
Marseilles. Already, in obemore from their own nadience to an instinct of
tive gifts of intellect and
which one can scarcely
character than from the
determine the full signififortuitousness of descent
cance without studying the
or environment. His career
subsequent development
almost personifies a crisis
of Catholicism, its famous
in the history of Christian"Catechetical School",
ity; and he may be said
while sacrificing no jot or
rather to have shaped the
tittle or that passion for
events in which he took
orthodoxy which it had
part than to have been
imbibed from Pantnus,
shaped by them. Yet it
Clement, and Origen, had
would be misleading to
begun to take on an alurge that he was in no nomost secular character in
table sense a debtor to the
the comprehensiveness of
time and place of his birth.
its interests, and had
The Alexandria of his boycounted pagans of influhood was an epitome, inence among its serious
tellectually, morally, and
auditors (Eusebius, Church
politically, of that ethniHistory VI.19).
cally many-coloured
To have been born and
Graeco-Roman world, over
brought up in such an atwhich the Church of the
mosphere of philosophizfourth and fifth centuries
ing Christianity was, in
was beginning at last, with
spite of the dangers it inundismayed consciousvolved, the timeliest and
ness, after nearly three

C a tho l i c i s m e d u n e w s l e t te r

P age 3

SAINT OF THE MONTH

most liberal of educations;
and there is, as we have intimated, abundant evidence
in the saint's writings to testify to the ready response
which all the better influences of the place must
have found in the heart and
mind of the growing boy.
Athanasius seems to have
been brought early in life
under the immediate supervision of the ecclesiastical
authorities of his native city.
Whether his long intimacy
with Bishop Alexander began in childhood, we have
no means of judging; but a
story which pretends to describe the circumstances of
his first introduction to that
prelate has been preserved
for us by Rufinus (Hist. Eccl.,
I, xiv). The bishop, so the
tale runs, had invited a number of brother prelates to
meet him at breakfast after
a great religious function on
the anniversary of the martyrdom of St. Peter, a recent
predecessor in the See of
Alexandria. While Alexander
was waiting for his guests to
arrive, he stood by a window, watching a group of
boys at play on the seashore
below the house. He had not
observed them long before
he discovered that they
were imitating, evidently
with no thought of irreverence, the elaborate ritual of
Christian baptism. (Cf. Bunsen's "Christianity and Mankind", London, 1854, VI, 465;
Denzinger, "Ritus Orientalium" in verb.; Butler's
"Ancient Coptic Churches",

II, 268 et sqq.; "Bapteme

chez les Coptes", "Dict.
Theol. Cath.", Col. 244,
245). He therefore sent
for the children and had
them brought into his
presence. In the investigation that followed it
was discovered that one Caption describing picture or graphic.
of the boys, who was no
other than the future
Primate of Alexandria, had
the tale raises a number of
acted the part of the
chronological difficulties
bishop, and in that characand suggests even graver
ter had actually baptized
questions.
several of his companions
Perhaps a not impossible
in the course of their play.
explanation of its origin
Alexander, who seems to
may be found in the theory
have been unaccountably
that it was one of the
puzzled over the answers
many floating myths set in
he received to his inquirmovement by popular
ies, determined to recogimagination to account for
nize the make-believe bapthe marked bias towards
tisms as genuine; and dean ecclesiastical career
cided that Athanasius and
which seems to have charhis playfellows should go
acterized the early boyinto training in order to fit
hood of the future chamthemselves for a clerical
pion of the Faith. Sozomen
career. The Bollandists
speaks of his "fitness for
deal gravely with this
the priesthood", and calls
story; and writers as diffiattention to the significant
cult to satisfy as Archdeacircumstance that he was
con Farrar and the late
"from his tenderest years
Dean Stanley are ready to
practically self-taught".
accept it as bearing on its
"Not long after this," adds
face "every indication of
the same authority, the
truth" (Farrar, "Lives of the
Bishop Alexander "invited
Fathers", I, 337; Stanley,
Athanasius to be his com"East. Ch." 264). But
mensal and secretary. He
whether in its present
had been well educated,
form, or in the modified
and was versed in gramversion to be found in Socmar and rhetoric, and had
rates (I, xv), who omits all
already, while still a young
reference to the baptism
man, and before reaching
and says that the game
the episcopate, given
was "an imitation of the
proof to those who dwelt
priesthood and the order
with him of his wisdom
of consecrated persons",

Perhaps a not
impossible
explanation of its
origin may be found
in the theory that it
was one of the
many floating myths

P age 4

V o l um e 2 , i s s ue 4

SAINT OF THE MONTH

Whatever we may
think of the
arguments on the
subject,

and acumen" (Soz., II, xvii).

That "wisdom and acumen"
manifested themselves in a
various environment. While
still a levite under Alexander's care, he seems to have
been brought for a while
into close relations with
some of the solitaries of the
Egyptian desert, and in particular with the great St. Anthony, whose life he is said
to have written. The evidence both of the intimacy
and for the authorship of
the life in question has been
challenged, chiefly by nonCatholic writers, on the
ground that the famous
"Vita" shows signs of interpolation. Whatever we may
think of the arguments on
the subject, it is impossible
to deny that the monastic
idea appealed powerfully to
the young cleric's temperament, and that he himself in
after years was not only at
home when duty or accident
threw him among the solitaries, but was so monastically self-disciplined in his
habits as to be spoken of as
an "ascetic" (Apol. c. Arian.,
vi). In fourth-century usage
the word would have a definiteness of connotation not
easily determinable today.
(See ASCETICISM).
It is not surprising that one
who was called to fill so
large a place in the history
of his time should have impressed the very form and
feature of his personality, so
to say, upon the imagination
of his contemporaries. St.
Gregory Nazianzen is not the

only writer who has

described him for us
(Orat. xxi, 8). A contemptuous phrase of
the Emperor Julian's
(Epist., li) serves unintentionally to corroborate the picture
drawn by kindlier ob- Caption describing picture or graphic.
servers. He was
slightly below the
and unfailing; and his courmiddle height, spare in
age was of the sort that
build, but well-knit, and
never falters, even in the
intensely energetic. He had
most disheartening hour of
a finely shaped head, set
defeat. There is one other
off with a thin growth of
note in this highly gifted
auburn hair, a small but
and many-sided personalsensitively mobile mouth,
ity to which everything
an aquiline nose, and eyes
else in his nature literally
of intense but kindly brilliministered, and which
ancy. He had a ready wit,
must be kept steadily in
was quick in intuition, easy
view, if we would possess
and affable in manner,
the key to his character
pleasant in conversation,
and writing and underkeen, and, perhaps, somestand the extraordinary
what too unsparing in designificance of his career in
bate. (Besides the referthe history of the Christian
ences already cited, see
Church. He was by instinct
the detailed description
neither a liberal nor a congiven in the January
servative in theology. InMenaion quotes in the Boldeed the terms have a sinlandist life. Julian the
gular inappropriateness as
Apostate, in the letter alapplied to a temperament
luded to above sneers at
like his. From first to last
the diminutiveness of his
he cared greatly for one
person mede aner, all
thing and one thing only;
anthropiokos euteles, he
the integrity of his Catholic
writes.) In addition to
creed. The religion it enthese qualities, he was
gendered in him was obviconspicuous for two others
ously considering the
to which even his enemies
traits by which we have
bore unwilling testimony.
tried to depict him of a
He was endowed with a
passionate and consuming
sense of humour that
sort. It began and ended in
could be as mordant we
devotion to the Divinity of
had almost said as sarJesus Christ. He was
donic as it seems to
scarcely out of his teens,
have been spontaneous

C a tho l i c i s m e d u n e w s l e t te r

Page 5

April 2015
SUN

MON

TUE

SCHEDULE OF EVENT S

WED

THU

FRI

SAT

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

SAINT OF THE MONTH

and certainly not in more
than deacon's orders, when
he published two treatises,
in which his mind seemed to
strike the keynote of all its
riper after-utterances on the
subject of the Catholic Faith.
The "Contra Gentes" and the
"Oratio de Incarnatione"
to give them the Latin appellations by which they are
more commonly cited
were written some time between the years 318 and
323. St. Jerome (De Viris
Illust.) refers to them under
a common title, as
"Adversum Gentes Duo
Libri", thus leaving his readers to gather the impression
which an analysis of the con-

tents of both
books certainly
seems to justify, that the
two treatises
are in reality
one.
As a plea for
the Christian
position, adCaption describing picture or graphic.
dressed chiefly
to both Genthe Incarnation, it is silent
tiles and Jews, the young
on most of those ulterior
deacon's apology, while
problems in defence of
undoubtedly reminiscenwhich Athanasius was
tial in methods and ideas
soon to be summoned by
of Origen and the earlier
Alexandrians, is, neverthe- the force of events and the
fervour of his own faith to
less, strongly individual
devote the best energies
and almost pietistic in
of his life. The work contone. Though it deals with

Nothing scheduled
email sabrielmisa@hotmail.co
m to get your event
listed.

P age 6

V o l um e 2 , i s s ue 4

SAINT OF THE MONTH

who had already

fallen under censure
for his part in the
Meletian troubles

tains no explicit discussion

of the nature of the Word's
Sonship, for instance; no
attempt to draw out the
character of Our Lord's relation to the Father; nothing,
in short, of those Christological questions upon
which he was to speak with
such splendid and courageous clearness in time of
shifting formularies and undetermined views. Yet those
ideas must have been in the
air (Soz., I, xv) for, some
time between the years 318
and 320, Arius, a native of
Libya (Epiphanius, Haer.,
lxix) and priest of the Alexandrian Church, who had
already fallen under censure
for his part in the Meletian
troubles which broke out
during the episcopate of St.
Peter, and whose teachings
had succeeded in making
dangerous headway, even
among "the consecrated
virgins" of St. Mark's see
(Epiphanius, Haer., lxix; Socrates, Church History I.6),
accused Bishop Alexander of
Sabellianism. Arius, who
seems to have presumed on
the charitable tolerance of
the primate, was at length
deposed (Apol. c. Ar., vi) in a
synod consisting of more
than one hundred bishops of
Egypt and Libya (Depositio
Ar., 3). The condemned heresiarch withdrew first to
Palestine and afterwards to
Bithynia, where, under the
protection of Eusebius of
Nicomedia and his other
"Collucianists", he was able
to increase his already re-

markable influence,
while his friends were
endeavouring to prepare a way for his
forcible reinstatement as priest of the
Alexandrian Church.
Athanasius, though
only in deacon's orCaption describing picture or graphic.
der, must have taken
no subordinate part
iii), and St. Basil (Against
in these events. He was
Eunomius I.9). On the
the trusted secretary and
other hand, a theologian
advisor of Alexander, and
as broadly read as Petavius
his name appears in the
(De Trin., I, viii, 2) has no
list of those who signed
hesitation in deriving it
the encyclical letter subsefrom Platonism; Newman
quently issued by the priin turn (Arians of the
mate and his colleagues to
Fourth Cent., 4 ed., 109)
offset the growing prestige
sees in it the influence of
of the new teaching, and
Jewish prejudices rationalthe momentum it was beized by the aid of Aristoginning to acquire from
telean ideas; while Robertthe ostentatious patronage
son (Sel. Writ. and Let. of
extended to the deposed
Ath. Proleg., 27) observes
Arius by the Eusebian facthat the "common theoltion. Indeed, it is to this
ogy", which was invariably
party and to the leverage it
opposed to it, "borrowed
was able to exercise at the
its philosophical principles
emperor's court that the
and method from the Plasubsequent importance of
tonists." These apparently
Arianism as a political,
conflicting statements
rather than a religious,
could, no doubt, be easily
movement seems primaradjusted; but the truth is
ily to be due.
that the prestige of ArianThe heresy, of course, had
ism never lay in its ideas.
its supposedly philosophic
From whatever school it
basis, which has been asmay have been logically
cribed by authors, ancient
derived, the sect, as a sect,
and modern, to the most
was cradled and nurtured
opposite sources. St.
in intrigue. Save in some
Epiphanius characterizes it
few instances, which can
as a king of revived Aristobe accounted for on quite
teleanism (Haer., lxvii and
other grounds, its prophlxxvi); and the same view is
ets relied more upon curial
practically held by Socrates
influence than upon piety,
(Church History II.35),
or Scriptural knowledge, or
Theodoret (Haer. Fab., IV,

C a tho l i c i s m e d u n e w s l e t te r

P age 7

SAINT OF THE MONTH

dialectics. That must be
borne constantly in mind, if
we would not move distractedly through the bewildering maze of events that
make up the life of Athanasius for the next half-century
to come. It is his peculiar
merit that he not only saw
the drift of things from the
very beginning, but was confident of the issue down to
the last (Apol. c. Ar., c.). His
insight and courage proved
almost as efficient a bulwark
to the Christian Church in
the world as did his singularly lucid grasp of traditional Catholic belief. His
opportunity came in the
year 325, when the Emperor
Constantine, in the hope of
putting an end to the scandalous debates that were
disturbing the peace of the
Church, met the prelates of
the entire Catholic world in
council at Nicaea.
The great council convoked
at this juncture was something more than a pivotal
event in the history of Christianity. Its sudden, and, in
one sense, almost unpremeditated adoption of a
quasi-philosophic and nonScriptural term homoousion to express the
character of orthodox belief
in the Person of the historic
Christ, by defining Him to be
identical in substance, or coessential, with the Father,
together with its confident
appeal to the emperor to
lend the sanction of his authority to the decrees and
pronouncements by which it

hoped to safeguard this

more explicit profession
of the ancient Faith, had
consequences of the
gravest import, not only
to the world of ideas,
but to the world of politics as well. By the official promulgation to the Caption describing picture or graphic.
term homousion, theological speculation received a fresh but subtle
viduals and as a body, if
impetus which made itself
possible, to dispel" (Arians
felt long after Athanasius
of the Fourth Cent., 4 ed.,
and his supporters had
241). Athanasius, though
passed away; while the
not yet in priest's orders,
appeal to the secular arm
accompanied Alexander to
inaugurated a policy which
the council in the characendured practically withter of secretary and theoout change of scope down
logical adviser. He was not,
to the publication of the
of course, the originator of
Vatican decrees in our own
the famous homosion.
time. In one sense, and
The term had been prothat a very deep and vital
posed in a non-obvious
one, both the definition
and illegitimate sense by
and the policy were ineviPaul of Samosata to the
table. It was inevitable in
Father at Antioch, and had
the order of religious ideas
been rejected by them as
that any break in logical
savouring of materialistic
continuity should be met
conceptions of the Godby inquiry and protest. It
head (cf. Athan., "De Syn.,
was just as inevitable that
" xliii; Newman, "Arians of
the protest, to be effecthe Fourth Cent., " 4 ed.,
tive, should receive some
184-196; Petav. "De Trin., "
countenance from a power
IV, v, sect. 3; Robertson,
which up to that moment
"Sel. Writ. and Let. Athan.
had affected to regulate all
Proleg.", 30 sqq.).
the graver circumstances
It may even be questioned
of life (cf. Harnack, Hist.
whether, if left to his own
Dog., III, 146, note; Bulogical instincts, Athanachanan's tr.). As Newman
sius would have suggested
has remarked: "The Church
an orthodox revival of the
could not meet together in
term at all ("De Decretis",
one, without entering into
19; "Orat. c. Ar.", ii, 32;
a sort of negotiation with
"Ad Monachos", 2). His
the power that be; who
writings, composed during
jealousy it is the duty of
the forty-six critical years
Christians, both as indi-

He was not, of
course, the
originator of the
famous homosion.

P age 8

V o l um e 2 , i s s ue 4

SAINT OF THE MONTH

The suggestion had

in all probability
come from Hosius

of his episcopate, show a

very sparing use of the
word; and though, as Newman (Arians of the Fourth
Cent., 4 ed., 236) reminds
us, "the authentic account
of the proceedings" that
took place is not extant,
there is nevertheless abundant evidence in support of
the common view that it had
been unexpectedly forced
upon the notice of the bishops, Arian and orthodox, in
the great synod by Constantine's proposal to account
the creed submitted by Eusebius of Caesarea, with the
addition of the homosion,
as a safeguard against possible vagueness. The suggestion had in all probability
come from Hosius (cf. "Epist.
Eusebii.", in the appendix to
the "De Decretis", sect. 4;
Socrates, Church History I.8
and III.7; Theodoret, Church
History I; Athanasius;
"Arians of the Fourth Cent.",
6, n. 42; outos ten en Nikaia
pistin exetheto, says the
saint, quoting his opponents); but Athanasius, in
common with the leaders of
the orthodox party, loyally
accepted the term as expressive of the traditional
sense in which the Church
had always held Jesus Christ
to be the Son of God. The
conspicuous abilities displayed in the Nicaean debates and the character for
courage and sincerity he
won on all sides made the
youthful cleric henceforth a
marked man (St. Greg. Naz.,
Orat., 21). His life could not

be lived in a corner.
Five months after the
close of the council
the Primate of Alexandria died; and
Athanasius, quite as
much in recognition
of his talent, it would
appear, as in deferCaption describing picture or graphic.
ence to the deathbed
wishes of the deceased prelate, was choSt. Pachomius. But the
sen to succeed him. His
seeds of disaster which the
election, in spite of his exsaint's piety had unflinchtreme youth and the oppo- ingly planted at Nicaea
sition of a remnant of the
were beginning to bear a
Arian and Meletian facdisquieting crop at last.
tions in the Alexandrian
Already events were hapChurch, was welcomed by
pening at Constantinople
all classes among the laity
which were soon to make
("Apol. c. Arian", vi; Sohim the most important
zomen, Church History
figure of his time. Eusebius
II.17, 21, 22).
of Nicomedia, who had
The opening years of the
fallen into disgrace and
saint's rule were occupied
been banished by the Emwith the wonted episcopal peror Constantine for his
routine of a fourth-century part in the earlier Arian
Egyptian bishop. Episcopal
controversies, had been
visitations, synods, pasrecalled from exile. After
toral correspondence,
an adroit campaign of inpreaching and the yearly
trigue, carried on chiefly
round of church functions
through the instrumentalconsumed the bulk of his
ity of the ladies of the imtime. The only noteworthy perial household, this
events of which antiquity
smooth-mannered prelate
furnishes at least probable so far prevailed over Condata are connected with
stantine as to induce him
the successful efforts
to order the recall of Arius
which he made to provide
likewise from exile. He
a hierarchy for the newly
himself sent a characterisplanted church in Ethiopia
tic letter to the youthful
(Abyssinia) in the person of Primate of Alexandria, in
St. Frumentius (Rufinus I,
which he bespoke his faix; Soc. I, xix; Soz., II, xxiv),
vour for the condemned
and the friendship which
heresiarch, who was deappears to have begun
scribed as a man whose
about this time between
opinions had been misrephimself and the monks of
resented. These events

C a tho l i c i s m e d u n e w s l e t te r

P age 9

SAINT OF THE MONTH

must have happened some
time about the close of the
year 330. Finally the emperor himself was persuaded to write to Athanasius, urging that all those
who were ready to submit
to the definitions of Nicaea
should be re-admitted to
ecclesiastical communion.
This Athanasius stoutly refused to do, alleging that
there could be no fellowship
between the Church and the
one who denied the Divinity
of Christ.
The Bishop of Nicomedia
thereupon brought various
ecclesiastical and political
charges against Athanasius,
which, though unmistakably
refuted at their first hearing,
were afterwards refurbished
and made to do service at
nearly every stage of his
subsequent trials. Four of
these were very definite, to
wit: that he had not reached
the canonical age at the
time of his consecration;
that he had imposed a linen
tax upon the provinces; that
his officers had, with his
connivance and authority,
profaned the Sacred Mysteries in the case of an alleged
priest names Ischyras; and
lastly that he had put one
Arenius to death and afterwards dismembered the
body for purposes of magic.
The nature of the charges
and the method of supporting them were vividly characteristic of the age. The
curious student will find
them set forth in picturesque detail in the second

part of the Saint's

"Apologia", or "Defense
against the Arians", written long after the events
themselves, about the
year 350, when the retractation of Ursacius
and Valens made their
publication triumphantly Caption describing picture or graphic.
opportune. The whole
unhappy story at this
distance of time reads in
tium, where he had made
parts more like a specimen
up his mind to present
of late Greek romance
himself to the emperor.
than the account of an inThe circumstances in
quisition gravely conwhich the saint and the
ducted by a synod of Chrisgreat catechumen met
tian prelates with the idea
were dramatic enough.
of getting at the truth of a
Constantine was returning
series of odious accusafrom a hunt, when Athanations brought against one
sius unexpectedly stepped
of their number. Suminto the middle of the road
moned by the emperor's
and demanded a hearing.
order after protracted deThe astonished emperor
lays extended over a pecould hardly believe his
riod of thirty months (Soz.,
eyes, and it needed the
II, xxv), Athanasius finally
assurance of one of the
consented to meet the
attendants to convince
charges brought against
him that the petitioner
him by appearing before a
was not an impostor, but
synod of prelates at Tyre in
none other than the great
the year 335. Fifty of his
Bishop of Alexandria himsuffragans went with him
self. "Give me", said the
to vindicate his good
prelate, "a just tribunal, or
name; but the complexion
allow me to meet my acof the ruling party in the
cusers face to face in your
synod made it evident that
presence." His request was
justice to the accused was
granted. An order was perthe last thing that was
emptorily sent to the bishthought of. It can hardly be
ops, who had tried Athanawondered at, that Athanasius and, of course, consius should have refused to
demned him in his abbe tried by such a court.
sence, to repair at once to
He, therefore, suddenly
the imperial city. The comwithdrew from Tyre, esmand reached them while
caping in a boat with some
they were on their way to
faithful friends who acthe great feast of the dedicompanied him to Byzan-

The astonished
emperor could
hardly believe his
eyes, and it needed
the assurance of
one of the
attendants

P age 1 0

V o l um e 2 , i s s ue 4

SAINT OF THE MONTH

Athanasius was
condemned to go
into exile at Treves,

cation of Constantine's new

church at Jerusalem. It naturally caused some consternation; but the more influential members of the Eusebian faction never lacked
either courage or resourcefulness. The saint was taken
at his word; and the old
charges were renewed in
the hearing of the emperor
himself. Athanasius was condemned to go into exile at
Treves, where he was received with the utmost kindness by the saintly Bishop
Maximinus and the emperor's eldest son, Constantine. He began his journey
probably in the month of
February, 336, and arrived
on the banks of the Moselle
in the late autumn of the
same year. His exile lasted
nearly two years and a half.
Public opinion in his own
diocese remained loyal to
him during all that time. It
was not the least eloquent
testimony to the essential
worth of his character that
he could inspire such faith.
Constantine's treatment of
Athanasius at this crisis in
his fortunes has always been
difficult to understand. Affecting, on the one hand, a
show of indignation, as if he
really believed in the political charge brought against
the saint, he, on the other
hand, refused to appoint a
successor to the Alexandrian
See, a thing which he might
in consistency have been
obliged to do had he taken
seriously the condemnation
proceedings carried through

by the Eusebians at
Tyre.
Meanwhile events of
the greatest importance had taken
place. Arius had died
amid startlingly dramatic circumstances Caption describing picture or graphic.
at Constantinople in
336; and the death of
Constantine himself had
charges were refurbished
followed, on the 22nd of
with a graver ecclesiastical
May the year after. Some
accusation added by way
three weeks later the
of rider. Athanasius had
younger Constantine inignored the decision of a
vited the exiled primate to duly authorized synod. He
return to his see; and by
had returned to his see
the end of November of
without the summons of
the same year Athanasius
ecclesiastical authority
was once more established (Apol. c. Ar., loc. cit.). In
in his episcopal city. His
the year 340, after the failreturn was the occasion of ure of the Eusebian malgreat rejoicing. The peocontents to secure the apple, as he himself tells us,
pointment of an Arian canran in crowds to see his
didate of dubious reputaface; the churches were
tion names Pistus, the nogiven over to a kind of jubi- torious Gregory of Cappalee; thanksgivings were
docia was forcibly intruded
offered up everywhere;
into the Alexandrian See,
and clergy and laity acand Athanasius was
counted the day the happi- obliged to go into hiding.
est in their lives. But alWithin a very few weeks
ready trouble was brewing he set out for Rome to lay
in a quarter from which
his case before the Church
the saint might reasonably at large. He had made his
have expected it. The Euappeal to Pope Julius, who
sebian faction, who from
took up his cause with a
this time forth loom large
whole-heartedness that
as the disturbers of his
never wavered down to
peace, managed to win
the day of that holy ponover to their side the
tiff's death. The pope sumweak-minded Emperor
moned a synod of bishops
Constantius to whom the
to meet in Rome. After a
East had been assigned in
careful and detailed examithe division of the empire
nation of the entire case,
that followed on the death the primate's innocence
of Constantine. The old
was proclaimed to the

C a tho l i c i s m e d u n e w s l e t te r

P age 1 1

SAINT OF THE MONTH

Christian world.
Meanwhile the Eusebian
party had met at Antioch
and passed a series of decrees framed for the sole
purpose of preventing the
saint's return to his see.
Three years were passed at
Rome, during which time
the idea of the cenobitical
life, as Athanasius had seen
it practised in the deserts of
Egypt, was preached to the
clerics of the West (St.
Jerome, Epistle cxxvii, 5).
Two years after the Roman
synod had published its decision, Athanasius was summoned to Milan by the Emperor Constans, who laid
before him the plan which
Constantius had formed for
a great reunion of both the
Eastern and Western
Churches. Now began a time
of extraordinary activity for
the Saint. Early in the year
343 we find the undaunted
exile in Gaul, whither he had
gone to consult the saintly
Hosius, the great champion
of orthodoxy in the West.
The two together set out for
the Council of Sardica which
had been summoned in deference to the Roman pontiff's wishes. At this great
gathering of prelates the
case of Athanasius was
taken up once more; and
once more was his innocence reaffirmed. Two conciliar letters were prepared,
one to the clergy and faithful of Alexandria, and the
other to the bishops of
Egypt and Libya, in which
the will of the Council was

made known. Meanwhile the Eusebian party

had gone to Philippopolis, where they issued an
anathema against Athanasius and his supporters. The persecution
against the orthodox
party broke out with re- Caption describing picture or graphic.
newed vigour, and Constantius was induced to
prepare drastic measures
threatening letter from his
against Athanasius and the brother Constans and the
priests who were devoted
uncertain condition of afto him. Orders were given
fairs of the Persian border,
that if the Saint attempted and he accordingly made
to re-enter his see, he
up his mind to yield. But
should be put to death.
three separate letters
Athanasius, accordingly,
were needed to overcome
withdrew from Sardica to
the natural hesitation of
Naissus in Mysia, where he Athanasius. He passed rapcelebrated the Easter festi- idly from Aquileia to
val of the year 344. After
Treves, from Treves to
that he set out for Aquileia Rome, and from Rome by
in obedience to a friendly
the northern route to Adrisummons from Constans,
anople and Antioch, where
to whom Italy had fallen in he met Constantius. He
the division of the empire
was accorded a gracious
that followed on the death interview by the vacillating
of Constantine. Meanwhile Emperor, and sent back to
an unexpected event had
his see in triumph, where
taken place which made
he began his memorable
the return of Athanasius to ten years' reign, which
his see less difficult than it
lasted down to the third
had seemed for many
exile, that of 356. These
months. Gregory of Cappa- were full years in the life of
docia had died (probably
the Bishop; but the inof violence) in June, 345.
trigues of the Eusebian, or
The embassy which had
Court, party were soon
been sent by the bishops
renewed. Pope Julius had
of Sardica to the Emperor
died in the month of April,
Constantius, and which
352, and Liberius had suchad at first met with the
ceeded him as Sovereign
most insulting treatment,
Pontiff. For two years
now received a favourable Liberius had been favourhearing. Constantius was
able to the cause of Athainduced to reconsider his
nasius; but driven at last
decision, owing to a
into exile, he was induced

He passed rapidly
from Aquileia to
Treves, from Treves
to Rome

P age 1 2

V o l um e 2 , i s s ue 4

SAINT OF THE MONTH

With his friends

scattered, the
saintly Hosius in
exile, the Pope
Liberius denounced
as acquiescing in
Arian formularies,

to sign an ambiguous formula, from which the great

Nicene test, the homousion, had been studiously omitted. In 355 a
council was held at Milan,
where in spite of the vigorous opposition of a handful
of loyal prelates among the
Western bishops, a fourth
condemnation of Athanasius
was announced to the
world. With his friends scattered, the saintly Hosius in
exile, the Pope Liberius denounced as acquiescing in
Arian formularies, Athanasius could hardly hope to
escape. On the night of 8
February, 356, while engaged in services in the
Church of St. Thomas, a
band of armed men burst in
to secure his arrest (Apol. de
Fuga, 24). It was the beginning of his third exile.
Through the influence of the
Eusebian faction at Constantinople, an Arian bishop,
George of Cappadocia, was
now appointed to rule the
see of Alexandria. Athanasius, after remaining some
days in the neighbourhood
of the city, finally withdrew
into the deserts of upper
Egypt, where he remained
for a period of six years, living the life of the monks and
devoting himself in his enforced leisure to the composition of that group of writings of which we have the
rest in the "Apology to Constantius", the "Apology for
his Flight", the "Letter to the
Monks", and the "History of
the Arians". Legend has

naturally been busy

with this period of
the Saint's career;
and we may find in
the "Life of Pachomius" a collection
of tales brimful of
incidents, and enlivened by the recital Caption describing picture or graphic.
of "deathless 'scapes
in the breach." But by
the close of the year 360 a
own flock, and he accordchange was apparent in
ingly re-entered his episcothe complexion of the anti- pal capital 22 February,
Nicene party. The Arians
362. With characteristic
no longer presented an
energy he set to work to
unbroken front to their
re-establish the somewhat
orthodox opponents. The
shattered fortunes of the
Emperor Constantius, who orthodox party and to
had been the cause of so
purge the theological atmuch trouble, died 4 Nomosphere of uncertainty.
vember, 361, and was suc- To clear up the misunderceeded by Julian. The proc- standings that had arisen
lamation of the new
in the course of the previprince's accession was the
ous years, an attempt was
signal for a pagan outbreak made to determine still
against the still dominant
further the significance of
Arian faction in Alexandria. the Nicene formularies. In
George, the usurping
the meanwhile, Julian,
Bishop, was flung into
who seems to have beprison and murdered amid come suddenly jealous of
circumstances of great cru- the influence that Athanaelty, 24 December (Hist.
sius was exercising at AlexAceph., VI). An obscure
andria, addressed an order
presbyter of the name of
to Ecdicius, the Prefect of
Pistus was immediately
Egypt, peremptorily comchosen by the Arians to
manding the expulsion of
succeed him, when fresh
the restored primate, on
news arrived that filled the the ground that he had
orthodox party with hope.
never been included in the
An edict had been put
imperial act of clemency.
forth by Julian (Hist.
The edict was communiAceph., VIII) permitting the cated to the bishop by Pyexiled bishops of the
thicodorus Trico, who,
"Galileans" to return to
though described in the
their "towns and prov"Chronicon Athanasianum"
inces". Athanasius re(xxxv) as a "philosopher",
ceived a summons from his seems to have behaved

C a tho l i c i s m e d u n e w s l e t te r

P age 1 3

SAINT OF THE MONTH

with brutal insolence. On 23
October the people gathered about the proscribed
bishop to protest against the
emperor's decree; but the
saint urged them to submit,
consoling them with the
promise that his absence
would be of short duration.
The prophecy was curiously
fulfilled. Julian terminated
his brief career 26 June, 363;
and Athanasius returned in
secret to Alexandria, where
he soon received a document from the new emperor, Jovian, reinstating
him once more in his episcopal functions. His first act
was to convene a council
which reaffirmed the terms
of the Nicene Creed. Early in
September he set out for
Antioch, bearing a synodal
letter, in which the pronouncements of this council
had been embodied. At Antioch he had an interview
with the new emperor, who
received him graciously and
even asked him to prepare
an exposition of the orthodox faith. But in the following February Jovian died;
and in October, 364, Athanasius was once more an
exile.
With the turn of circumstances that handed over to
Valens the control of the
East this article has nothing
to do; but the accession of
the emperor gave a fresh
lease of life to the Arian
party. He issued a decree
banishing the bishops who
has been deposed by Constantius, but who had been

permitted by Jovian to
return to their sees. The
news created the greatest consternation in the
city of Alexandria itself,
and the prefect, in order
to prevent a serious outbreak, gave public assurance that the very spe- Caption describing picture or graphic.
cial case of Athanasius
would be laid before the
emperor. But the saint
utterance through the lips
seems to have divined
of Pius X in our own times.
what was preparing in se"Let what was confessed
cret against him. He quiby the Fathers of Nicaea
etly withdrew from Alexprevail", he wrote to a phiandria, 5 October, and
losopher friend and corretook up his abode in a
spondent in the closing
country house outside the
years of his life (Epist. lxxi,
city. It was during this pead Max.). That that confesriod that he is said to have
sion did at last prevail in
spent four months in hidthe various Trinitarian foring in his father's tomb
mularies that followed
(Sozomen, Church History
upon that of Nicaea was
VI.12; Socrates, Church
due, humanly speaking,
History IV.12). Valens, who
more to his laborious witseems to have sincerely
ness than to that of any
dreaded the possible conother champion in the long
sequences of a popular
teachers' roll of Catholioutbreak, gave order
cism. By one of those inexwithin a very few weeks
plicable ironies that meet
for the return of Athanaus everywhere in human
sius to his see. And now
history, this man, who had
began that last period of
endured exile so often,
comparative repose which
and risked life itself in deunexpectedly terminated
fence of what he believed
his strenuous and extraorto be the first and most
dinary career. He spent his
essential truth of the
remaining days, characterCatholic creed, died not by
istically enough, in reviolence or in hiding, but
emphasizing the view of
peacefully in his own bed,
the Incarnation which had
surrounded by his clergy
been defined at Nicaea
and mourned by the faithand which has been subful of the see he had
stantially the faith of the
served so well. His feast in
Christian Church from its
the Roman Calendar is
earliest pronouncement in
kept on the anniversary of
Scripture down to its last

That that
confession did at
last prevail in the
various Trinitarian
formularies that
followed

P age 1 4

V o l um e 2 , i s s ue 4

SAINT OF THE MONTH

his death.
[Note on his depiction in art:
No accepted emblem has
been assigned to him in the
history of western art; and
his career, in spite of its picturesque diversity and extraordinary wealth of detail,
seems to have furnished

little, if any, material for

distinctive illustration.
Mrs. Jameson tells us that
according to the Greek
formula, "he ought to be
represented old, baldheaded, and with a long
white beard" (Sacred and
Legendary Art, I, 339).]

Clifford, Cornelius. "St.

Athanasius." The Catholic
Encyclopedia. Vol. 2. New
York: Robert Appleton
Company, 1907. 13 Mar.
2015 <http://
www.newadvent.org/
cathen/02035a.htm>.

CLASSIC CAT HO LIC LIT ER ATU R E

IMITATIO N OF C HRIST B Y THO MAS AKEMPIS

TURN your
attention upon
yourself and
beware of judging
the deeds of other
men,

The Imitation of Christ by

Thomas A'Kempis This book
can be downloaded for free
here: http://www.ccel.org/
ccel/kempis/imitation.html.
Book one: Thoughts helpful
in the life of the soul.
Chapter 14- Avoiding Rash
Judgment
TURN your attention upon
yourself and beware of judging the deeds of other men,
for in judging others a man
labors vainly, often makes
mistakes, and easily sins;
whereas, in judging and taking stock of himself he does
something that is always
profitable. We frequently
judge that things are as we
wish them to be, for through
personal feeling true perspective is easily lost. If God
were the sole object of our
desire, we should not be
disturbed so easily by opposition to our opinions. But
often something lurks within
or happens from without to
draw us along with it. Many,
unawares, seek themselves
in the things they do. They
seem even to enjoy peace of
mind when things happen

according to their wish and

liking, but if otherwise
than they desire, they are
soon disturbed and saddened. Differences of feeling and opinion often divide friends and acquaintances, even those who are
religious and devout. An
old habit is hard to break,
and no one is willing to be
led farther than he can
see. If you rely more upon
your intelligence or industry than upon the virtue of
submission to Jesus Christ,
you will hardly, and in any
case slowly, become an
enlightened man. God
wants us to be completely
subject to Him and,
through ardent love, to
rise above all human wisdom.
Chapter 15- Works Done
in Charity
NEVER do evil for anything
in the world, or for the
love of any man. For one
who is in need, however, a
good work may at times be
purposely left undone or
changed for a better one.
This is not the omission of

a good deed but rather its

improvement. Without
charity external work is of
no value, but anything
done in charity, be it ever
so small and trivial, is entirely fruitful inasmuch as
God weighs the love with
which a man acts rather
than the deed itself. He
does much who loves
much. He does much who
does a thing well. He does
well who serves the common good rather than his
own interests. Now, that
which seems to be charity
is oftentimes really sensuality, for mans own inclination, his own will, his
hope of reward, and his
self-interest, are motives
seldom absent. On the
contrary, he who has true
and perfect charity seeks

St. Thomas A kempis

C a tho l i c i s m e d u n e w s l e t te r

CLASSIC

P age 1 5

CATHOLIC LITERATURE

self in nothing, but searches

all things for the glory of
God. Moreover, he envies
no man, because he desires
no personal pleasure nor
does he wish to rejoice in
himself; rather he desires
the greater glory of God
above all things. He ascribes
to man nothing that is good
but attributes it wholly to
God from Whom all things
proceed as from a fountain,
and in Whom all the blessed
shall rest as their last end
and fruition. If man had but
a spark of true charity he
would surely sense that all
the things of earth are full of
vanity!
Chapter 16- Bearing with
the Faults of Others
UNTIL God ordains otherwise, a man ought to bear
patiently whatever he cannot correct in himself and in
others. Consider it better
thusperhaps to try your
patience and to test you, for
without such patience and
trial your merits are of little
account. Nevertheless, under such difficulties you
should pray that God will
consent to help you bear

them calmly. If, after

being admonished once
or twice, a person does
not amend, do not argue
with him but commit the
whole matter to God
that His will and honor
may be furthered in all
His servants, for God
Caption describing picture or graphic.
knows well how to turn
evil to good. Try to bear
patiently with the defects
selves. If all were perfect,
and infirmities of others,
what should we have to
whatever they may be,
suffer from others for
because you also have
Gods sake? But God has
many a fault which others
so ordained, that we may
must endure. If you cannot
learn to bear with one anmake yourself what you
others burdens, for there
would wish to be, how can
is no man without fault, no
you bend others to your
man without burden, no
will? We want them to be
man sufficient to himself
perfect, yet we do not cornor wise enough. Hence
rect our own faults. We
we must support one anwish them to be severely
other, console one ancorrected, yet we will not
other, mutually help, councorrect ourselves. Their
sel, and advise, for the
great liberty displeases us,
measure of every mans
yet we would not be devirtue is best revealed in
nied what we ask. We
time of adversity
would have them bound
adversity that does not
by laws, yet we will allow
weaken a man but rather
ourselves to be restrained
shows what he is.
in nothing. Hence, it is
clear how seldom we think
of others as we do of our-

P ROV E R B O F T H E M O N T H :
P ROV E R B 1 5
A mild answer *breaketh wrath: but a harsh word stirreth up fury.

But God has so

ordained, that we
may learn to bear
with one anothers
burdens,

P age 1 6

V o l um e 2 , i s s ue 4

SAINTS OF THE MONTH

April 1st- At Rome, St. Theodora, martyr. St. Venantius, bishop and martyr. In Egypt, the
holy martyrs Victor and Stephen. In Armenia, the holy martyrs Quinctian and Irenaeus. At
Constantinople, St. Macarius, confessor, At Grenoble, the bishop St. Hugh, At Amiens,
the abbot St. Valery.
April 2nd- St. Francis of Paula, founder of the Order of Minims. At Caesarea, in Palestine,
martyr St. Amphian, St. Theodosia, a virgin of Tyre, martyr, At Lyons, St. Nizier, bishop of
that city, At Como, St. Abundius, bishop and confessor. At Langres, St. Urban, bishop. In
Palestine, St. Mary of Egypt.
April 3rd- At Taormina, in Sicily, the bishop St. Pancratius, At Tomis, in Scythia, the holy
martyrs Evagrius and Benignus. At Thessalonica, the martyrdom of the holy virgins Agape
and Chionia, At Tyre, the martyr St. Vulpian, In the monastery of Medicion, in the East,
the abbot St. Nicetas, In England, St. Richard, bishop of Chichester, St. Burgundofora,
abbess and virgin. At Palermo, St. Benedict, confessor.
April 4th- At Seville, in Spain, St. Isidore, a bishop, At Thessalonica, the holy martyrs
Agathopodes, a deacon, and Theodulus, a lector, At Milan, the demise of St. Ambrose,
bishop and confessor, At Constantinople, St. Plato, a monk, In Palestine, the anchoret St.
Zozimus.
April 5th- At Vannes, in Brittany, St. Vincent Ferrer, confessor, At Thessalonica, St. Irene,
virgin, In the island of Lesbos, the sufferings of five holy martyrs. St. Zeno, martyr, In Africa, the holy martyrs.
April 6th- In Rome, blessed Sixtus, pope and martyr, In Macedonia, the holy martyrs
Timothy and Diogenes. In Persia, one hundred and twenty holy martyrs. At Ascalon, the
holy martyrs Platonides and two others. At Carthage, St. Marcellin, At Rome, pope St.
Celestin, In Ireland, the holy bishop Celsus In Denmark, St. William.
April 7th- In Africa, holy martyrs Epiphanius, bishop, q, Rufinus, and thirteen others. At
Sinope, in Pontus, two hundred holy martyrs. In Cilicia, St. Calliopius, martyr. At Nicomedia, St. Cyriacus and ten other martyrs. At Alexandria, St. Peleusius, priest and martyr. At
Rome, St. Hegesippus, At Verona, St. Saturninus, bishop and confessor. In Syria, St.
Aphraates, an anchoret.
April 8th- At Alexandria, the martyr St. desius, In Africa, the holy martyrs Januarius,
Maxima, and Macaria. At Carthage, St. Concessa, martyr. the Saints Herodion, Asyncritus
and Phlegon, At Corinth, the bishop St. Denis, At Tours, the holy bishop Perpetuus, At
Ferentino, in Campania, St. Redemptus, bishop, At Como, St. Amantius, bishop and confessor.
April 9th- At Antioch, St. Prochorus, At Rome holy martyrs Demetrius, Concessus, Hilary
and their companions. At Sirmium, seven holy virgins and martyrs, At Caesarea, in Cappadocia, St. Eupsychius, martyr, In Africa, the holy Massylitan martyrs, At Amida, in
Mesopotamia, St. Acatius, bishop, At Rouen, St. Hugh, bishop and confessor. At Die, St.
Marcellus, bishop, In Judea, St. Mary Cleophas, At Rome, St. Monica, At Mons, in Hainaut, blessed Waltrude.
April 10th- The prophet Ezechiel, At Rome, many holy martyrs, At Alexandria, Fortunian,
the holy martyrs Terentius, African, Pompey, and their companions, St. Macarius, bishop
of Antioch, At Valladolid, in Spain, St. Michael of the Saints, confessor.
April 11th- At Rome, St. Leo, pope and confessor, At Pergamus, in Asia, St. Antipas, At
Salona, in Dalmatia, the holy martyrs Domnion, a bishop, and eight soldiers. At Gortina,
in Crete, St. Philip, At Nicomedia, St. Eustorgius, a priest. At Spoleto, St. Isaac, monk and
confessor, At Gaza, in Paletsine, St. Barsanuphius, an anchoret.
April 12th- At Verona, the matryrdom of the bishop St. Zeno, In Cappadocia, St. Sabas, a

C a tho l i c i s m e d u n e w s l e t te r

SAINTS OF THE MONTH

Goth, At Braga, in Portugal, St. Victor, martyr, At Fermo, in the Marches, St. Vissia, virgin
and martyr. At Rome, pope St. Julius, At Gap, St. Constantine, bishop and confessor. At
Pavia, St. Damian, bishop.
April 13th- In Seville, in Spain, St. Hermenegild, At Pergamus, in Asia, the holy martyrs
Carpus, bishop of Thyatira, Papylus, deacon, and his sister Agathonica, Agathadorus,
their servant, and many others, Justin the Philosopher, the martyrdom of the Saints
Maximus, Quinctillian, and Dadas, At Ravenna, St. Ursus, bishop and confessor.
April 14th- The feast of St. Justin, martyr, At Rome, on the Appian way, holy martyrs
Tiburtius, Valerian, and Maximus, At Teramo, St. Proculus, bishop and martyr. Also, St.
Domnina, virgin and martyr, crowned with other virgins, her companions. At Alexandria,
St. Thomaides, martyr. St. Ardalion, an actor. At Lyons, St. Lambert, bishop and confessor. At Alexandria, St. Fronto, an abbot, At Rome, St. Abundius.
April 15th- At Rome, the Saints Basilissa and Anastasia. holy martyrs Maro, Eutyches, and
Victorinus, In Persia, holy martyrs Maxinius and OJympiades, At Perentino, in Campania,
St. Eutychius, martyr. At Myra, in Lycia, St. Crescens.
April 16th- Corinth, the holy martyrs Callistus and Charisius, with seven others, At Saragossa, in Spain, eighteen holy martyrs, Optatus, Lupercus, Successus, Martial, Urbanus,
Julia, Quinctilian, Pubilus, Fronto, Felix, Caecilian, Eventius, Primitivus, Apodemius, and
four others, St. Encratis, a virgin and martyr, the martyr St. Lambert. At Palencia, St.
Turibius, bishop of Astorga, At Braga, in Portugal, the bishop St. Fructuosus. St. Paternus,
bishop of Avrauches. In Belgium, near Valenciennes, St. Drogo, confessor. At Siena, in
Tuscany, blessed Joachim, of the Order of the Servites of the Blessed Virgin Mary. At
Rome, St. Benedict Joseph Labre, confessor.
April 17th- At Rome, St. Anicetus, pope and martyr, In Africa, blessed Mappalicus, and
many martyrs, Marcian. At Antioch, the holy martyrs Peter, a deacon, and Hermogenes,
his servant. At Cordova, the holy martyrs Elias, a priest, Paul and Isidore, monks. At Vienne, St. Pantagathus, bishop. At Tortona, St. Innocent, bishop and confessor. At Citeaux,
in France, the abbot St. Stephen, In the monastery of Chaise-Dieu, in the diocese of Clermont, St. Robert, confessor.
April 18th- At Rome, St. Apollonius, At Messina, holy martyrs, Eleutherius, bishop of
Illyricum, and Anthia, his mother. St. Corebus, prefect, At Brescia, St. Calocerus, a martyr,
At Cordova, St. Perfect, priest and martyr, At Milan, St. Galdini, cardinal and bishop of
that city, In Tuscany, on Mount Senario, blessed Amideus.
April 19th- St. Timon, At Collioure, in Spain, the holy martyr Vincent. the holy martyrs
Socrates and Denis, At Jerusalem, St. Paphnutius, martyr. At Canterbury, in England, St.
Elphege, bishop and martyr. At Antioch, in Pisidia, St. George, a bishop, At Rome, pope
St. Leo IX, In the monastery of Lobbes, St. Ursmar, bishop. At Florence, St. Crescent, confessor.
April 20th- At Rome, the holy martyrs Sulpicius and Servilian, martyrs Victor, Zoticus,
Zeno, Acindinus, Csesareus, Severian, Chrysophorus, Theonas, and Antoninus, At Tomis,
in Scythia, St. Theotimus, bishop, At Embrun, in France, St. Marcellin, first bishop of that
city, At Auxerre, St. Marcian, a priest. St. Theodore, confessor, surnamed Trichinas, At
Monte-Pulciano, St. Agnes, a virgin, of the Order of St. Dominic.
April 21st- At Canterbury, in England, St. Anselm, bishop and Doctor of the Church, In
Persia, St. Simeon, bishop of Seleucia and Ctesiphon with one hundred other confessors,
among whom were bishops, priests, and clerics of various ranks and Abdechalas and
Ananias, his priests, with Pusicius, a consecrated virgin, martyrs. At Alexandria, the holy
martyrs Arator, priest, Fortunatus, Felix, Silvius, and Vitalis, Saints Apollo, Isacius, and

P age 1 7

P age 1 8

V o l um e 2 , i s s ue 4

SAINTS

OF THE MONTH

Crotates, At Antioch, St. Anastasius Sinaita, bishop.

April 22nd- At Rome, on the Appian way, St. Soter, pope and martyr. pope St. Caius, martyr, At Smyrna, the Saints Apelles and Lucius, many holy martyrs, the eunuch Azades,
Milles, a bishop, the bishop Acepsimas, priest James; also Aithalas and Joseph, priests;
Azadan and Abdiesus, deacons, and many other clerics; Mareas and Bicor, bishops, with
twenty other bishops, and nearly two hundred and fifty clerics; many monks and consecrated virgins, among whom was the sister of St. Simeon, called Tarbula, with her maidservant, in Persia, the Saints Parmenius, Helimenas and Chrysotelus, priests, Lucas and
Mucius, deacons, At Alexandria, martyr St. Leonides, At Lyons, St. Epipodius, martyr, At
Sens, St. Leo, bishop and confessor. At Anastasiopolis, St. Theodore, a bishop renowned
for miracles.
April 23rd- St. George, martyr, At Valence, in France, the holy martyrs Felix, priest, Fortunatus and Achilleus, deacons, At Toul, in France, St. Gerard, bishop of that city.
April 24th- At Sevis, in Switzerland, St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen, martyr, of the Order of
Capuchin Minorites, At Rome, St. Sabas, martyr, At Lyons, in France, St. Alexander, martyr, Thirty-four others suffered with him, the holy martyrs Eusebius, Neon, Leontius,
Longinus, and four others, In England, the demise of St. Mellitus, bishop. At Elvira, in
Spain, St. Gregory, bishop and confessor. At Brescia, St. Honorius, bishop. In Ireland, St.
Egbert, priest and monk, At Rheims, the holy virgins Bona and Doda.
April 25th- In Alexandria, blessed Mark, evangelist, martyr, disciple and interpreter of the
apostle St. Peter. At Rome, the great Litanies in the church of St. Peter. At Syracuse, the
holy martyrs Evodius, Hermogenes, and Callistus. At Antioch, St. Stephen, bishop and
martyr, the Saints Philo and Agathopodes, deacons. At Alexandria, the bishop St. Anian,
disciple of blessed Mark, At Lobbes, the birthday of St. Erminus, bishop and confessor.
April 26th- At Rome, the birthday of blessed Cletus, pope who governed the Church the
second after the apostle St. Peter, and was crowned with martyrdom. St. Marcellinus,
pope and martyr, with Claudius, Cyrinus, and Antoninus and seventeen thousand Christians, At Amasea, in Pontus, St. Basileus, bishop and martyr, At Braga, in Portugal, St. Peter, martyr, the first bishop of that city. At Venice, St. Clarence, bishop and confessor. At
Verona, St. Lucidius, bishop. In the monastery of Centula, St. Richarius, priest and confessor. At Troyes, St. Exuperantia, virgin.
April 27th- In Nicomedia, St. Anthimus, bishop and martyr, Nearly all his numerous flock
followed him; At Tarsus, in Cilicia, the Saints Castor and Stephen, martyrs. At Rome, the
demise of the blessed pope Anastatius, At Bologna, St. Tertullian, bishop and confessor.
At Brescia, the bishop St. Theophilus. At Constantinople, the abbot St. John, At Tarragona, the blessed Peter Armengaudius, of the Order of Blessed Mary of Mercy for the
Redemption of Captives, At Lucca in Italy, blessed Zita, a virgin.
April 28th- St. Paul of the Cross. At Ravenna, the birthday of St. Vitalis, martyr. At Milan,
the martyr St. Valeria. At Atinor St. Mark, martyr. At Alexandria, the martyrdom of the
virgin St. Theodora. The saints Aphrodisius, Caralippus, Agapius, and Eusebius, martyrs.
In Pannonia, St. Pollio, martyr, At Prusa, in Bithynia, the holy martyrs Patritius, bishop,
Acatius, Menander, and Polyenus. At Tarrazona, in Spain, St. Prudentius, bishop and martyr. At Pelino, in Abruzzo, St. Pamphilus, bishop of Valva.
April 29th- At Milan, St. Peter, martyr, of the Order of Preachers. At Paphos, in Cyprus,
St. Tychicus, At Cirtha, in Numidia, martyrs Agapius and Secundinus, bishops, In their
company, suffered milian, soldier, Tertulla and Antonia, consecrated virgin, and a
woman with her twin children. seven robbers, At Brescia, St. Paulinus, bishop and confessor. In the monastery of Cluny, the abbot St. Hugh. In the monastery of Molesmes, St.

C a tho l i c i s m e d u n e w s l e t te r

P age 1 9

SAINTS OF THE MONTH

Robert, first abbot of the Cistercians.
April 30th- At Rome, St. Catherine of Siena, virgin, of the Order of St. Dominic. At Lambesa, in Numidia, martyrs Marian, lector, and James, deacon. At Saintes, blessed Eutropius, bishop and martyr. At Cordova, martyrs Amator, priest, Peter, monk, and Lewis. At
Novara, the martyrdom of the holy priest Lawrence, and some boys. At Alexandria, the
holy martyrs Aphrodisius, priest, and thirty others. At Ephesus, St. Maximus, martyr, At
Fermo, in the Marches, St. Sophia, virgin and martyr. At Naples, in Campania, St. Severus,
bishop, At Evorea, in Epirus, St. Donatus, a bishop, At London, in England, St. Erconwald,
a bishop celebrated for many miracles.

PSALM OF THE MONTH

PSALM 24
A prayer for grace, mercy,
and protection against our
enemies.
1 Unto the end. A psalm for
David. To thee, O Lord, have
I lifted up my soul.
2 In thee, O my God, I put
my trust; let me not be
ashamed.
3 Neither let my enemies
laugh at me: for none of
them that wait on thee shall
be confounded.
4 Let all them be confounded that act unjust
things without cause. Shew,
O Lord, thy ways to me, and
teach me thy paths.
5 Direct me in thy truth, and
teach me; for thou art God,
my Saviour; and on thee
have I waited all the day
long.
6 Remember, O Lord, thy
bowels of compassion; and
thy mercies that are from
the beginning of the world.
7 The sins of my youth and
my ignorances do not remember. According to thy
mercy remember thou me:
for thy goodness' sake, O
Lord.

8 The Lord is sweet and

righteous: therefore he
will give a law to sinners in
the way.
9 He will guide the mild in
judgment: he will teach
the meek his ways.
10 All the ways of the Lord
are mercy and truth, to
them that seek after his
covenant and his testimonies.
11 For thy name's sake, O
Lord, thou wilt pardon my
sin: for it is great.
12 Who is the man that
feareth the Lord? He hath
appointed him a law in the
way he hath chosen.
13 His soul shall dwell in
good things: and his seed
shall inherit the land.
14 The Lord is a firmament
to them that fear him: and
his covenant shall be made
manifest to them.
15 My eyes are ever towards the Lord: for he shall
pluck my feet out of the
snare.
16 Look thou upon me,
and have mercy on me; for
I am alone and poor.

17 The troubles of my
heart are multiplied: deliver me from my necessities.
18 See my abjection and
my labour: and forgive me
all my sins.
19 Consider my enemies,
for they are multiplied,
*and have hated me with
an unjust hatred.
20 Keep thou my soul, and
deliver me: I shall not be
ashamed, for I have hoped
in thee.
21 The innocent and the
upright have adhered to
me: because I have waited
on thee.
22 Deliver Israel, O God,
from all his tribulations.
____________________
*
19: John xv. 25.

Caption describing picture or

graphic.

Consider my
enemies, for they
are multiplied, *and
have hated me with
an unjust hatred.

P age 2 0

V o l um e 2 , i s s ue 4

PSALM

The psalm may

have been
composed, when
David was
persecuted by his
son, (Bert.) or by
Saul.

OF THE MONTH

Ver. 1. David. This word

alone occurs in Heb. Sept.
and S. Jerom add also Psalm.
H. --- S. Aug. and Theod.
agree with the Vulg. C. --These variations prove that
we cannot depend much on
the titles; and the learned
do not look upon them as
the word of God. The psalm
may have been composed,
when David was persecuted
by his son, (Bert.) or by Saul.
It may also allude to the captives. This is the first of the
seven alphabetical psalms.
The 33d, 35th, 110th, 111th,
118th, and 144th, are of the
same description, being
written in this manner (C.)
on account of their importance, (Kimchi) or to help
the memory, (Bert.) or for
copies, to teach young people to write. Grot. --- Each
verse forms a distinct sentence, not much connected
with the rest. We perceive
some derangement in the
present Heb. copies of this
psalm, as the letters are not
in proper order, though it
might easily be restored by
altering the divisions, &c.
The Jews have been less attentive to preserve these
divine canticles (C.) than
their Thalmudical songs. Pellican in Ps. lxxxv. 9. --- The
Sept. and S. Jerom seem to
have had better copies.
Christ, the Church, (C.) or
any pious soul, may address
this fervent prayer to God
under affliction. --- Lifted up
in the true spirit of prayer,
(Bert.) with fervour and confidence. Deut. xxiv. 15. Lam.

iii. 41. C. --- Attention

is requisite to obtain
a petition, (W.) as
well as fervour, &c. H.
Ver. 2. In thee. Heb.
bec. Thus the second
verse will properly
begin with b, (Capel.
Houbig.) though the Caption describing picture or graphic.
Jews place my God
first, as it is in the Vulg.
which is unknown to
Deus meus, in te, &c. H. --many, (S. Athan.) and pracAshamed. Sept. Compl.
tised by still fewer. C.
adds, "for ever."
Ver. 5. And teach. If the
Ver. 3. Laugh. Saying
verse were to commence
scornfully where is their
thus, (C.) v would not be
God? C. --- Wait. This is
out of its place. H. --- Withoften urged (Is. xlii. 23.) as
out God's direction, we
comprising all the science
cannot walk in the narrow
of a spiritual life. We must
path. Bert. --- Long. We
neither despair nor omit
must never cease to desire
the means of salvation.
the knowledge of true docBert. --- Those who hope
trine. W.
for the accomplishment of
Ver. 6. World. God's truth
God's promises, will not be
or fidelity in performing his
disappointed. C.
promises, and his tender
Ver. 4. All, is not expressed mercies towards his
in Heb. or some copies of
people, are the motives
the Sept. Bert. --- Cause.
most frequently urged. C.
No one can have reason
Ver. 7. Ignorances. Heb.
to do so. But those who
"defects," as youth is more
injure their harmless
apt to omit duties than to
brethren, are more repreact very wickedly. Yet it is
hensible, (H.) and the
psalmist foretells that they difficult to decide how
grievous such sins may be.
will be put to shame. S.
Bert. --- Passion and ignoJer. --- This manner of
rance then concur to lead
praying frequently occurs
the inexperienced astray.
in the psalms, to signify
H. --- From the first use of
the event, and the approreason, many are careless,
bation of the just. W. --and neglect to learn their
Shew. The forth verse
ought to begin here with d, duty. W. --- Ignorance is
sometimes a sin, though it
as in Heb. H. --- Paths. The
may be more pardonable.
mysterious ways of Providence, (Euseb.) or the law
1 Tim. i. M.

C a tho l i c i s m e d u n e w s l e t te r

P age 2 1

PSALM OF THE MONTH

Ver. 8. Righteous. Though he
is always ready to receive
the penitent, he will punish
the obstinate with
severity. C. W. --- Yet he
points out the means of obtaining his favour. S. Aug. --A law. Heb. "will instruct." C.
Ver. 9. Mild. Only rebels are
made the victims of justice.
H.
Ver. 10. Seek. Heb. "keeps."
But no one seeks after the
law, who does not strive to
keep it. Bert. --- Jesus
Christ shewed mercy at his
first coming, and he will display truth at his second,
judging all with equity. S.
Aug. --- Testimonies. When
God gave the law to manifest his will, he attested
heaven and earth, that all
might observe it carefully. C.
--- The law is God's covenant, and the testimony of
his will. He mercifully
preventeth us with his
grace, and will reward with
truth and justice. W.
Ver. 11. Great. "Original sin
is common to all, and will
not be washed away, except
God be pleased to destroy it
in baptism." S. Jer. --- David
had committed adultery;
and all must acknowledge
their manifold guilt. C. --Though the guilt had been
remitted, the punishment
due to David's crime was to
be endured in this life, and
he ought daily to pray for
pardon. Bert. --- The aversion from God in sin is great,
and standeth in need of his

gracious remission. W.
Ver. 12. He hath. This
may be understood either of God, or of man,
who has chosen a state
of life. Bert. -- Provided
he be guided by the fear
of the Lord, (C.) all things
Caption describing picture or graphic.
Will turn to his advantage. H.
Ver. 13. Dwell. Heb. intiM.
mates, "all night" at rest;
Ver. 15. Lord. Our prayers
yet so that he must only
are not heard, because
enjoy temporal goods like
they are not like this: fera traveller. Bert. --- We
vant, incessant, and humought to look up to heaven
ble. We have all to fear
as to our true country, (C.)
from our passions, which
or which Palestine was
are the most dangerous
only a figure. Ps. lxviii. M. snares. Bert.
-- The land, is not exVer. 16. Alone. Desolate,
pressed in Heb. "his seed
(Ps. xxi. 21.) without any
shall receive (good) for an
assistant. H. --- Such is man
inheritance." H. --- Five
destitute of God's grace.
blessings are here promW.
ised to those who fear the
Ver. 17. Multiplied. Heb.
God: instruction, a supply
of necessities, a progeny to "enlarged." So in the gradual for the second Sunday
imitate his virtues, protecof Lent, we read dilatatae.
tion, and heaven. W.
Bert. --- Afflictions must be
Ver. 14. Firmament, or
endured. W. Sen. ep. 12.
strong support. H. --- Heb.
"the secret of the Lord is
Ver. 18. See. The word
for them," &c. He conceals kum, "arise," may be wantnothing from his friends. C. ing, as the verse should
begin with k, (C.) unless it
--- Both these senses are
be lost. MS. 2, repeats the
good, (Bert.) and the Heb.
former verse, perhaps to
words are nearly allied.
fill up the space. Kennicott.
Robertson. --- All who fear
--- Forgive. Heb. or "bear."
God, ought to interest
Bert. S. Jer. M. --- If the
themselves, and pray that
cause be removed, the
he would enlighten the
affliction will have an end.
ignorant, and convert sinW.
ners. Bert. --- The uncerVer. 19. Unjust. Heb. also,
tain and hidden things of
"cruel," (H.) or "violent."
thy wisdom thou hast
made manifest to me. Ps. l. But S. Jerom agrees with

Alone. Desolate,
(Ps. xxi. 21.)
without any
assistant. H. --- Such
is man destitute of
God's grace. W.

P age 2 2

V o l um e 2 , i s s ue 4

PSALM OF MONTH

The wicked,
through hatred of
God,

the Sept. Our spiritual

enemies are the most dangerous and unrelenting, and
we are too often off our
guard. Bert. --- The wicked,
through hatred of God, (H.)
seek to draw others into sin.
W.Ver. 20. Soul. David was
most concerned for it;
(Bert.) and those who sincerely place their confidence
in God, will never be confounded. W.
Ver. 21. Adhered. Heb.
"innocence, &c. have kept
me." C. --- Those faithful
subjects, who have
accompanied me in my

flight, stand guard to

protect me. Requite
them, O Lord, and
grant peace to all my
people. H. --- My example encourages
them to follow thy
law, and they will be
staggered, if thou
Caption describing picture or graphic.
grant not my request.
M.
next psalm; unless it be a
Ver. 22. Deliver. Heb. pede, conclusion like that of Ps.
"redeem." All the 22 (H.)
xxxiii. (C.) out of the alphaletters of the alphabet are
betical order. Houbigant. -complete without this
Israel. S. Aug. and some
supplication for all Israel,
ancient psalters read, "Me,
or for the Church. W. --- It
O God of Israel, from all
might form a part of the
my tribulations." C.
last verse, or belong to the

MASS READINGS
Wed the 1st:

Isa 50:4-9; Ps 69:8-34; Matt 26:14-25

Thu the 2nd:

Holy Thursday. Exod 12:1-14; Ps 116:12-18; 1 Cor 11:23-26; John 13:1-15

Fri the 3rd:

Good Friday. Isa 52:13-53:12; Ps 31:1-25; Heb 4:14-16, 5:7-9; John 18:119:42

Sat the 4th:

Holy Saturday. Vigil of Solemnity of Easter. Gen 1:1-2:2; Gen 22:1-18;

Exod 14:15-15:1; Isa 54:5-14; Isa 55:1-11; Bar 3:9-15, 32-4:4; Ezek 36:1628; Ps 104:1-35 or Ps 33:4-22; Ps 16:5-11; Exod 15:1-18; Ps 30:1-13; Isa
12:1-6; Ps 19:8-11; Ps 42:3-5, 43:3-4 or Ps 51:12-19; Rom 6:3-11; Psalm
118:1-23; Mark 16:1-7

Sun the 5th:

Psalter I, Octave of Easter. Solemnity of Easter. Acts 10:34-43; Ps 118:123; Col 3:1-4 or 1 Cor 5:6-8; John 20:1-9 or Luke 24:13-35

Mon the 6th: Acts 2:14-33; Ps 16:1-11; Ps 118:24; Matt 28:8-15

Tue the 7th:

(Memorial of John Baptist de la Salle, priest.) Acts 2:36-41; Ps 33:4-22;

Ps 118:24; John 20:11-18

Wed the 8th: Acts 3:1-10; Ps 105:1-9; Ps 118:24; Luke 24:13-35

Thu the 9th:

Acts 3:11-26; Ps 8:1-9; Ps 118:24; Luke 24:35-48

Fri the 10th:

Acts 4:1-12; Ps 118:1-27; Ps 118:24; John 21:1-14

Sat the 11th:

(Optional memorial of Stanislaus, bishop and martyr.) Acts 4:13-21; Ps

118:1-21; Ps 118:24; Mark 16:9-15

C a tho l i c i s m e d u n e w s l e t te r

MASS READINGS
Sun the 12th:

Psalter II, Octave of Easter. Feast of Divine Mercy. Last Day of Octave.
Acts 4:32-35; Ps 118:1-24; 1 John 5:1-6; John 20:19-31

Mon the 13th:

Optional memorial of Martin I, pope and martyr. Acts 4:23-31; Ps

2:1-9; Col 3:1; John 3:1-8

Tue the 14th:

Acts 4:32-37; Ps 93:1-5; John 3:7-15

Wed the 15th:

Acts 5:17-26; Ps 34:1-9; John 3:16-21

Thu the 16th:

Acts 5:27-33; Ps 34:1-20; John 20:29; John 3:31-36

Fri the 17th:

Acts 5:34-42; Ps 27:1-14; Matt 4:4; John 6:1-15

Sat the 18th:

Acts 6:1-7; Ps 33:1-19; John 6:16-21

Sun the 19th:

Psalter III, Easter Week 3. Acts 3:13-19; Ps 4:1-9; 1 John 2:1-5; Luke
24:35-48

Mon the 20th:

Acts 6:8-15; Ps 119:23-30; Matt 4:4; John 6:22-29

Tue the 21st:

Optional memorial of Anselm, bishop and doctor. Acts 7:51-8:1; Ps

31:3-21; John 6:30-35

Wed the 22nd:

Acts 8:1-8; Ps 66:1-7; John 6:35-40

Thu the 23rd:

Optional memorial of George, martyr. Optional memorial of Adalbert, bishop and martyr. Acts 8:26-40; Ps 66:8-20; John 6:44-51

Fri the 24th:

Optional memorial of Fidelis of Sigmaringen, priest and martyr. Acts

9:1-20; Ps 117:1-2; John 6:52-59

Sat the 25th:

Feast of Mark, evangelist. Acts 9:31-42; Ps 116:12-17; John 6:60-69

Sun the 26th:

Psalter IV, Easter Week 4. Acts 4:8-12; Ps 118:1-29; 1 John 3:1-2; John
10:11-18

Mon the 27th:

Acts 11:1-18; Ps 42:1-4; John 10:14; John 10:1-10

Tue the 28th:

Optional memorial of Peter Chanel, priest and martyr. Optional memorial of Louis Mary de Montfort, priest. Acts 11:19-26; Ps 87:1-7;
John 10:22-30

Wed the 29th:

Memorial of Catherine of Siena, virgin and doctor. Acts 12:24-13:5; Ps

67:1-8; John 8:12; John 12:44-50

Thu the 30th:

Optional memorial of Pius V, pope. Acts 13:13-25; Ps 89:1-27; Rev 1:5;

John 13:16-20

P age 2 3

P age 2 4

V o l um e 2 , i s s ue 4

P A PA L

ENCYCLICAL: PETITIONIBUS VESTRIS

BENIGNUM IMPERTIENTES
Kindly giving your requests
1255, July, 15. Anagni. Bula
grant from the University of
Salamanca from the Alejandro 4 en que el uso del Sello.
Beloved sons, Alexander,
bishop, servant of the servants of God to the entire
body of the masters and
scholars of the righteous
shall be Salamantinus. greeting. Of your request, gentle,
willing consent, in order to
be able to freely make use
of him, and to have a com-

mon seal, the free

grant, to the authority of the presents the
capacity of your devotion. To no one,
therefore, of all men
to infringe this page
of our concession or
to oppose it with rash Pope Alexander iv
daring. But if any man
should presume to
attempt this, the wrath of
he will incur. Dat. Anagni
Almighty God and of the
it. July in the year of our.
blessed apostles Peter and
Paul, of the apostles, that

POPE OF THE MONTH:

ST. SIXTUS 1

in the oldest
documents, Xystus
is the spelling used
for the first three
popes of that name

Pope St. Sixtus I (in the oldest documents, Xystus is the

spelling used for the first
three popes of that name),
succeeded St. Alexander and
was followed by St.
Telesphorus. According to
the "Liberian Catalogue" of
popes, he ruled the Church
during the reign of Adrian "a
conulatu Nigri et Aproniani
usque Vero III et Ambibulo",
that is, from 117 to 126. Eusebius, who in his
"Chronicon" made use of a
catalogue of popes different
from the one he used in his
"Historia ecclesiastica",
states in his "Chronicon"
that Sixtus I was pope from
114 to 124, while in his
"History" he makes him rule
from 114 to 128. All authorities agree that he reigned
about ten years. He was a
Roman by birth, and his father's name was Pastor. Ac-

cording to the "Liber Pontificalis" (ed. Duchesne, I,

128), he passed the following three ordinances: (1)
that none but sacred ministers are allowed to touch
the sacred vessels; (2) that
bishops who have been
summoned to the Holy See
shall, upon their return,
not be received by their
diocese except on presenting Apostolic letters; (3)
that after the Preface in
the Mass the priest shall
recite the Sanctus with the
people. The "Felician Catalogue" of popes and the
various martyrologies give
him the title of martyr. His
feast is celebrated on 6
April. He was buried in the
Vatican, beside the tomb
of St. Peter. His relics are
said to have been transferred to Alatri in 1132,
though O Jozzi ("Il corpo di

S. Sisto I., papa e martire

rivendicato alla basilica
Vaticana", Rome, 1900)
contends that they are still
in the Vatican Basilica. Butler (Lives of the Saints, 6
April) states that Clement
X gave some of his relics to
Cardinal de Retz, who
placed them in the Abbey
of St. Michael in Lorraine.
The Xystus who is commemorated in the Canon
of the Mass is Xystus II, not
Xystus I.

Pope Sixtus

C a tho l i c i s m e d u n e w s l e t te r

MISSION

P age 2 5

STAT E M E NT

Here at catholicismedu our goal is to provide everyone free and easy access to
educational content on the catholic faith from the videos we make to PDF files
and mp3. we Aim to provide everything from prayers to theology including the
why, and how we do What as members of the catholic faith we do. We reach out
to all individuals not just catholics.

M O NT HLY BI BLE R EADI NG :

ISAIAH 50
The synagogue shall be divorced for her iniquities.
Christ, for her sake, will endure ignominious
afflictions.
1 Thus saith the Lord: What
is this bill of the divorce of
your mother, with which I
have put her away? Or who
is my creditor, to whom I
sold you: behold, you are
sold for your iniquities, and
for your wicked deeds have I
put your mother away.
2 Because I came, and there
was not a man: I called, and
there was none that would
hear. *Is my hand shortened
and become little, that I cannot redeem? or is there no
strength in me to deliver?
Behold, at my rebuke I will
make the sea a desert, I will
turn the rivers into dry land:
the fishes shall rot for want
ofwater, and shall die for
thirst.
3 I will clothe the heavens
with darkness, and will make
sackcloth their covering.
4 The Lord hath given me a
learned tongue, that I
should know how to uphold
by word him that is weary:
he wakeneth in the morning,
in the morning he wakeneth
my ear, that I may hear him

as a master.
5 The Lord God hath
opened my ear, and I do
not resist: I have not gone
back.
6 *I have given my body to
the strikers, and my cheeks
to them that plucked
them: I have not turned
away my face from them
that rebuked me, and spit
upon me.
7 The Lord God is my
helper, therefore am I not
confounded: therefore
have I set my face as a
most hard rock, and I know
that I shall not be confounded.
8 *He is near that justifieth
me, who will contend with
me? let us stand together,
who is my adversary? let
him come near to me.
9 Behold, the Lord God is
my helper: who is he that
shall condemn me? Lo,
they shall all be destroyed
as a garment, the moth
shall eat them up.
10 Who is there among
you that feareth the Lord,
that heareth the voice of
his servant, that hath
walked in
darkness, and hath no

light? let him hope in the

name of the Lord, and lean
upon his God.
11 Behold, all you that kindle a fire, encompassed
with flames, walk in the
light of your fire, and in
the flames which you have
kindled: this is done to you
by my hand, you shall
sleep in sorrows.
____________________
*
2: Infra lix. 1.
6: Mat. xxvi. 67.
8: Rom. viii. 33.

Behold, all you that

kindle a fire,
encompassed with
flames,